The City of Ames and Iowa State University have extended their contract with the Iowa Games and will host the games through the year 2000.

The old contract was through 1997, the new contract ensures that the location of the Iowa games will be Ames for three more years.

Steve Jordson, director of sports and operations for the Iowa Games, said they have already had 10 successful years in the Ames community.

He said it only made sense to carry this success over into the next century.

Murray Blackwelder, ISU vice president for external affairs, said the university is pleased to host the games for an additional three years.

“The facilities and hospitality we have to offer here at Iowa State and in the City of Ames are second to none, and we’re happy to share them with thousands of Iowans each summer,” Blackwelder said.

Rich Harter, executive of the Ames Convention and Visitors Bureau and Ames Area Sports Commission, said he was “ecstatic” about the agreement.

“We think this is a great tribute to this partnership between the university and Ames,” he said.

Harter said the partnership is a lot of work and a lot of effort on behalf of ISU and the community. “We have earned the right to host this again.”

Liz Kurt, ISU special events coordinator, said they worked on the agreement for five or six months.

Ames has been the location of the Iowa Games since 1987. Harter said the Games bring $2 million to the city of Ames.

The 1997 Iowa Games will be held Aug. 1, 2, and 3.