The Iowa Senior Olympics is joining forces with the Iowa Sports Foundation and is changing its name to the Iowa Senior Games. The event is held each June in West Des Moines and offers competition for those ages 50 and over. The Iowa Sports Foundation runs several events, including the Iowa Games.

Kevin Bourke, Chief Operating Officer for the Iowa Sports Foundation, says this is not a merger of the Iowa Games and the Senior Games.

“It’s really been a long process just making sure that the Senior Games maintains their own identity, it’s not part of the Iowa Games,” Bourke says. He says the Senior Games will remain in West Des Moines as it has for the last 28 years.

Bourke says the ISF will provide the Senior Games with a bigger staff and added marketing opportunities. He says the long-range plan is to expand the games with some regional games around the state in connection with recreation partners.

Bourke says the will add a couple of new sports and won’t be changing a lot of things until they get a good understanding of everything involved in the games.