WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — There’s some beautiful music coming from the Val Air Ballroom — the sound of new life.

“It’s been kind of in a state of disrepair for the last 30 years,” said new owner, Sam Summers.

He’s launched a $15 million renovation of the 84-year-old place. Like many Iowans, he feels a connection here.

“I did my first big show here,” Summers remembers. “I did Fallout Boy/Panic in the Disco here in 2005, right? This was the first big, real venue I did.”

Summers owns Wooly’s in the East Village and coordinates the Hinterland Festival each summer in Madison County.

He’s got the chops to give all this history a real future.

“From a fan’s perspective we’re right in the core of the city and there’s parking, you know?” he said. “From a band’s perspective it’s on the freeway.”

The project already has its first standing ovation — from the city.

“This is really kind of a Godsend for us,” said Clyde Evans, West Des Moines’ Community and Economic Development director.

West Des Moines has been waiting for years for the right plan to come along.

“We had a lot of people come forward with proposals,” said Evans. “But unfortunately they weren’t what I’ll say ‘well-funded’ and so they were trying to do things on the shoestring (budget).”

Summers has cobbled together city, state, and federal funding and every square foot of the Val Air gets updated. That includes $2 million for — listen up Waterbury neighborhood — sound insulation.

“It’s the only thing that really HAD to happen for us to do this place,” Summers smiled. “I live around here, too. I didn’t want my neighbors coming to my house looking for me!”

If all goes well, the Val Air should be ready to rock by spring of next year.

“It’s really a perfect place for bands and fans,” Summers said.