Frederick Watson, a developer from Minneapolis, Minnesota, first unveiled plans for Valley West Mall in 1971.

By 2000, Valley West was the Des Moines area's most-visited mall with an average of 40,000 shoppers per day.

[5] Plans for a fourth anchor store at Valley West Mall were announced on two separate occasions but never materialized.

[7] While Jordan Creek was under construction, Valley West underwent an interior renovation that was completed in August 2003.

The suit, which claimed that West Des Moines was illegally using tax increment financing money to improve the infrastructure around Jordan Creek, was dismissed by the Iowa Supreme Court on February 27, 2002.

[13] On August 24, 2021, it was announced that Von Maur will close its store at Valley West Mall in 2022 in favor opening a new one at Jordan Creek Town Center.