AAA home of the Iowa Cubs of the International League in Des Moines, IA.
The downtown Des Moines skyline rising beyond the outfield fence is what separates Principal Park from every other Triple-A ballpark in the Midwest — you get a legitimate cityscape at your back while the Des Moines River runs just behind the park. The Iowa Cubs have been Chicago's top affiliate for more than four decades, so the roster carries real weight; prospects that Cubs fans are tracking show up here regularly, and rehabbers can appear with little warning. Concessions lean into Iowa's agricultural identity — pork tenderloin sandwiches are the thing to find, and local food vendors rotate through the main concourse. Crowds are knowledgeable and unhurried, the pace fitting a warm summer evening in the upper Midwest. The park sits within walking distance of downtown hotels and restaurants, making a pre-game dinner on foot straightforward. First-timers should arrive early, find a seat on the third-base side, and face the skyline before first pitch.
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