Principal Park facts for kids
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| Former names | Sec Taylor Stadium (1992–2004) |
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| Location | 1 Line Drive Des Moines, Iowa United States |
| Coordinates | 41°34′49″N 93°36′57″W / 41.58028°N 93.61583°W |
| Owner | City of Des Moines |
| Operator | Raccoon Baseball, Inc. |
| Capacity | 11,500 (2004–present) 10,800 (1992–2003) |
| Field size | Left field: 335 ft (102 m) Center field: 400 ft (120 m) Right field: 335 ft (102 m) |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | September 10, 1991 |
| Opened | April 16, 1992 |
| Renovated | 2006 |
| Construction cost | US$12 million ($25 million in 2022 dollars ) |
| Architect | Populous |
| Structural engineer | Shuck–Britson, Inc. |
| Services engineer | Bredson & Associates, Inc. |
| General contractor | Ringland Johnson Crowley Company |
| Tenants | |
| Iowa Cubs (AA/PCL/AAAE) 1992–present | |
Principal Park is a baseball stadium in Des Moines, Iowa. It's where the Iowa Cubs minor league baseball team plays their home games. The stadium used to be called Sec Taylor Stadium before 2004. It's a popular spot for baseball fans in Iowa.
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What Makes Principal Park Special?
Principal Park is located right where the Des Moines River and the Raccoon River meet in downtown Des Moines. This gives it a cool view! The stadium can hold 11,500 fans. It has special club seats and 45 luxury suites. Some of these suites are in a building that also has a restaurant called the Cub Club.
From the stadium, you can see the Iowa State Capitol building. You can also see the city skyline from some seats. It's a great place to watch a game and enjoy the scenery.
A Look Back: Principal Park's History
The first baseball park on this spot opened in 1947. It was called Pioneer Memorial Stadium. Later, in 1959, it was renamed Sec Taylor Stadium. This was to honor Garner "Sec" Taylor, a sports editor for Des Moines Register.
Many teams played here over the years. The Iowa Cubs (who were first called the Iowa Oaks) made it their home in 1969.
By the late 1980s, the old stadium was getting old and worn out. The wooden seats were splintering, and it needed a lot of work. In 1990, people in Des Moines voted to rebuild the stadium. Most of the old stadium was torn down after the 1991 baseball season.
The new stadium, which is what we see today, opened on April 16, 1992. It had new features like skyboxes, plastic seats, and a family picnic area.
Challenges and Big Moments
In 1993, a big flood, called the Great Flood of 1993, covered part of the stadium. But the team still managed to win the American Association championship that year!
In 1997, Principal Park hosted the Triple-A All-Star Game. This is a special game where the best players from different leagues play against each other.
Famous pitchers Mark Prior and Kerry Wood from the Chicago Cubs (who used to play for the Iowa Cubs) came back to pitch here in 2004. Their games brought huge crowds!
On August 5, 2004, Sec Taylor Stadium got its new name: Principal Park. This happened because the Principal Financial Group bought the naming rights. The playing field is still called Sec Taylor Field. This deal helped pay for a big renovation project that cost $6.8 million.
The stadium isn't just for baseball. On August 26, 2004, it hosted a concert with famous musicians Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson. Principal Park also hosts the Iowa High School Athletic Association state baseball tournament every year.
The most fans ever at a baseball game at Principal Park was on June 8, 2007. A total of 15,188 people watched the I-Cubs play. But the biggest crowd for any event was on September 25, 2009. An amazing 18,158 people came to see a Dave Matthews Band concert!
In 2015 and 2016, the stadium hosted watch parties for the Chicago Cubs playoff games. In 2016, fans celebrated there when the Cubs won their first World Series championship in 108 years!
Upgrades and Renovations
Principal Park has been updated many times over the years to make it even better.
In 1995, the ballpark added a new clubhouse and 12 skyboxes. The clubhouse got new locker rooms for both the home and visiting teams. It also added offices, a training room, an indoor batting cage, and a weight room.
More new features came in 2000. A new skybox was added, along with 88 new Home Plate Club seats. A new sound system was also installed. The Cub Club restaurant was also updated.
After the 2002 season, a brand new playing field was put in. This project cost almost $1 million. The field now has the same type of grass as Wrigley Field, making it one of the best fields in minor league baseball.
Between the 2005 and 2006 seasons, Principal Park had a huge renovation costing $6.8 million. All the seats in the ballpark were replaced. A new scoreboard and video board were installed. A cool fountain was added in right field for the 2007 season. They also added a bleacher seating area and a giant kids' playland.
In 2015, a new video board was added to right field. In 2017, a ribbon board and new LED lighting were installed, making the stadium look even more modern.
