Cities without a Big Five Team: No. 11 Des Moines, Iowa

First and second rounds of the 2023 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament were held at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, the first city to sell out all three sessions of games. Courtesy of Catch Des Moines

The most flexible tool in Des Moines’ sports tourism belt — the region hosts everything from NASCAR and IndyCar to NCAA tournament basketball and PGA Tour golf — is the Iowa Events Center, which encompasses three unique venues: Wells Fargo Arena, Hy-Vee Hall and Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center. As the local tourism entity Catch Des Moines playfully notes on its website, Iowa Events Center is “probably the only venue that has hosted presidential caucuses, the American Cheese Society and Taylor Swift.” Additionally, Des Moines International Airport is undergoing a $445 million terminal project that is scheduled to finish in 2026. — B.M.