The Principal Riverwalk is now officially complete, allowing visitors to walk, run, bike and skate in a beautiful and natural outdoor setting. The year end 2012 completion is just in time to give people new motivation to keep their New Year's resolutions. The project began in 2004 as a gift to the City of Des Moines in celebration of the Principal Financial Group® 125th anniversary.

"Kicking off 2013 with the completion of the Principal Riverwalk can encourage people to keep their New Year's resolutions to be more fit, spend more time with family or personal time for themselves," says Mary O'Keefe, senior vice president and chief marketing officer at The Principal®. "Our long-term vision for this project was to improve quality of life. From entertainment to activities, The Principal Riverwalk delivers the amenities to enrich lifestyles throughout all four seasons."

The Principal Riverwalk amenities can help with a few of the most common New Year's resolutions:

  • Spend time with friends and family: Nearly 200,000 visitors (to-date) have enjoyed the Brenton Skating Plaza. Ice skating, broomball and hockey are a few of the winter sport activities to enjoy. Weather permitting, the skating plaza will be open until mid-March.
  • Get fit: The 1.2 mile loop serves as a hub for the city's numerous bike trails, connecting nearly 300 miles worth of trails in Central Iowa. The loop conveniently anchors four downtown Des Moines major attractions: the Botanical Center, the Court Avenue District, the Science Center of Iowa and the Iowa Events Center.
  • Slow down and do something just for you: Sitting riverside, communing with nature, or grabbing a snack or beverage when a new Hub Spot café is anticipated to open later this spring, outdoor activity can be enjoyed at any pace.

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About the Principal Financial Group

The Principal Financial Group® (The Principal®)1 is a global investment management leader offering retirement services, insurance solutions and asset management. The Principal offers businesses, individuals and institutional clients a wide range of financial products and services, including retirement, asset management and insurance through its diverse family of financial services companies. Founded in 1879 and a member of the FORTUNE 500®, the Principal Financial Group has $392.2 billion in assets under management2 and serves some 18.3 million customers worldwide from offices in Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America and the United States. Principal Financial Group, Inc. is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol PFG. For more information, visit www.principal.com.

1 "The Principal Financial Group" and "The Principal" are registered service marks of Principal Financial Services, Inc., a member of the Principal Financial Group.
2 As of September 30, 2012.

The Principal
Erica Jensen, 515-362-0049
jensen.erica@principal.com