‘Field of Dreams’ Project Heaven is $12 million closer to reality

Major League Baseball is not returning this summer to the tiny northeast Iowa town of Dyersville — a mere 90 minutes north of the Quad Cities. However, much more is coming out of the fabled corn stalks in the near future at the site of the iconic baseball film, “Field of Dreams.” Based on the success […]

Major League Baseball is not returning this summer to the tiny northeast Iowa town of Dyersville — a mere 90 minutes north of the Quad Cities. However, much more is coming out of the fabled corn stalks in the near future at the site of the iconic baseball film, "Field of Dreams." Based on the success of MLB's "Field of Dreams" games in August 2021 and 2022, work is underway to turn the temporary stadium erected for those two nostalgia-filled events into a permanent anchor for a larger tourism development at the iconic movie backdrop. Called "This is Iowa Ballpark," the new $52 million stadium received another $12 million in state grants on Thursday, April 6, and the overall $80 million development dubbed "Project Heaven" is now at $57 million in public funding, according to the Des Moines Register. In addition to the stadium, the 290-acre project includes nine new fields for youth baseball and softball; team dorms for visitors and expected "dream" campers; an 100,000 square foot indoor fieldhouse; a boutique hotel; an RV park; an outdoor concert amphitheater; and a park geared toward adults and children with disabilities. The City of Dyersville and This is Iowa Ballpark, Inc. -- the nonprofit created for the stadium project -- submitted a joint application for the latest Enhance Iowa grant from the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA). In all, the Enhance Iowa Board awarded $17.75 million in its latest round of funding with 18 Community Attraction and Tourism (CAT) grants and two Sports Tourism grants -- "The Field of Dreams" project was categorized as the latter. 

To date, Enhance Iowa has awarded 123 grants totaling more than $40 million, according to the IEDA. The board meets again May 4 to consider other projects statewide. Plans to develop the movie site's 190-acre farm -- and another 100 acres to the west -- were announced last spring.  The first phase of the project -- adding the youth sports complex -- broke ground in September 2022 and could be completed by the end of this year. The work is preventing an MLB return this summer -- and possibly will keep another "Field of Dreams" game from happening until the project is expected to be completed in 2026. The 3,000-seat stadium is adjacent to the iconic farmhouse and simple ballfield featured in the film and marketed now as a tourist destination. With the added ability to expand to an additional 5,000 seats as needed, the new permanent stadium is envisioned to host much more than MLB games in the future -- and help serve as a centerpiece for even more growth. Besides hosting future nostalgia games for MLB, the stadium's uses include hosting everything from youth, high school, college and international tournaments and camps. The multi-use stadium also is expected to be a fan destination for tours as well as hosting more minor league games such as last season's Midwest League clash between neighboring rivals -- the Quad Cities River Bandits and Cedar Rapids Kernels. The many uses of the overall site also include music concerts, festivals, large group events (such as weddings and reunions) and corporate outings. Dyersville -- population 4,477 in the 2020 census -- was awarded a $12.5 million Destination Iowa grant towards the stadium project last Aug. 9 by Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds before the Bandits-Kernels game.  Federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars were used in that grant process to support projects aimed at attracting tourism to Iowa.  Ms. Reynolds also previously allocated $11 million from the fund to build water and sewer lines to the stadium.  Destination Iowa also granted $6 million to the unconnected development of an in-production “Field of Dreams” TV series adaptation to help expose a new generation of fans to the iconic story written by University of Iowa-educated Canadian author W.P. Kinsella. The 1989 Oscar-nominated film is based on Kinsella's 1982 novel, "Shoeless Joe." The Dubuque County Board of Supervisors ($5 million) and the cities of Dyersville ($1 million) and nearby Dubuque ($1 million) also have pledged funds to the development. Dyersville also approved $9.5 million in tax-increment financing for the complex last July. The Dubuque Telegraph reported last week that $32.5 million of the expected $52 million stadium price tag has been secured, according to Dyersville City Administrator Mick Michel. The Dubuque newspaper also said documents for the latest grant expect the stadium alone to generate $2.8 million in first-year revenue, with the expected growth to $3.1 million in revenue by year five of operation. This is Iowa Ballpark, Inc., also is fundraising and managing sponsorship opportunities for the project. That non-profit organization will own the stadium -- with its board of directors in charge of decision making. Go the Distance Baseball, LLC, which purchased a controlling interest in the movie site in 2021, is leasing the stadium from the nonprofit and handling day-to-day facility management. Baseball Hall of Famer Frank Thomas heads the site's ownership group. The development's architect is RDG Planning and Design,which counts Iowa City, Des Moines and Dubuque among its six Midwestern hometowns along with St. Louis, Denver and Omaha. Wisconsin-based Miron Construction -- which also has an office in Cedar Rapids -- is the construction manager. The first "Field of Dreams" game between the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees drew a record-setting number of television viewers in August 2021. Last season's nationally-televised repeat was even bigger and better with the addition of the Bandits-Kernels game to a multi-day celebration surrounding the game between the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds. The Dyersville Chamber of Commerce estimated a more than $10 million economic impact from the multi-day event last year -- up from $6 million, which was for the event’s single-day debut in 2021.