The new kwwl news controlling owners of the Field of Dreams Movie Site are announcing a major $80 million project that will expand the area into a destination for youth baseball and softball, as well as fans and tourists.
The plan will include the building of nine new baseball and softball fields, dormitories for teams, and a hotel, all set to be completed by the end of 2023.
The development will then phase in the addition of a 100,000-square-foot fieldhouse, a concert amphitheater, an RV park, a disability-inclusive park with disability, and trails through the corn fields. They plan to phase in these developments through 2025.
Dyersville residents will also be able to have membership access to the fieldhouse for year-round training and recreation. kwwl news
In September 2021, This is Heaven, a venture headed by MLB Hall of Famer Frank Thomas, purchased a controlling interest in Go the Distance Baseball’s ownership in the field. Chicago entrepreneur Rick Heidner and former MLB executive Dan Evans were also involved in the purchase.
They made the announcement in a news release and a press conference on Thursday.
“I am grateful for all that the game of baseball gave me throughout my career, and now I am proud and excited to lead a team that is building opportunities for players, fans, and families to enjoy our national pastime and for teams to train and compete,” Thomas, CEO of Go the Distance Baseball, said.
Go the Distance Baseball says the phased development will provide hundreds of construction jobs and will create 170 full-time jobs once completed. They estimate that events hosted at the site will result in over $25 million in direct annual spending.
The project will be adding almost 100 acres to the original 190-acre site. However, executives say the iconic original aspects of the site will remain in-tact and preserved.
They say their goals is to “create a youth baseball and softball oasis, while maintaining the property as a working farm, amid the natural beauty of the rural Iowa landscape.”
“While the substantial private investment will expand and enhance our facilities, we are deeply committed to preserving the romantic experience of the Field of Dreams, including the views, the baseball diamond, the farmhouse, and the cornfields. Those images will never change,” Evans said. kwwl news
The investment comes after the All-Star Ballpark Heaven next to the movie site hosted the first MLB game ever played in Iowa last August. It’s already been announced that the MLB will be back to the Field of Dreams this year and possibly for years to come.
In January, it was announced that the Field of Dreams site will receive up to $11 million in state grants to expand its water and sewage infrastructure. According to the press release, the Dyersville City Council has awarded contracts for the first two phases of infrastructure work to provide water service by August.
