The firm planning to show the land round Iowa’s “Field of Dreams” film web site right into a youth sports activities mecca introduced Thursday that the venture is underway, and that new fields, dormitories and a resort might be in place subsequent 12 months.
The venture, which firm officers stated has lined up $80 million in personal funding, is headed by White Sox Hall of Famer Frank Thomas. He stated at a information convention in Iowa that the purpose is to create “the premier travel baseball and softball destination for boys and girls.”
Architectural renderings present 9 new competitors fields constructed throughout a cornfield from the preserved movie set and a stadium constructed to host final summer time’s main league sport between the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees (the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds will play there in August).
The plans additionally name for an indoor coaching facility, a live performance amphitheater, an RV park, jogging trails and a park that may be accessed by folks with disabilities. That whole venture might be completed by 2025.
The “Field of Dreams” movie set will stay untouched, stated chief working officer Dan Evans, a former Sox government and Los Angeles Dodgers basic supervisor.
“We will keep it pristine,” he stated. “That’s our goal — to take this amazing venue and just enhance it. We’re not going to detract from it. It’s a great tourist destination. Now we’re going to have baseball, softball, music, hotel, you name it.”
The property started its shift from low-key vacationer attraction to commercialized enterprise when Denise Stillman, a well being care advisor and entrepreneur from Oak Lawn, led a gaggle of traders who purchased the set and surrounding 193 acres in 2011 with the thought of turning it right into a youth baseball hub.
The firm fought off lawsuits from neighboring property homeowners sad with the thought of extra site visitors and guests. Chicago space actual property developer Rick Heidner, an investor within the venture, stated on the information convention he expects no additional opposition.
“There’s nothing that’s going to stop us at this point unless somebody tries to put some kind of a block on (the plan), but we don’t see anything happening,” he stated. “I don’t believe we’re asking for any variances. … It seems like the community, or 99% of the community, has very much embraced it.”
Water service to the property is already being prolonged from close by Dyersville, firm officers stated. About 350 youth groups will come to the realm for tournaments this summer time, although the video games will likely be performed away from the “Field of Dreams” web site.
“We want to make sure those people will be happy to come back next year, when all the infrastructure is almost complete,” Thomas stated.
Twitter @JohnKeilman
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Source: www.bostonherald.com
