HawkinGoferLand
Well-Known Member
This is news to me, although this all transpired a few months ago. I knew the site was for sale, but living in MN I hadn't heard it sold and someone had such an aggressive plan for the property.
"If you build it, they will come"
“Is this Heaven?”
“No, it’s Iowa.”
Although plans to construct 12 baseball and softball fields for ages 14 and under have made national headlines, the ideas aren't limited specifically to America's pastime.
In phase one, the Stillmans have goals to build an indoor training facility adjacent to the Dyersville, IA movie set property with two to three indoor turf fields, a ropes course for team building, dormitories with room to host roughly 1,000 attendants, an indoor pool accessible to the community and a gazebo near the original movie site for weddings and other events. Completion is estimated for 2014.
By 2017, the group hopes to be finished with phase two of development, doubling the amount of ballfields to 24 and adding more dorms and parking lots to accommodate.
"This will be the premier baseball and softball facility in the nation," Mike Stillman said. "And it's going to be a great experience for these kids. There's no better place to play than Dyersville."
Connections to the Chicago White Sox will play a significant role in creating an enticing year-round Midwest facility. Mike Stillman reported on talks with "old friends" like Sox groundskeeper Roger Bossard and pitching coach Don Cooper to design fields and run camps, respectively.
"To have stars like that is a huge draw for parents and families," he added. "We want people to understand that they'll be having a good playing experience."
Strategic advantages are also in play for the Stillmans - especially when their plans measure against comparable facilities like Cooperstown Dream Parks, in New York, or the Cal Ripken Baseball Academy, in Maryland.
The centralized location of Dyersville, for one, is a more attractive tournament destination for teams in major cities like Chicago, Kansas City and Minneapolis. It would be the largest facility of its kind west of the Mississippi River, appealing to teams on the West Coast. Additionally, neither of the aforementioned complexes was designed with softball players in mind, engaging the female demographic.
Then, of course, there's the obvious draw - one of the most historic baseball landmarks would be right next door.
"The allure of this site is the Field of Dreams," said Mike Stillman,
Article from NY Times link
ABC Newscast video
"If you build it, they will come"
“Is this Heaven?”
“No, it’s Iowa.”
Although plans to construct 12 baseball and softball fields for ages 14 and under have made national headlines, the ideas aren't limited specifically to America's pastime.
In phase one, the Stillmans have goals to build an indoor training facility adjacent to the Dyersville, IA movie set property with two to three indoor turf fields, a ropes course for team building, dormitories with room to host roughly 1,000 attendants, an indoor pool accessible to the community and a gazebo near the original movie site for weddings and other events. Completion is estimated for 2014.
By 2017, the group hopes to be finished with phase two of development, doubling the amount of ballfields to 24 and adding more dorms and parking lots to accommodate.
"This will be the premier baseball and softball facility in the nation," Mike Stillman said. "And it's going to be a great experience for these kids. There's no better place to play than Dyersville."
Connections to the Chicago White Sox will play a significant role in creating an enticing year-round Midwest facility. Mike Stillman reported on talks with "old friends" like Sox groundskeeper Roger Bossard and pitching coach Don Cooper to design fields and run camps, respectively.
"To have stars like that is a huge draw for parents and families," he added. "We want people to understand that they'll be having a good playing experience."
Strategic advantages are also in play for the Stillmans - especially when their plans measure against comparable facilities like Cooperstown Dream Parks, in New York, or the Cal Ripken Baseball Academy, in Maryland.
The centralized location of Dyersville, for one, is a more attractive tournament destination for teams in major cities like Chicago, Kansas City and Minneapolis. It would be the largest facility of its kind west of the Mississippi River, appealing to teams on the West Coast. Additionally, neither of the aforementioned complexes was designed with softball players in mind, engaging the female demographic.
Then, of course, there's the obvious draw - one of the most historic baseball landmarks would be right next door.
"The allure of this site is the Field of Dreams," said Mike Stillman,
Article from NY Times link
ABC Newscast video
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