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Gov. Kim Reynolds allocates $12.5 million for permanent Field of Dreams stadium

If there is no college/pro/high school game going on it’s a five minute stop.


if they add a bunch more fields to the place to have traveling style tournaments the charm will be pissed away.
 
"Tell me a dumber industry for Iowa to worry about" is interchangeable with "I just thought it was funny you were pumped about iowa tourism"? This is sarcasm this time isn't it?

Either way, I've been laid up with a broken foot all summer and I still don't have time for your nonsense. Have a great day.

They seem corollary to me.
 
Seems to me this could be self funded.

MLB and whoever is broadcasting has to be making a bunch of money.

you could probably have UofI play a series there and pack it. I would let be surprised if maybe the Big10 would be open to the idea of playing some of its tournament there.

the championship games of Iowa high school.

I was there last night and it is a great experience. Just don’t see why it needs other peoples money.
outside of these MLB, how much traffic does it get currently?
 
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Yet, public $$$ for a project benefitting such a small area seems questionable.

Especially when it's not education or job creation related.
Expanding a revenue driver in tourism is not job creation? Hotels, restaurants, etc.
 
I’m staying out of most of what’s going on in here, but wanted to add in my CSB.

I took the oldest two kids to the minor league game there last night, we had some tickets given to us. It was awesome, we had never been there before. We got there a few hours early, played ball on the field, ran the bases, took a bunch of pictures. You could take pictures and play catch with the old White Sox players. You walk through the corn in centerfield to get to the stadium, which was cool. Especially after the game. Coming out of the corn in center onto the original field, under the lights. The kids loved it.

I hope they keep doing the minor league game before the MLB game like this. If so, I’ll take them again.
 
I like the concept but if you keep building something taller and taller and taller it will eventually collapse....
Especially something that's kind of in the middle of nowhere. I was on board with this small FOD stadium but once it became a complex with fields, hotels, RV parks, and what not. What happens once they have a down year or two revenue wise? Or when the movie is no longer popular?
 
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If there is no college/pro/high school game going on it’s a five minute stop.


if they add a bunch more fields to the place to have traveling style tournaments the charm will be pissed away.
they already play a ton of travel ball tournaments up the road and sometimes they play on the FOD.
as long as they keep it no larger than it currently is I'm good with it. I just don't see it being FULL more than a couple times a year unless they are planning concerts as well.
 
they already play a ton of travel ball tournaments up the road and sometimes they play on the FOD.
as long as they keep it no larger than it currently is I'm good with it. I just don't see it being FULL more than a couple times a year unless they are planning concerts as well.
Last night when I was there I noticed they really tried to add hills to raise the corn up so they sight lines gave you the illusion of nothing around but corn and the field.

only a couple tall white tents down right field line disrupted this feeling.

some tall hotel and lights for other fields and backstops will ruin that illusion.

face it, greed with F it all up.

you can build a complex for travel ball anywhere and people will be forced to come because their kids are playing. $100 million in corporate bullshit isn’t going to get people to spend even two days in dyersville Iowa. It’s a 5-10 minute stop tops. 10 teams of kids playing baseball all weekend would rather go to Des Moines where there are food and entertainment options. “Well we play in three hours again, go play catch on the movie site for the umpteenth time”.

In a few years they will say they need slot machines to stay open and it will look like Biff’s casino in Back to the Future Part 2.
 
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Be interesting to see attendance figures for this going forward as it grows. It's apples to oranges, but if that 220k figure for the year in 2021 is accurate, it is currently a smaller attraction for #heads through the door paid admission than the Clay County Fair.
 
This was an absolutely brilliant move. I didn't think it was possible, but this makes a Mississippi river cruise seem even more desirable than it is, already.

Put me down for a Boy's trip to Dubuque.
 
Be interesting to see attendance figures for this going forward as it grows. It's apples to oranges, but if that 220k figure for the year in 2021 is accurate, it is currently a smaller attraction for #heads through the door paid admission than the Clay County Fair.
With added attractions my guess is that number will rise. Is it sustainable? Idk….
 
With added attractions my guess is that number will rise. Is it sustainable? Idk….
It's a bad comparison really, I'm assuming there are way more unique visitors to FOD. Clay County Fair and Iowa State Fair count vendors in their attendance figures (vendors do have to pay admission to get in the gate every day) and a lot of people in the area go to the fair multiple days for different events. I'm assuming most FOD traffic is one and done for the season and a lot more of it is from out of state.
 
Well, if this is what you want to spend your state taxes on it, I guess. Glad it's not my tax dollars though.
 
Has it been confirmed that this $12.5M is just not more of the Fed Covid $ that Kimbo misspent?

You know, the $$$ she was guilted into having to return?
 
Especially something that's kind of in the middle of nowhere. I was on board with this small FOD stadium but once it became a complex with fields, hotels, RV parks, and what not. What happens once they have a down year or two revenue wise? Or when the movie is no longer popular?
Field of Dreams was filmed in 1989. This is 2022 and Major League Baseball games are being played there, because of a movie filmed in 1989.
 
Has it been confirmed that this $12.5M is just not more of the Fed Covid $ that Kimbo misspent?

You know, the $$$ she was guilted into having to return?
It's actually American Rescue Plan funds. If you recall Reynolds was critical of the plan after it passed. She's happy to "take credit" for handing out the money though.
 
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So what is it for? Im too lazy to read. I thought they already built the stadium..?
 
I'm cool with it.

It's remarkable to see the crowds at the Covered Bridges. License plates from everywhere pull off I-35 to make the drive to see these sites. I photograph the bridges in varying seasons and light conditions and always see crowds at each of them. I ask people why they make the not easy trek, and none sounded disappointed. The romance and ambiance are the draw as well as a welcomed break from interstate pounding. Winterset and surrounding area are scenic.

The Field of Dreams has a similar ambiance. To play ball (or catch) on a field major league players played on would be a thrill and unforgettable experience to young ones.
 
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Yes and your point?
The Movie is 33 years old.

Go ahead and let us know when it's going to be "no longer popular". Do you think kiddies aren't familiar with this movie? (they are - and the ones that weren't aware before sure as hell are now since they have MLB games being played there and broadcast nationally with all the fanfare directly from the movie)

Gone With the Wind was filmed in 1939.

That's the point.
 
Honestly SSG....this idea is NOT that dumb... o_O

The “rain forest” was really stupid! In the same category as “The Arc” and Kentucky!

The people at the Feild of Dreams should be able to do whatever they want, including building a shrine to a bad movie. Spending federal dollars on it is completely stupid.
 
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Subtle brag. I hit one in the corn in a slowpitch tourney a few years ago. I was surprised how much smaller the field actually is than a baseball field would be.

TV makes it look much bigger.
 
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