Who Owns the 'Field of Dreams' Movie Site 32 Years After Its Release?
"Field of Dreams" was a popular 1989 movie that inspired an Iowa tourist site. Who owns the site currently and how is it used?
Aug. 12 2021, Published 10:43 a.m. ET
Part fantasy, part sports movie, Field of Dreams inspired moviegoers back in 1989. The site where Kevin Costner played a young father attempting to reconnect with his long-deceased father is located in a small town in Iowa.
The prime farmland location where the movie was filmed was built by Universal Pictures. The location spanned parts of two separate farm properties owned by the Lansing and Ameskamp families. Later, the Ameskamp family sold its portion of the baseball field to the Lansing family. In 2011, Go The Distance Baseball, LLC acquired the movie site and still owns it currently.
What is Go The Distance Baseball, LLC?
Go The Distance Baseball, LLC has owned and managed the film site since 2012 and added plenty of tourist attractions. In 2014, the organization hosted a 25th anniversary celebration of the movie that included a special exhibition game, a nighttime screening of the movie, and musical entertainment.
In that exhibition game, Field of Dreams stars Kevin Costner, Dwier Brown, Timothy Busfield, and others played. They represented teams called the Kinsellas and the Disbelievers, which was a nod to the movie’s plot and themes.
The director of operations for Go The Distance is Roman Weinberg, who says that the organization plans to build 21 youth baseball fields on the site. He noted that Go The Distance intends to preserve the simplicity and tranquility of the site because “as we all know this is holy grounds.”
He also said, “That is All-Star ballpark Heaven and that is a youth baseball and softball tournament complex that we plan in constructing around the 'Field of Dreams' movie site and developing that and providing opportunities for the nation’s youth both nationally and internationally.”
A hotel and an indoor athletic training facility might also be in the works for Go The Distance and the movie site.
Weinberg has managed the planning of the movie’s 30th-anniversary celebration events and the 2019 “Team of Dreams” event.
“Field of Dreams” MLB game
On Aug. 12, the long-awaited Major League Baseball game scheduled for 2020 and rescheduled due to COVID-19 will take place. Facing off in the new stadium built at the Field of Dreams movie site will be the New York Yankees and the Chicago White Sox.
The MLB game in Dyersville will be broadcast on the Fox Network nationwide beginning at 7:15 p.m. ET. The new stadium, constructed specifically for this matchup, holds 8,000 spectators (nearly double the entire population of Dyersville, Iowa).
In the historic game, players for both teams will be sporting throwback uniforms inspired by styles of the early 20th century.
Dyersville Mayor James Heavens said the town officials weren’t quite sure how large of crowds to expect for the game, although he anticipates about 9,000–10,000 people in town including MLB game officials and staff.
A watch party is planned in the town square, and vendors have been preparing for the crowds. Security personnel has been added as well, and the town’s hotels are fully booked for the event. Mayor Heavens said, “It’s showtime and I think we’re ready to go” (NPR).