All-Star Ballpark Heaven:
Keeping the dream alive
Opinions on All-Star Ballpark Heaven remain divided, but supporters are
undeterred
Dave Kettering
Denise Stillman, president and CEO of Go the Distance Baseball, is dedicated to bringing All-Star Ballpark Heaven to Dyersville, Iowa.
All-Star Ballpark Heaven
Estimated opening date: First phase in summer 2014. Completion by summer 2017.
Size: 24 baseball and softball fields, 12 of which will be completed in the first phase. 193 acres total.
Features: By 2017, the site is expected to include indoor training facilities, multiple fields with stadium seating, community
recreation and performing arts center and swimming facilities.
Age groups: 9U to 13U (8 to 14 years old).
Participation cost: $800 plus tax per player or coach.
Capacity: 120 teams of 12 players and 4 coaches per week when fully operational.
Cooperstown Dreams Park
Opening date: 1996
Size: 22 fields
Features: Proximity to Major League Baseball Hall of Fame; induction into the American Youth Baseball Hall of Fame
Age groups: 10 to 12 years old
Participation cost: $850 per player or coach
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Posted: Sunday, October 21, 2012 12:00 am | Updated: 7:55 am, Sun Oct 21, 2012.
All-Star Ballpark Heaven: Keeping the dream aliveBY BEN JACOBSON TH STAFF WRITER
BEN.JACOBSON@WCINET.COM | 0 comments
DYERSVILLE, Iowa -- It's been almost 25 years since Ray Kinsella acquiesced to the requests of
disembodied voices and, logic be damned, turned his farm into a baseball diamond.
Since then, the "Field of Dreams" has become more than simply a Kevin Costner sports vehicle. The
1989 film has transcended the confines of its cliche-ridden genre and is now a legitimate fixture in
American popular culture.
A quick glance around the parking lot at the "Field of Dreams" movie site in Dyersville reveals license
plates from across the country. It's not uncommon on a warm summer day to see groups of families
playing catch on the iconic field.
Now the field is set for a massive overhaul, as a development group seeks to capitalize on the site's
continued grasp on America's heartstrings.
If Go the Distance Baseball is successful, a trek through the outfield corn won't reveal Shoeless Joe
Jackson and the rest of the scandalized 1919 "Black Sox," but a massive 24-field baseball complex
dubbed All-Star Ballpark Heaven.
Denise Stillman, president and CEO of Go the Distance Baseball, said her family's decision to buy the
property from longtime owners Don and Becky Lansing stemmed, at least in part, from the experience her
husband and son had playing catch on the baseball diamond.
"My husband, Mike, had been here several times as a college student. He brought our son back -- he was
9 at the time -- and had a game of catch with him just like every father and son wants to have here,"
Stillman said. "It's been truly a part of the fabric of our history for several decades."
If her family could feel the "magic" of the Field of Dreams, she said, others will, too.
"The 'magic' of the Field of Dreams, and the appeal that it has for all the young boys and girls and the
travel teams that want to come here, has lasted and stood the test of time," Stillman said. "We're excited
to bring more people back to the Field of Dreams and bring new people that have never been here
before."
Youth baseball players on traveling club teams spend their summers playing weeklong tournaments.
Multi-field mega tournament complexes, many located out east, attract scores of these teams each year.
Stillman said All-Star Ballpark Heaven will have brand power and a centralized location, making it a
legitimate contender in the tournament complex game.
But the success of sports complexes to which the Stillmans aspire should serve as a warning to
Dyersville, according to some.
Former economics professor Joy Smage has been on a crusade to defend small towns from the influence
of large sports complexes since her hometown of Elkhorn, Wis., became the target of a similar
development in 2006.
She said All-Star Ballpark Heaven could be every bit of the tourism magnet that the developers are
counting on. But she believes the trade-offs will be the inflation of the public sector to the detriment of the
private and a serious hit to local quality of life.
"If you were living in a dirt floor hut in Mexico and you bring in tourists, yeah, it will be a step up," Smage
said. "If you're living in Dyersville, it's a step down."
ORIGINS
The real-life Field of Dreams boasts a magical origin story comparable to its big-screen counterpart.
Long before it was the Field of Dreams, the farm was simply "home" for Don Lansing. He was literally
born there. He can point to the corner of the living room where it happened.
So when producers came knocking on his door one snowy Saturday morning, saying they wanted to turn
his front yard into a baseball diamond, Lansing was slightly incredulous.
"Are you dreaming or what?" he remembers asking.
Maybe they were, but that didn't stop the movie from being made.
For weeks, film crews and movie stars invaded his farm and his house. Don helped out where he could,
nursing cornfields, which were heavily featured throughout the film, through a drought.
"I said, 'Welcome to farming,'" he recalled. "'Usually God takes care of this every year.'"
The site remains a popular tourist destination, and a gift shop on site ensures that visitors don't have to
leave empty-handed. But the Lansings have resisted previous attempts to commercialize the farm further,
believing preservation of the "magic" of the site to be crucial.
However, they believe the Stillmans' vision is a good fit for the Field of Dreams.
"There are thousands and thousands of children that are now going to come here and play out their own
dreams," Becky Lansing said.
Don said All-Star Ballpark Heaven will help maintain and even grow the appeal of the field, while
providing a shot in the arm to the surrounding community.
"It's very, very good," Don said. "I think it's going to help the town grow and the community."
Becky said she and Don will stay in some capacity after the sale is finalized and will help out wherever
possible. But she said she's looking forward to the next chapter of their lives together and what surprises
it may bring.
"A chapter in our lives is coming to an end," she said. "Who knows? We might put in a football field
somewhere."
DESTINED FOR SUCCESS
Jacque Rahe, executive director of the Dyersville Economic Development Corporation, served in a similar
role on the Dyersville Chamber of Commerce when the Field of Dreams first opened after the movie's
release.
She said that for two decades the site has served as an economic engine in the community, attracting
more than 100,000 visitors a year during the height of its popularity. Rahe attributes the opening of
restaurants, hotels and gas stations to demand generated by the tourism appeal of the Field of Dreams.
All-Star Ballpark Heaven should enhance that already strong appeal, she said.
"Just as that attraction brought us additional businesses in the 1990s, we're also very hopeful that the
new All-Star Ballpark Heaven gives us a little resurgence in our downtown buildings. We do have some
empty storefronts right now," Rahe said. "And some retail and service-oriented businesses might be able
to become a reality in our community and provide additional opportunities for the visitors."
An economic impact study predicted that All-Star Ballpark Heaven could contribute to the creation of
more than 1,000 jobs, both directly and indirectly, and could pump more than $40 million over eight years
into a six-county area.
A fully staffed facility would employ 88 people, with about half of those being seasonal employees. AllStar Ballpark Heaven workers are expected to earn $10 to $25 per hour, depending on position.
Kevin Cattani, assistant professor of sport marketing and management at the University of Dubuque,
believes All-Star Ballpark Heaven is destined for success.
A similar complex, Dreams Park in Cooperstown, N.Y., thrives thanks to its proximity to the Major League
Baseball Hall of Fame, Cattani said. The "Field of Dreams" movie site should provide a similar draw.
"I think the Field of Dreams is going to be a huge pull," Cattani said. "If you're a young child growing up in
baseball, there's two places you know about -- The Hall of Fame and the Field of Dreams."
A former Little Leaguer, Cattani said he speaks from experience.
"If I were an 8- to 12-year-old kid, (playing at the Field of Dreams) would be a must-do on my bucket list
as a child," he said.
While a student at the University of Florida, Cattani witnessed the genesis of a similar complex outside of
Gainesville. He said the facility, set to open for tournaments next year, has drawn a considerable amount
of interest in its brief existence.
This, Cattani believes, proves that the business model itself is viable, with or without other contributing
factors.
"(Developers) just built a 16-field complex with no 'star appeal,' if you will," he said.
Patricia Szarpa, executive director of the Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce, said the Dreams Park
has helped stabilize and energize the local economy. She said several area businesses on the verge of
collapse were saved by the construction of the park in 1996, which helped bolster the community's
designation as a tourist hot spot.
"For the most part, everyone from an economic standpoint has improved from having the Dreams Park
here," Szarpa said. "It helped us get through the recession."
The Dyersville project has even garnered support from some with Major League Baseball credentials.
Pitchers Chris Sale, of the Chicago White Sox, and Jeremy Hellickson, of the Tampa Bay Rays, have
endorsed the development. Former MLB player Ron Kittle spoke in support of All-Star Ballpark Heaven at
a Dyersville City Council meeting in July.
And, in late September, Hall of Fame third baseman Wade Boggs announced that he had joined Go the
Distance Baseball as a part-owner.
Boggs told the TH that his annual treks to Cooperstown have made him familiar with the industry, which
he believes can thrive in the Midwest.
"(Cooperstown Dreams Park) is probably the model of youth competition," Boggs said. "When this was
presented to me, there really wasn't that big of a venue in the Midwest to promote this. During the
struggles of the economic times nowadays, (All-Star Ballpark Heaven) gives parents a viable option not to
come to the East Coast, but to travel to Iowa and have their sons or daughters compete.
"We're very excited. The sky's the limit."
DESTINED FOR DISASTER
With success seemingly inevitable, Smage said, many are blind to the downside of having a mega-sports
complex in their backyard. She criticized the local media and area officials who she said are unwilling to
acknowledge the potential pitfalls of All-Star Ballpark Heaven.
"So far nobody out there has given much time or space as to why it wouldn't be good for Dyersville,"
Smage said.
Smage, who spent 17 years teaching economics at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, became
aware of the sports complex phenomenon in 2006 when the Walworth County Board of Supervisors was
approached by developers hoping to make Elkhorn, Wis., the site of a massive athletic facility.
Smage said she was one of a group of squeaky wheels that protested the sale of public land for the
complex. Push-back from the community was so intense that in March 2007, the supervisors rescinded
approval of the sale, forcing the developers to look elsewhere.
As is the case in Dyersville, Smage said developers had touted millions in economic impact and bolstered
tourism. But those perceived benefits are exactly what small towns should try to avoid, according to
Smage.
"Tourism jobs are the bottom rung on the economic ladder," she said.
Smage said streets will need to be widened or reconstructed to make up for the increased traffic. Public
safety departments like police and fire will need to be ramped up to make up for the increased risk.
Tourist shops will force out existing business. Parks and swimming pools will be overrun.
"That's going to cost a pack of money (to fix)," Smage said. "I don't know who's going to pay for that. It
just changes the community and drives out one kind of resident."
The result is an environment not conducive to the quality of life of the middle class, Smage said. Houses
will likely become rental properties for visiting families, as longtime residents retreat from summer
overcrowding.
Tourist towns will not appeal to young, educated families seeking a new home, Smage added.
"Tourism does not draw educated people into the community," she said. "Tourism does not draw the kind
of jobs you want your own kids to get after they come back from college. You draw down the income level
of your community. You destroy the 'communityness' of the community by replacing permanent
population with part time."
According to 2010 census data, the population of Cooperstown has declined almost 9 percent since
2000. Residents older than 65 have declined by more than 20 percent in that time period.
Smage also lamented public funding measures that are used for these developments.
Go the Distance Baseball was awarded $16.5 million in property tax rebates by the Iowa Legislature, and
the City Council approved the formation of a tax-increment financing district that will rebate up to 80
percent of local property tax revenue. Rebates from this TIF district, as it is commonly known, could
amount to more than $5 million over 15 years.
Both the state and local tax breaks will be taken out of revenue generated by the park's taxable value.
All-Star Ballpark Heaven has attracted its share of naysayers locally as well.
Notable among them is Molly Evers, of the Dyersville City Council. As Go the Distance Baseball
navigated the waters of public sector bureaucracy in an attempt to secure tax breaks from the city, Evers
voiced opposition at every turn. Like Smage, Evers said the project has the potential to dramatically alter
the "small-town" atmosphere of Dyersville.
Evers declined to be interviewed for this article.
A vocal contingent of nearby property owners, some of whom helped distribute letters with Smage's views
throughout town, also has blasted the project at every opportunity.
The actions of the group, called the Residential and Agricultural Advisory Committee, have been the
impetus behind multiple court cases before ground has even been broken. The RAAC launched an
unsuccessful lawsuit to reverse a zoning change approved by the City Council and was in turn sued by
Go the Distance Baseball for allegedly interfering with contracts and for defaming the developers.
DESTINED TO IMITATE
As All-Star Ballpark Heaven continues to develop, Szarpa said Dyersville should be able to avoid many
complications by using Cooperstown as a guide.
"It's one of those things, where you have the opportunity to look at other models and maybe problem
solve ahead of time," she said.
That's exactly what local officials are doing, according to Rahe.
"We have been very fortunate to establish relationships with some of the key folks out in Cooperstown, in
the village and at the actual Cooperstown Dreams Park as well," she said. "They've been very, very
helpful. Very open to giving us suggestions, upfront and honest, about the experiences they've had with a
very similar development. And that type of early-stage planning should prove some great dividends down
the road."
But what exactly does the model show?
According to Cooperstown Mayor Jeff Katz, some view Dreams Park as an economic engine for the
community, at least during tournament season.
But others view it as a source of infrastructure congestion and an anchor on the local housing market.
"I think like a lot of things, there are big pluses and minuses to it," Katz said. "You have this influx of kids
and families. It's certainly good for business within the village of Cooperstown. The downside of it is, from
a village point of view, (tourism) has really changed kind of the housing dynamic here."
Katz said many homes have become high-priced, short-term rental properties to visiting families. Listings
on Cooperstownstay.com show one- or two-bedroom homes available for weekly rates ranging from $800
to $1,800 and six-bedroom homes renting for more than $6,000 per week.
For those prices, workers at the Bassett Medical Center, a 180-bed teaching hospital that is one of the
largest employers in Cooperstown, likely can't afford rental housing, Katz said.
"The average worker there, they can't really live in the immediate area unless they buy," he said.
Katz said some residents are weary of the throngs of tourists that roam the streets in the summer and
available parking spots are nearly impossible to find.
And while business on Main Street has certainly grown, Katz said, it's of a different sort than many
longtime residents are used to. Shops catering to tourists have sprung up in place of the hardware and
clothing stores of old.
"People do kind of mourn the loss of the old Main Street," he said.
However, Katz noted that many of these changes can't be attributed, at least totally, to Dreams Park.
Worldwide shifts in retail sales, and the domination of big box department stores like Walmart, have
pushed out small retailers everywhere, not just in Cooperstown. And parking was scarce even before the
facility was built.
While Main Street has changed, there is "diversity," Katz said. There are nice restaurants, a pharmacy,
and even a few clothing shops.
He also noted that, aside from a strain on city water and sewer utilities during the summer, the public
sector hasn't swollen dramatically, as predicted by Smage.
Cooperstown might not be a perfect model for Dyersville anyway.
Katz said Dreams Park sits outside of the village, meaning property tax revenue stays outside of the
community as well. Conversely, All-Star Ballpark Heaven will be built on property within the city limits of
Dyersville.
Dyersville also lacks a business comparable in scale to the Basset Medical Center, the employees of
which outnumber Cooperstown residents, Katz said, to further contribute to congestion.
DESTINED FOR SOMETHING
Stillman said tourism won't be the only economic factor strengthened by All-Star Ballpark Heaven.
Go the Distance Baseball is expected to invest about
$38 million into the Dyersville facility. Even with TIF district provisions sending a large portion of
generated revenue back to the developers, millions will be added to Dyersville's tax rolls.
"(From a) community perspective, I cannot wait to provide more funding for the schools," Stillman said.
"We're going to create jobs that the community does not have now. And fun jobs. This is a fun
opportunity."
Stillman said she is determined to see this project through, and, for the sake of children worldwide who
might want to play at All-Star Ballpark Heaven, she will not be swayed by the opposition.
In order to "protect the interests" of the company, Stillman and Go the Distance Baseball have filed suit
against the same group that unsuccessfully sought to halt progress at the park. Not only did the RAAC
potentially cost the developers millions in state aid, the letters bearing Smage's views were "libelous,"
according to the lawsuit.
Whether the project will achieve the lofty ambitions of the developers remains to be seen. But one thing is
for sure, according to Becky Lansing.
People will come, as they always have, in search of "magic," or family, or competition, or to be closer in
spirit to a beloved film.
"Some people, surprisingly enough, come for baseball," Becky said. "Go figure."