DYERSVILLE — If you build it, Gov. Kim Reynolds will come.
The governor of Iowa was in attendance for the third installment of Major League Baseball at Field of Dreams, this time featuring a matchup between the Minnesota Twins and the Philadelphia Phillies on Aug. 13.
“This is just an incredible evening for Iowa,” Reynolds said in an interview with the Register. “The fact that we had (Major League Baseball games) for two years here, and we had to work really hard as a state and as a community to build this unbelievable facility and that they came back, and that they’re going to come back next year … if you build it, they will come, and we did that.
“It’s an incredible opportunity to showcase not just our state but the genuineness of Iowans. I think that’s reflected in tonight and in the movie.”
Reynolds, who is not seeking re-election this year, played an instrumental role in allocating funds to the Field of Dreams expansion, which allowed for a permanent stadium to be built at the site and MLB to return.
Nearly $50 million in public investments have been allocated so far to the Field of Dreams.
Those funds — plus other donations — helped MLB return to Iowa after a three-year hiatus due to construction at the site. The money also helped to fund new youth baseball/softball fields at the Field of Dreams.
The matchup between the Phillies and the Twins marked the third time a MLB game has been played at the Field of Dreams Movie Site, but this year’s matchup is the first game in a permanent stadium. When the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees played the first game in 2021 and when the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati faced off in 2022, they played in a temporary stadium.
“The first one was magical,” Reynolds said. “We could not have scripted it any better; it was perfect. And then we got to do it again the following year, and then they went to some other spots. But we told them, we will build you a facility, and we want the opportunity to bring you back.
“That just says so much about this community and their belief in this project and everything that it’s turned into.”
Several other Iowa politicians were in attendance as well, including Ashley Hinson, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Joe Mitchell and Roby Smith.
“Major League Baseball already committed to come back next year, and I think it’s incredible,” said Hinson, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives who is running for U.S. Senate. “The governor obviously helped us to make a huge investment in this stadium so that we could continue to welcome fans from all over the country and, frankly, all over the world to celebrate baseball right here in Iowa.”
Alyssa Hertel is the college sports recruiting reporter for the Des Moines Register. Contact Alyssa at ahertel@dmreg.com or on Twitter @AlyssaHertel.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Kim Reynolds on Field of Dreams, ‘an incredible evening for Iowa’
Reporting by Alyssa Hertel, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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By Alyssa Hertel, Des Moines Register | USA TODAY Network
