Populous’ design takes center stage for MLB’s Field of Dreams game

The long-awaited “Field of Dreams” game between the Chicago White Sox and the New York Yankees was finally played on Thursday, Aug. 12 after being delayed by the pandemic. Neither the game, nor the stadium itself, disappointed.

The game registered just over 6 million viewers at its peak, making it the most-watched regular season MLB game since 2005. In addition to the wild game on the field, the field itself proved to be the star of the night.

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Located in Dyersville, Iowa, just a stone’s (or baseball) throw away from the original Field of Dreams field, Populous partnered with MLB, BaAM Productions, and BrightView to design the approximately 8,000-seat ballpark.

The ballpark’s design pays homage to Comiskey Park (home to the White Sox from 1910 to 1990) via the shape of the outfield and the bullpens just behind the centerfield fence. The stadium is carved into a corn field with corn replacing fans beyond both the left field and right field walls, as well as behind the bullpens in center field. A corn maze sits over the right field wall and is made to look like the MLB logo. A path through the corn rows lead fans to the ballpark.

Populous provided the feasibility study, ballpark, and supporting structures design in addition to the event services for the project.