Dyersville VS Dubuque County in Lawsuit Over Lost Field of Dreams Funds

We all have that one movie we just can't stop watching, right? For me, it's Raiders of the Lost Ark. Seriously, if it pops up on TV, I'm dropping everything to watch it, even if I've seen it 50 times. You know that moment when Indy encounters the swordsman in the heart of Cairo? Instead of fighting him, Indy handles it a different way. Classic. I could watch that scene on repeat for hours—no shame.

How Did Disney Drop the Ball?

But here's the thing: they really dropped the ball by not building a "Well of Souls Park" or "Hovitos JungleLand Adventure." I mean, come on, Disney? How is this not a thing already? If they had, I’d be living my best Indiana Jones life, like, every day. I could break out my almost screen-accurate ROTLA Indiana Jones costume way more often than just random Halloween parties, and actually get use out of it.

But nope, here I am, wearing my fedora and bullwhip only when it’s socially acceptable (read: Halloween). If a "Temple of Doom" roller coaster existed, I’d be there daily, like a true adventurer. Imagine the theme park potential!

Who Built The Field of Dreams?

That is where The Field of Dreams beats them all.  They adapted a movie from a book, published in 1982, "Shoeless Joe" by WP. Kinsella.  That became the movie "Field of Dreams" starring Kevin Costner and James Earl Jones.  Then they went on to build it and they did come.

Round-about 1989, Universal Pictures had a baseball diamond constructed on two farms outside Dyersville, Iowa, where principal filming would take place for the movie 'Field of Dreams'.  Like many filming locations, after Universal wrapped production the field was abandoned.

There are lots of videos on YouTube where creators visit the filming locations and show you what is left.  I have placed a few here for your viewing pleasure.  It can be fun to see places you may recognize from a movie and learn where it is.

The Field was Abandoned but Not Forgotten

The movie "Field of Dreams" was released in May of 1989 and before the end of that year according to the Des Moines Register, the Field of Dreams was visited by 7,000, tourists.  The did come and continue to this day.

What Agreement Did Dyersville and Dubuque County have?

So, back in December 2022, Dyersville and Dubuque County struck a deal. In a move that made baseball fans everywhere do a double-take, the county decided to chip in some of its ARPA funds (that’s the American Rescue Plan Act, for those who aren’t knee-deep in government acronyms) to help renovate the legendary Field of Dreams site. Basically, the county said, "Hey, let’s give this iconic baseball field a facelift and make it even better!" Because, let's face it, who wouldn’t want to help make a spot where “if you build it, they will come” an even bigger reality?

The Fraudulent Transfer

Here’s where things take a turn into "uh-oh" territory. Instead of the funds making their way safely to the City of Dyersville, some crafty scammers decided to crash the party. They hacked into Dyersville’s email system and pretended to be the city clerk. With a few well-worded keystrokes, they sent an email to Dubuque County, claiming that the funds should be sent to a new account.

Now, Dubuque County, trusting the email (because who would fake a city clerk, right?), didn’t double-check and just sent the money, $524, 293.88. Spoiler alert: they sent it to the wrong place—into the hands of a third party who was, let's just say, not planning on fixing up the Field of Dreams. Oops. Looks like someone didn't field this one properly!

There Will Be a Suit, A Lawsuit

And just when you thought this couldn’t get any more dramatic—enter the lawsuit. The City of Dyersville, understandably upset about the mix-up, is now suing Dubuque County. Why? Because they’re saying the county totally dropped the ball when it came to making sure that money went to the right place. According to Dyersville, the county should’ve double-checked the request, maybe given a quick call to city officials or at least verified the account before hitting "send" on such a hefty sum. I mean, it’s not like you’d hand over your credit card info to a random email, right?

Dyersville’s basically saying, "Hey, you had one job—to make sure the money went where it was supposed to. And you didn’t do it!" Looks like this legal drama might be taking some extra innings!

There was an Investigation

This was by no means over, cue the investigation. The Dubuque County Sheriff's Office and the FBI are now on the case, trying to track down the elusive scammers. But here’s the kicker: the money’s already been converted into cryptocurrency, which is like trying to find a needle in a haystack that’s been set on fire. Recovering it? Yeah, good luck with that.

But wait, it gets better. The Iowa Communities Assurance Pool (that’s the insurance provider, for those not keeping track) took one look at the situation and said, "Not our problem." Apparently, since the county technically sent the money to the wrong account, it doesn’t count as a "fraudulent act" in their eyes. So, no insurance payout for Dyersville.

So, in short: the money’s gone, the insurance isn’t covering it, and now Dyersville’s probably wishing they had a real magic field to make all this disappear.

What Will This lawsuit Determine?

Here’s where Dyersville’s throwing down the legal gauntlet. By filing the lawsuit, they feel Dubuque County, you had one job, make sure the money went to the right place! In Dyersville’s eyes, the county messed up big-time by not double-checking the request, so now, they’re holding the county responsible for the breach of contract.

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To put it simply, Dyersville’s saying, "Look, we had a plan to fix up the Field of Dreams, and that cash was earmarked for a very specific purpose. That money wasn’t ours to lose—and it definitely wasn’t our fault that the funds went AWOL."

In the end, the case hinges on whether Dubuque County was negligent in how it handled the fund transfer and whether it is still liable for the lost money despite the fraud.  As a co-worker put it amusingly, 'People will sue, Ray... People will most definitely sue.'

Have You Been to the Field of Dreams?

The Field of Dreams, it's worth the trip, even without the $500K upgrades.  It can be quite peaceful and also quite busy.

And for those who like their baseball with a side of style, there’s a retail store selling Baseballism apparel—because who doesn’t need a "Field of Dreams" T-shirt for when you're not actually on the field? It's the ultimate mix of nostalgia, sports, and shopping. So, bring your glove, your kid, and your shopping list—because this place has it all!