At the Field of Dreams in Dyersville, the question that hangs over the once-quiet movie site is now: "If you build it, how much bigger will it become?"

Why it matters: For decades, the site has annually attracted tens of thousands of people despite its simplicity, but new owners and developments could make it an even bigger draw.

State of play: Just this week, actor Nick Offerman visited the eastern Iowa site, sharing hopes that the canceled "Field of Dreams" television show gets a reprisal, per the Register.

• But even without the show, the site recently brought in country singer Tim McGraw for its inaugural concert this summer. Next year, the Minnesota Twins and Philadelphia Phillies will play an MLB game there.

Flashback: The site changed hands three different times in three decades, ranging from local families who put out a can for donations to a Chicago developer who envisioned an RV park and hotel, per the New York Times.

• Today, Dyersville Events, a local nonprofit, owns the site after purchasing it for $27 million in 2024 with the help of state grants.

What's new: Dyersville Events has grown the number of youth tournaments and major events held at the Field of Dreams site.

• This season, 650 youth teams played, in comparison to 107 in 2022, per the Times. While most games are played in Dyersville's parks, the field is used for skills competitions and championship games.
• Seven more youth fields are being built around the movie site, as well as new stands and batting cages.

What they're saying: Still, there's tension between drawing in business and keeping life quiet for residents.

• Dyersville Family Restaurant owner Abby Sejdini told KCRG the new concerts and events have been a positive draw.
• "We usually get our regulars that come here throughout the week, ... so if they're from out of town we can kind of tell, we're like, 'What are you here for? Nickelback or Tim McGraw?'" Sejdini says.

The other side: But for other residents, the draw can be too much.

• "We got four stop lights in town, which is three too many," Doug Recker, who was having breakfast at the restaurant, told the Times.

The bottom line: "We're not commercializing the site, we're keeping it alive," Keith Rahe, a resident who runs the entire property, told the Times. "It's Iowa's Mount Rushmore."

Des Moines Public Schools board chair Jackie Norris is ending her U.S. Senate race after evaluating her campaign's "landscape" over the last 48 hours.

The big picture: The controversy with now-former superintendent Ian Roberts, plus a request this week for the state to reaudit the school district, "pushed us over the edge," she tells Axios.

State of play: U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst's decision to retire after her term ends has spurred a competitive congressional race in the state, with Iowa Democrats eager to break Iowa's conservative stronghold.

• Several prominent Iowa lawmakers have announced campaigns, including Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson and Iowa Sen. Zach Wahls (D-Coralville).

What they're saying: The DMPS superintendent "crisis" took Norris' full attention and put her in "the crosshairs of vicious and coordinated attacks," she shared in a statement on social media.

• "Those realities took time and oxygen away from the work I set out to do: stand up for our kids and families — and the backbone of our communities, their educators and caregivers," she said.

What's next: Norris did not file to run for school board reelection.

Friday

🎬 Rocky Horror Picture Show | Join the cult-classic chaos outside Big Grove Brewery. Dress up and get your first drink free. | 8pm | $5 donation to Capital City Pride

👀 Night Eyes | Visit Blank Park Zoo in the evening and check out dinosaurs, enchanted lights and live entertainment. | 5:30–9pm, today through Sunday | $10

Saturday

📚 Fall Boozy Book Fest | Pick up a passport and stroll through Drake's Dogtown to meet local authors at Lucky Horse, Mars Café, Shelf Love and more! | 11am–4pm | Free!

Sunday

🛍️ Highland Happening Vintage Market | Divine Times Vintage is hosting dozens of vintage vendors throughout Highland Park. | Free!

The city of DSM recently tripled its delinquent lawn mowing budget, as we reported last week.

Context: Municipal contractors mow after the city processes complaints about an overgrown property and the owner fails to take action.

• The costs are assessed to the property owner.

State of play: The contract expanded partly because of large-scale and severe situations, resulting in more intensive and expensive cases, Dalton Jacobus, neighborhood inspections administrator, tells Axios.

Zoom in: This is a before-and-after of a property in the Beaverdale neighborhood.

💬 Our thought bubble: Is this even the same property?