Famous Actor Built This Abandoned Stadium And No One Came

Did you know there's an abandoned baseball stadium in Illinois and the team was once owned by Kevin Costner?

Minor League Baseball Was Very Popular In Illinois

There was a time when minor league baseball was very popular in Illinois and there were many teams throughout the state. It was more affordable, fun, and easier to get to than the major league parks.

Fans still enjoy watching the upcoming players in the smaller ballparks but unfortunately, there are not as many anymore around Illinois. They went under for various reasons.

During the heyday of minor league baseball in our state, a famous actor took interest in one of the ball clubs. Kevin Costner was part owner of the Lake County Fielders in Zion.

He's a huge baseball fan and has been in several films based on the sport including "Bull Durham."The team was named The Fielders after his popular baseball movie named, "Field of Dreams."

Kevin Costner's Lake County Fielders Shut Down Operations

According to chicagotribune.com,

Plans for an estimated $18 million stadium never materialized, the team limped through portions of two seasons at the makeshift site, lawyers started getting involved and then an unceremonious end arrived in April 2012.

 

Legal tussles between the city and the team’s ownership group ended in May 2015, when the Zion City Council approved its end of a settlement agreement that paid the owners $55,000 and released all parties of the blame for the failure of the minor league baseball venture.

 

If You Don't Build It They Won't Come

Do you remember the famous line from "Field of Dreams?" "If You Build It They Will Come." Well, they never built the permanent state-of-the-art stadium. All they had was a temporary place, so nobody came. Kind of ironic. Now, it's just an abandoned field.

Photos And Video Of Abandoned Baseball Stadium In Illinois

Before

After

WARNING: Under no circumstances should you enter this property. By doing so you risk bodily harm and/or prosecution for trespassing on private property.