If you build it, he'll come: Costner lights up Fielders' park

Kevin Costner came to his field of dreams to bring light to the Lake County Fielders ballpark.

Costner, co-owner of the Lake County Fielders, made his first appearance at the Zion ballpark Friday night to flip the switch to turn on its lights for the first time.

The Fielders will play their first game under the lights as they host the Kansas City T-Bones at 7 p.m. Monday.

Costner, whose name has become synonymous with America's favorite pastime, researched getting involved with minor league teams while on location for movies and on the road with his country western band, Modern West.

Then Fielders co-owner Rich Ehrenreich approached Costner with the idea to own the minor league team.

"He is very key to this project," Ehrenreich said. "I don't think he knows how important he is to all of us, to the community and to everyone involved in the project."

Costner said moments before he arrived at the park, the sky was reminiscent of a scene in "Field of Dreams" where he sits on a blanket on the field he's just built. Costner stands up and declares, "I've just created something totally illogical."

"I haven't created this. I'm just a very small part of it. I understand that. I'm proud to be a part of it and this community," he said.

The Fielders began their first season with the independent Northern League playing home games at Carthage College in Wisconsin. The team was supposed to play on a 55-acre site near Ninth Street and Green Bay Road in Zion, but construction never began and plans shifted to the current location in April.

Costner said sometimes it's embarrassing when something is not complete.

But for the group standing there of Fielders staff, sponsors and village officials, they are enjoying each new part of this process.

"You're part of the poetry of this incomplete thing and you will later have fond memories of when it was a tent. You're a part of the history of it," he said.

To describe the park, Costner would say perfect.

"I don't know many words higher than that, but I am content to say perfect. I love this," he said.

Zion mayor Lane Harrison, who attended the event, said seeing the lights is a stepping stone to creating an atmosphere that is clean and safe where families can be entertained for less than the cost of a movie.

"It is becoming a great stadium built little by little and it will come," he said. "We are priming the pump. We're getting families interested."

Costner said he has watched how the team started, and they started well. Then reality sunk in.

"I think what happens is teams have a right to get better and that is what will happen here," he said.

Costner said he plans to come back to Zion and take his family to enjoy a game.

"I have three babies in diapers. I look forward to letting them run around with the mascot and bringing them here," he said.

One person asked Costner a familiar movie line, "Is this heaven?"

His response was "No, it's Zion."