Aramark is selling Pepsi products in Field of Dreams souvenir cups for $5. (Courtesy Aramark)
Mobile payments accepted at pop-up ballpark in rural Iowa
Going cashless in the cornfield?
Yes, to a certain extent. Aramark, concessionaire for the Field of Dreams game, will run mobile payments and accept cash for Thursday’s event on a farm outside Dyersville, Iowa, company officials said.
For the primetime matchup between the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees, Major League Baseball set up a WiFi system and temporary cell towers from the major carriers were installed to support mobile ordering, said Todd Barnes, senior principal with event consultant Populous.
Fans in attendance at the 8,000-capacity venue can order food and drink for pickup through the MLB Ballpark mobile application. For beer, wine and spirits served at mobile beverage carts, there’s an option to order beer through a QR code system for expedited service.
Seven concession tents, themed for the occasion, will be set up along the third-base line. Food will also be sold at the smaller ball field next door that served as the movie set for “Field of Dreams.”
“Overall points of sale meet the expectation for crowd capacity,” Barnes said.
In addition to basic ballpark fare, Aramark will feature pork tenderloin sandwiches, a signature food item across the state of Iowa. The price is $14. In the cornfields, stadium pricing remains in effect, officials said.
Cheese curds, deep-fried Oreos and pulled pork nachos are also on the menu.
Domestic canned beer is $9. Field of Dreams souvenir soda cups are $5, filled with Pepsi products.
Aramark will have about 250 staff on site, with support from two accounts, the University of Iowa and Xtream Arena. The Big Ten school and the 5,000-seat arena are both in Iowa City-Coralville community, an 80-minute drive south of Dyersville.
Joel Nash, Aramark regional vice president, and district manager John Fitzgibbon are in charge of the Field of Dreams food operation, along with Kris Ames, operational project manager.
Several executive chefs, purchasing managers and other key personnel are also working the event.
