If you build it, they will come.

Seven words that became the mantra of visionaries everywhere after Iowa cornstalks whispered them into Kevin Costner’s ear — urging him to transform his struggling farm into a baseball park — in the beloved 1989 classic film “Field of Dreams.”

Seven words that changed the lives of not only one man, but also the family and friends who collaborated with him and the diverse cheering crowds drawn to his front yard baseball diamond. In the end, all of them connecting with their pasts, presents and futures in ways they could have never imagined by sharing one dream.

In Butler County, a dedicated group of leaders listened to similar whispers 20 years after Costner stood alone in a cornfield on the big screen. Together they developed a unified plan in 2009 aimed at guiding us into the future. Ten years later, our county reaps the fruits of their labor — and stands poised to harvest more than just corn moving forward.

On Friday, the Butler County Growth Collaborative rolled out its vision for a future where citizens pursue a 21st Century American Dream through collaboration, diversity and connections across our 795 square miles of rolling farmland, urban centers and suburban neighborhoods. An effort armed with a mindset that will preserve and empower economic prosperity for our 187,000 residents — a number that continues to grow as Butler County ranks number one in the state for real estate development.

This charged and determined group of leaders representing business, industry, government, tourism, housing, health care, nonprofits, education and much more are building it. People are coming — more than 3,000 new residents since the 2010 U.S. Census. And if the county’s rapidly expanding southern region is any indication, this number is going to continue to grow.

Butler County currently ranks sixth in the nation for job growth, creating more than 6,000 new jobs since 1999 and a GDP of $382 million in 2018 alone. Jobs with good pay and benefits, attracting families and future growth in the form of $57.5 million in infrastructure. In a nation where the unemployment rate is about 4 percent, ours hovers around 3.3 percent, with businesses clamoring for workers.

The Growth Collaborative looks to propel Butler County even further into the future not by looking to those who already recognize all the amazing amenities here, but by looking to the next generation of Butler County residents and leaders.

Too often communities forget about this sector of their population. They become complacent and comfortable in the present, not remembering that at some point, a past generation of leaders looked to them and asked them “What is your American Dream?” and then went the distance to help them achieve it.

Instead of settling in, Butler County leaders set into motion a plan that asked young people what a 21st Century American Dream looks like for them. While their generation wanted big homes in the suburbs, this emerging group of new leaders want walkable communities, green spaces and community hubs where they can live and work.

Change is hard for any generation, but it’s the critical component to moving communities forward. And the Butler County Growth Collaborative is doing just that. With grit and determination, this group is building up Butler County by building bridges that will not only connect, but strengthen past, present and future generations.