This quarter we had a chance to film four episodes of The Financial QuarterbackSM on-site at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. The interview scenes with President David Baker and Vice President of Development and Strategic Adventures, Anne Graffice, were shot in the gallery of busts, and it was a truly unique experience. We also learned quite a bit about the hall itself and its nomination process. For example, at the first level of nomination anyone can get involved. Any fan may nominate any player, coach or contributor who has been connected with pro football simply by writing to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The only restriction is that a player and coach must have been retired at least five years before he can be considered.
They’re also making a lot of progress on the construction of Johnson Controls Hall of Fame Village which, when completed, is expected to be an $899 million-dollar mixed-use development of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s campus. It will be the first-ever sports and entertainment “Smart City.”
In a “smart” city, technologies are connected within and across a secure digital infrastructure, optimizing operations, reducing resource use, and producing meaningful insights that increase productivity, comfort and safety for occupants. Essentially, they’re going to build everything on a unified, intelligent network, enabling more control and advanced automation of nearly everything there. One amazing aspect of the Hall of Fame Village – and it will be the only place in the world you can find something like this – will be the holographic theater, “A Game for Life.” When completed, it will be an extraordinary cutting edge, multi-sensory immersive theater that features holographic representations of Hall of Fame legends like Joe Namath, George Halas, and Vince Lombardi.
Walking through the Hall of Fame Gallery and seeing the busts of the players who have been inducted and enshrined is a pretty awesome experience. To be in the presence of a living tribute to greatness and tradition is humbling.
When inducted, the selectees come to the hall and sit with their resident sculptor who creates their particular bust – first by manually measuring, and then creating the bust
itself from scratch! And, since everybody’s different, no two busts are alike. It’s a part of their unique legacy that these players leave for their fans.
All in all it was an incredible experience, and special thanks to President David Baker and VP Anne Graffice, for opening their doors to Lineweaver Financial Group.
