National Sports Hall of Fame

The National Sports Hall of Fame was a proposed sports hall of fame on City Island in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States, which was scheduled for completion between July and August 2009^[1]. The $34.5M project's likely cancellation was announced by Harrisburg's Mayor Stephen R. Reed in March 2009, with the official closure of the National Sports Hall of Fame Foundation expected later in 2009. Reed was quoted as saying that it would take "some stroke of luck" for a funding source to become available, adding "I don't see it going past this year"^[2].

The project plans called for a 120,000-square-foot (11,000 m²) facility to include exhibition space, a theater, meeting areas, office space and other features^[3]. The project had found it difficult to raise all of the required funds^[4] and in October 2008 Foundation director John Levanda had said, "we're running out of time", citing the global credit crunch^[5].

See also

• Sports in Pennsylvania
• Sports in South Central Pennsylvania

Sandusky Commissioners pledged their support for a $40 million sportsplex hall of fame, although they have yet to see a financial plan for it.

When LaMont “Showboat” Robinson made his pitch for the National Sports Hall of Fame and Museum to Sandusky city commission at their meeting Monday, several people expressed enthusiasm.

Robinson’s vision for a 37-acre parcel of land at the intersection of Cedar Point and Cleveland roads includes multiple buildings and amenities.

He sees:

• A138,000-square-foot sportsplex with indoor football and soccer fields, baseball fields, and volleyball and basketball courts.

• A 75,000-square-foot, three-story museum with a hall of fame, restaurant, gift shop and pro shop.

• And a 2,800-seat ice arena that could be converted for almost any kind of event.

He asked for the city’s support in moving forward on the project he’s been trying to start for several years. And a tax break to finance it.

After asking Robinson several questions — about possible traffic congestion, how the wetlands will be preserved, if environmental assessments have been done — city commission voted to write him a letter of support for the sportsplex and museum.

Some commissioners said they weren’t too concerned about the answers to those questions because the city has removed itself as a partner in any project that could bring a new recreation center to Sandusky.

Any problems that come up will be Robinson’s responsibility to figure out, commissioner Dick Brady said.

The sportsplex may have some competition.

Lake Erie Shores & Islands approved paying up to $40,000 for a study last week to look at building a multi-purpose sportsplex in the county.

Commissioner Pervis Brown didn’t take that news well.

“I would invite the county to embrace our sports center ... if they want to throw money at a study that’s already been done twice,” Brown said. “They knew about this, what we’re doing today ... If they’re going to embrace such nonsense, that is insulting to us, the city of Sandusky.” www.nationalsportshofm.com

Read more about this proposed project and its history in Tuesday's Register.

References

1. ^ National Sports Hall of Fame^{[dead link]}, official site. Retrieved 4 June 2007. Archived September 29, 2007 at the Wayback Machine
2. ^ Luciew, John (12 March 2009). "Reed to throw in towel on Sports Hall of Fame". Patriot-News. http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2009/03/reed_to_throw_in_towel_on_spor.html. Retrieved 2009-06-12. 
3. ^ "The National Sports Hall of Fame Foundation to hold fundraiser commemorating mayor's 25th year in office,"^{[dead link]} (Press release), The Office of Mayor Stephen R. Reed, 8 February 2005, harrisburgpa.gov, official site. Retrieved 4 June 2007. Archived September 27, 2007 at the Wayback Machine
4. ^ Veronikis, Eric (29 January 2009). "Harrisburg-area projects started with a splash, floundered". Central Penn Business Journal. http://www.centralpennbusiness.com/article.asp?aID=70139. Retrieved 2009-06-12. ^{[dead link]}
5. ^ Luciew, John (23 October 2008). "Clock running out for sports hall of fame?". Patriot-News. http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2008/10/time_running_out_for_sports_ha.html. Retrieved 2009-06-12.