The First-Ever “Smart City” will be a Sports Haven in Ohio
There’s an annual event that is particularly special for pro football fans. Each year the NFL hosts the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game, an exhibition held at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio. The game is just one of the many activities held during the weekend-long event aimed at honoring and recognizing former players who helped shape the game.
Prior to the game, the next class of accomplished, former pro players are inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It’s a momentous occasion as former teammates, friends, and family members share in the joy of inductees receiving their bronzed bust and golden Hall of Fame jacket. For inductees, this supreme recognition represents the culmination of their life’s work, and for many fans, this occasion marks the end of a six-month off-season drought and the beginning of the NFL season. For several others, however, this weekend (and the Hall of Fame Village as a whole) represents an opportunity for the pro football community to look towards the future and embrace the innovations that will shape the future of the game.
In an effort to continue this tradition, Johnson Controls and The Hall of Fame Village have announced an historic 18-year agreement (in partnership with the Industrial Realty Group) to create the first ever sports and entertainment “smart city ”. In a statement from the Pro Football Hall of Fame President David Baker, he says …
“this agreement represents shared values of honoring the past and building a future driven by innovation and creating comfort for everyone who comes to the Village to honor the legends who have played the game.”
Perfect timing as the announcement comes just on the heels of an NFL season that’s been plagued with controversy and sub-par viewership ratings. The league is currently faced with growing competition from other forms of entertainment, including non-traditional sports such as esports and drone racing. Now more than ever, the NFL and other professional sports leagues have to understand that in order for them to thrive in today’s sports world they must make innovation a priority and embrace the adoption of new technology.
Under the agreement, Johnson Controls will reserve the naming rights for the new village, acting as “Official Smart-City Partners”. The Johnson Controls Hall of Fame Village will be a multi stage, $500 million dollar project that includes a complete renovation of the stadium and surrounding areas.
The site will include a number of different projects including a four-star hotel & conference center, restaurant & retail space, the Pro Football Hall of Fame Museum, and even an assisted living facility dubbed Legends Landing. All of the new buildings and renovations will present opportunities for upgrades and optimization for all existing infrastructure by incorporating eco-friendly building management systems. These improvements will enhance security and efficiency for the entire Hall of Fame Village.
“Our innovative, integrated, technologies will provide the right combination of safety and security at the Johnson Controls Hall of Fame Village in an environment that demonstrates how we connect ‘cities’ that run smartly and reliably,” said Kim Metcalf-Kupres, VP and CMO, Johnson Controls.
Some of the more exciting and innovative additions include…
- State of the art Hall of Fame experience in virtual reality
- Amusement park experience that includes virtual reality and rides set to open in early 2019
- A brand new Stadium (Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium/Sports & Entertainment Complex) which has already begun construction. You can see the progress of its construction by checking out the live stream here.
- The Pro Football Hall of Fame Sports Complex. Phase 1 of construction includes the following 3 fields (two turf, one grass). Just three of the total eight that will make up the sports complex are set to be finished in 2018.
The design team for the project has drawn inspiration from a quote by notable architect Daniel Burnham, the man who is widely regarded as one of the most influential minds behind early 20th century architecture. He’s said to have changed the way America built cities with his work as chief coordinating architect of the 1893 Columbian World’s Fair (the first to utilize electric).
“Make no small plans for they have no ability to stir men’s souls…and likely will never be done anyways…dare to dream big and your children will accomplish things we could never imagine.”
For an organization struggling to defend themselves against cord-cutters and a generation of millennials that thrive on technology, this is a step in the right direction for the NFL. It represents their willingness to adapt and adopt over time. Also, the construction of this new village is estimated to be the largest tourism investment in Ohio’s history and projected to bring the area a projected $15.3 billion dollars in economic impact in its first 25 years.
The entire project is expected to be completed by 2019 serving as an “anchor” for the NFL’s 100th season and the subsequent centennial celebrations in 2020. In a statement from Hall of Fame President, David Baker, he stated it will…
“….ensure that the Johnson Controls Hall of Fame Village will be the first ‘smart’ sports and entertainment city and will serve to inspire generations of fans as a showcase for state-of-the-art technology products and services to deliver world-class fan experiences.”
To me, the construction of the Hall of Fame Village represents something much larger than just innovation within sports. It represents an opportunity to experience and observe the incredible potential that technology has to impact our everyday lives if applied effectively in areas far beyond just sports and entertainment. The Hall of Fame Village could help pave the way for the much bigger and much more advanced smart cities of the future.
The Starters community is working hard to support and promote innovation and the adoption of new technology amongst key stake holders in the sports industry. Learn more about Starters and how to get involved by clicking the link below.
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