TopMenu

Ground Broken for Hall of Fame

FC Hall of Fame

A major milestone was reached yesterday for the National Soccer Hall of Fame Museum, as officials from FC Dallas and Frisco, TX participated in a groundbreaking ceremony.

This represents a significant step for the hall of fame, which will now have a permanent home at the south end of Toyota Stadium. It has been in the works for several years, with FC Dallas owners Dan and Clark Hunt lobbying to ensure that the museum was given a state-of-the-art venue for the more than 80,000 items that are available for display. It has been six years since the museum’s last permanent home–which was located in Oneonta, NY–closed down.

The finished product is expected to be innovative on many levels. Firstly, the museum is the first of its kind within the United States to be attached to a stadium. Furthermore, it will be a fairly sprawling project at 24,000 square feet.

With the installation of the Hall of Fame, FC Dallas is adding another component to their elaborate overhaul of Toyota Stadium. Also slated for the south end of the facility is new locker room space, a team store, and modern premium and private club space.

All told, this will amount to a $39 million, private/public investment into Toyota Stadium. At yesterday’s ceremony, there was excitement about what the project could contribute over the long run. More from the Dallas Business Journal:

Clark Hunt, president of FC Dallas and CEO of Dallas-based Hunt Sports Group, said he’s thrilled to have the National Hall of Fame Museum be part of Toyota Stadium and will put Frisco on a national stage.

“For the community and FC Dallas, the National Soccer Hall of Fame will bring national attention and anyone that comes to this complex will get a chance to see the great men and women that have brought this sport to what it is today,” Clark Hunt told the Dallas Business Journal.

“We have more than 5,000 players in the FC Dallas youth system and anyone that comes to this complex will be able to soon see the generations of soccer players,” he added.

Further details about the museum will be released down the road, but yesterday’s ceremony featured an announcement of the 2016 Hall of Fame class, which includes Brandi Chastain, Shannon MacMillan, and MLS commissioner Don Garber. Once the Hall of Fame opens, it will be the permanent site for all future induction ceremonies.

The full project is to be complete in time for the 2018 MLS season. Manhattan Construction is serving as the general contractor, with HKS handling the design.

Rendering courtesy of FC Dallas.

, , , ,

August Publications