The future looks extremely bright for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The Canton landmark has entered into a historic 18-year agreement with Johnson Controls to create the first sports and entertainment “smart city” that will carry the name Johnson Controls Hall of Fame Village.
Under the terms of the deal, Johnson Controls will become the “Official Smart City Partner” of Hall of Fame Village, which includes venues such as a virtual reality, state-of-art Johnson Controls Hall of Fame Experience. Additionally, the company will also be the presenting sponsor for the annual celebration in Canton each summer that will be known as the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Week Powered by Johnson Controls.
Johnson Controls Hall of Fame Village is the largest project currently under construction in Ohio, and will be a top tourist destination for millions of visitors per year. It is projected to bring $15.3 billion dollars in economic impact to the region in its first 25 years.
One of the first of the planned developments with this new partnership will be The Johnson Controls Hall of Fame Experience. The estimated $120 million state-of-the-art virtual reality amusement park experience is set to open in early 2019.
“This is an extraordinary partnership between esteemed partners that celebrates excellence everywhere. Johnson Controls and the Hall of Fame share strong values and a vision of improving others’ lives and making the world a better place,” Pro Football Hall of Fame President David Baker stated. “This historic agreement 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.”
The completion of Johnson Controls Hall of Fame Village in 2019 coincides with the NFL’s 100th season and subsequent Centennial celebration in 2020. Johnson Controls Hall of Fame Village will be an anchor of the league’s celebration.