Canton, Ohio is home to not only the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but also will soon have a whole village celebrating the museum. The Hall of Fame is partnering with Johnson Controls on the $500 million project that is set to be complete by the NFL’s 100th season in 2019.
Fans will be able to virtually experience the NFL combine and what it would be like to play in a game. The Johnson Controls Hall of Fame Experience in the village is a $120 million “virtual reality amusement park experience” set to open in early 2019.
Many people involved with the project are calling it a “Disney-like atmosphere.”
“They’ve got a great team of both technology advisers and consultants but also some world class movie effects and specialists coming out of Hollywood that are bringing terrific ideas to the table,” Kim Metcalf-Kupres, the Vice President and Chief of Marketing Officer of Johnson Controls, said by phone. “And we’re very excited to be a part of the infrastructure systems and services that support all of that.”
The Johnson Controls Hall of Fame Village – which will surround the already existing museum – will feature a Stadium/Sports and Entertainment Complex, a four-star hotel and conference center, an assisted living facility, a Coaches University (Center for Excellence), a main street with restaurants and retail shops, condominiums and apartments for Hall of Famers and retired NFL players and high-tech virtual reality experiences and rides.
“Were calling it a smart city because it really is a unique development,” Metcalf-Kupres said. “What the vision for the property really is is to create a destination spot that is a world class experience, not just for fans and not just for Hall of Famers, but for anybody who is interested in the game, anybody who has ever played the game and anyone who is interested in the same kinds of values and qualities that the Hall of Fame represents.”
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Johnson and Controls is a world leader in building infrastructure and technology. The “smart city” will feature data analytics capabilities that will help identify shopper behavior, high tech video surveillance to prevent things like shoplifting and fire prevention technology.
The project is the largest industrial project of its kind in the state of Ohio.