Twenty Million Dollars to be Raised to Enhance Museum
Indianapolis, IN — Jerry Colangelo, Chairman of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame’s Board of Governors, announced today the launch of the “It’s Time to Step Forward” Capital Campaign to support the technological renovation and solidify the endowment of the Basketball Hall of Fame. Located in the Birth City of Basketball, Springfield, Massachusetts, the organization promotes and preserves the game of basketball at every level – professional, collegiate and high school, for both men and women on the global stage. The Hall of Fame’s iconic domed building opened in 2002, and serves as the game’s mecca hosting over 225,000 basketball enthusiasts in the museum and over 1 million in the Hall of Fame complex annually.
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame’s reach extends far beyond the museum walls with college, high school and community basketball events spanning the country. Through the proposed technological renovation, the Hall of Fame hopes to engage the millions of basketball fans that cannot travel to Springfield through digital media access to the museum’s exhibits and inspirational stories.
“It is our goal to provide the best possible experience for those who visit the Basketball Hall of Fame and to honor those who have been inducted,” said Jerry Colangelo, 2004 Hall of Fame inductee. “With the technological advancements available to us today, we also feel it is important to share the content of this historic museum on a global scale. The Capital Campaign will allow us the financial freedom to attain these goals and maintain our place as the world’s finest sports museum.”
The “It’s Time to Step Forward” Capital Campaign has been silently making headway over the last few months with generous backing from many in the global basketball community including Grant Hill, Junior Bridgeman, Mannie Jackson, Nancy Lieberman, George Raveling, Phil Knight and Elaine Wynn. Notable coaches that have already stepped forward to support the cause include Mike Krzyzewski, John Calipari, Bill Self, Geno Auriemma, Jim Calhoun, Billy Donovan, Roy Williams and John Thompson.
“We are pleased to announce we have reached the halfway point of our campaign with 10 million dollars raised,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. “This money will be put directly into the Hall to enhance our technology and interactive exhibits, but we’re not done yet. We plan to raise another 10 million dollars with the support of coaches, players, executives, Hall of Famers, fans and anyone who has been positively impacted by the game of basketball.”
The monies raised through the Capital Campaign will also be used to guarantee a solid financial foothold for the future of the organization through the creation of the Hall’s first endowment. Since the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame opened its doors in 1959, it has operated as a non-profit organization relying on the generosity of others to preserve the legacy of the game. To learn more about the “It’s Time to Step Forward” Capital Campaign, visit www.hoophall.com.
About the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame:
Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was invented, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame promotes and preserves the game of basketball at every level – professional, collegiate and high school, for both men and women on the global stage.
For more information:
Visit us on the web: www.hoophall.com
… on Facebook: www.facebook.com/BHOF
… on Twitter: @hoophall
… or call 1-877-4-HOOPLA