A sit-down with the tvsdesign architect behind the landmark
Here in the South, there’s nothing quite as revered and reveled in as college football. From the season’s opening weekend to bowl game time, thousands of fans across the country are firing up the grill, decking out in their team’s gear and watching the big game with family and friends. For many college football fans, it’s a community experience that we look forward to each Autumn.
The newest Atlanta landmark, College Football Hall of Fame, pays homage to the legacy and tradition of college football and certainly inspires the nostalgia that accompanies a love of the Good Game. Within its first year of opening, the Hall of Fame has seen enormous success, welcoming visitors from all across the country through its doors and hosting countless events on its indoor football field. It’s a truly unique space, built to convert from day play time to black tie at night. With so much to see and do in this space, the best authority on the must-see spots would be the Man with the Plan (or project architect) Kevin Gordon, one of our principals at tvsdesign. I recently sat down with him to talk about his three favorite site features: the building entrance, Game Day Theatre and the indoor football field.
The Entrance
When guests first walk through the doors of the College Football Hall of Fame, they enter the facility to the sounds and site of a team of football players digitally running their way into the building alongside them. Visitors are immediately immersed in the college football experience, especially after registering your Fan Pass (ticket) at the end of the entrance tunnel. The impressive helmet wall, with the helmets of every college football team represented, is programmed to light up with your team’s helmet after registering your Fan Pass. “The RFID technology located in each Fan Pass signals to the screens and exhibits around you, displaying your team when you’re near. It is a custom experience for each visitor, no matter where they’re from, and it’s a really welcoming feature and has been widely embraced by Hall of Fame visitors,” said Gordon. The RFID chip technology located in the Fan Pass is responsive throughout the facility. Screens and exhibits will light up with your team’s highlights as well as using it as a scavenger hunt-type tracker for earning points and learning trivia throughout the space.
Game Day Theatre
The 140-seat Game Day Theatre at College Football Hall of Fame is no ordinary theatre. Guests are treated to an ultra-high definition experience while watching the film “The Game of Your Life” as narrated by former college football players and coaches. “The film is great on its own, but the extreme horizontal viewing lends itself to the experience of viewing it, making the movie highly immersive. We wanted visitors to feel like they’re on the field with the players on the screen, hearing the sounds of the sport and the roar of the crowd. We’re really proud of the technology that went into making the theatre such an immersive experience,” said Gordon. ESPN hosted an exclusive screening of their five-part series Snoop & Son: A Dad’s Dream at the Game Day Theatre, which was attended by Snoop Dogg.
The Football Field
The 45-yard indoor football field is the most interactive attraction at the Hall of Fame. Visitors can run classic drills on the field with staff just like their favorite players. But when the Hall of Fame closes to visitors for the day, it’s frequently opening its doors again hours later to host events on the field. “We designed a meeting and event venue that happens to also have a major daytime function,” said Gordon. “The indoor football field is meant to easily transform into a banquet space.” The Hall of Fame has hosted over 250 corporate, civic and private events with a guest count of anywhere from 150 to 3,500 attendees.
At tvsdesign, we’re proud to call College Football Hall of Fame one of our own. It’s an immersive experience that exhibits the history and legacy of a beloved sport. We hope that you’ll feel inspired to make a visit to this Atlanta landmark. Congratulations on a year of great success, College Football Hall of Fame!
For more information on the College Football Hall of Fame, visit their website here.
Learn more about the process of designing and building the Hall of Fame.
