Elizabethtown, KY – Aug. 9, 2017 – The Kentucky High School Basketball Hall of Fame (KHSBHF) will have its official opening for the public this Saturday, August 12 at 11:00 a.m. The facility, located at 212 West Dixie Avenue in Elizabethtown, KY, will celebrate the Grand Opening event with several members of the Hall of Fame in attendance throughout the day.
The $1.75M facility highlights the legendary players and coaches of the first 100 years of High School basketball across the Commonwealth.
“The opening of the Kentucky High School Basketball Hall of Fame culminates a tremendous coordinated effort from our Board of Directors, sponsor partners and our design partners Solid Light,” said KHSBHF Chief Operating Officer Paul Najjar. “The design team at Solid Light has turned an historic church into a shrine devoted to Kentucky high school basketball and the women and men who have made it an integral part of the cultural history and heritage of every city, town and community across the Commonwealth.”
Solid Light, a full-service exhibit and visitor experience design firm based in Louisville, worked directly with developers, architects and general contractors to bring the “Essence of the Game” and its vision to a refurbished 150-year-old historically-preserved church building in downtown Elizabethtown.
“We are thrilled to open our doors and give the great fans of Kentucky high school basketball this experience,” Najjar said. “Moving through the main gallery at a leisurely pace, one can reminisce about the all-time greats or get inspired by their awesome accomplishments on the court.”
After several years of research – which involved collecting, organizing and storyboarding historically-significant biographies, statistical data, audio files, images and memorabilia – Solid Light has put together a fitting representation of the rich heritage of high school basketball in Kentucky.
From paying tribute to the stories of its most revered players and coaches, to the inclusion of interactive and engaging elements for visitors, such as a “measure your vertical jump” section and a 12-minute feature film, the combined efforts of the Hall of Fame’s Board of Directors and the Solid Light design team have brought the history of the game to life.
“It’s basketball night in Kentucky!” said Solid Light Owner/President Cynthia Torp. “Actual audio from real games in history – band music, radio announcers, cheerleaders, concession stands and much more – echo throughout the Hall from the moment guests enter. The whole experience has been tailor-made to capture the personal narratives of those who’ve shaped and maintained the spirit of high school basketball in Kentucky; from the pioneers who broke down boundaries during segregation and Title IX, to the coaches and players carrying the torch today.”
The Kentucky High School Basketball Hall of Fame will be open Wednesday through Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. throughout the remainder of 2017. Admission: Adults – $6; Senior Citizens – $5; Students – $4. Children 5 years old and under are admitted free of charge.