Kickoff for Hall is on target
- |
FOXBOROUGH - A couple of weeks ago, Bryan Morry took a walk through The Hall at Patriot Place and felt a knot forming in his stomach. The Hall was scheduled to open with a ribbon cutting and kickoff ceremony Sept. 18, but Morry, the executive director, was fearful it wouldn't be ready on time.
Yesterday, Morry led a group of media members through the first floor of the Hall, and he felt far more relaxed. He declared that all systems are go for the inaugural induction weekend, which will be highlighted by a re-induction of 12 Patriots Hall of Famers in a ceremony that is free and open to the public at 3 p.m. on Sept. 20 in the plaza outside The Hall.
In addition, tight end Ben Coates, who was elected by fans this year, will be inducted as the 13th Patriots Hall of Famer.
When The Hall opens, the three-story structure promises to be stunning. The great players of the past will be celebrated through video displays highlighting the franchise's 48 years. There is a 150-seat theater with a 45-foot-wide screen with a signature film that plays every 20 minutes.
There will be interactive displays such as one in which visitors can predict whether an official's on-field calls were correct. One exhibit is dedicated to the "Snow Bowl" game, and there are murals of players past and present. On the bottom floor is a large new pro shop. The old pro shop will be used as a function hall.
Andre Tippett, a Patriots Hall of Famer who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame Aug. 2, is the team's director of community affairs and said the team is taking a page out of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the way it handles induction ceremonies.
"We're trying to bring back a little bit of what they do in Canton and what they do in New England and kind of give it that special thrill," said Tippett. "We're giving the fans ownership in how they help vote. So, when the guys come here, they're going to really feel special. As the guys come in, as the new guys come in, I'll be able to go and shake their hand and tell them 'Welcome home.'
"That's the whole experience that we want guys that are inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame to have - that I feel like I'm back home now. I'm in my spot. This is where I've played and had a great career and we're going to pay homage to that.
"All of us are going to have the re-induction, which is going to be very special, but [the goal is] to give the players a little bit of what they do in Canton and a little bit of a special taste of what they do from a New England standpoint. I think we're going to have it covered pretty well."
Morry said the hours of operation for the Hall, which will be open on a regular basis to the public beginning Sept. 22, will be 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on weekdays, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m.-7 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children, and $7 for seniors.
The Hall will not be open to the public on home game days but will be used for functions instead. Morry said the Hall will welcome school groups, with each student paying a reduced rate of $3.
"We're putting together an education curriculum and building lesson plans to get schools to come in on field trips," he said.
Tippett said the Patriots franchise has come a long way since he played.
"I used to get teammates, friends, people that I played against, would call me and be like, 'Why are you here? Why don't you do something to be disgruntled and get kicked out of there?' " he said. "I said, 'That's not the way I roll.'
"That's not how I was raised from a family standpoint and from a football-player standpoint. You play, play hard with what you have and who you're with, and that's all I can do.
"But to see everything that is happening now and look back 26 years later, it's awesome. It just goes to show that if you do the right things and you take care of business the right way, then there is always an opportunity for you, regardless of what it is."
Christopher L. Gasper of the Globe staff contributed to this report.
