ESPN has granted the Connecticut Sports Museum and hall of
Fame the licensed use of the ESPN name, brand and logo in the
development of a "Sports and Technology Center" in downtown
Hartford. According to the HARTFORD COURANT, the components
would be an "ESPN Visitor Center," a museum, educational and
sports-career programs, retail and an ESPN sports bar/restaurant.
With ESPN's presence, planners believe the center could be an
attraction on the level of the basketball or baseball hall of
fames, with 390,000 to 430,000 visitors a year. Organizers note
the plan is still in its "incipient stages." ESPN spokesperson
Chris LaPlaca: "It works for us on a lot of levels. ... There's
an emphasis on education that is particularly appealing."
LaPlaca said ESPN or Disney would not be involved in the capital
development, but would more likely play a role as "exhibitor or
tenant" (Mike Swift, HARTFORD COURANT, 6/9).
FIRST ESPN CLUB SET TO OPEN JULY 1: The first ESPN Club
opens at Orlando's BoardWalk entertainment complex on July 1,
launching what Disney hopes will become a worldwide chain of
sports entertainment centers, according to the ORLANDO SENTINEL.
The ESPN Club opening at BoardWalk is "much smaller" than the
prototype for a national rollout. But even this first club has
more of an "entertainment focus" than the Hard Rock Cafe, Planet
Hollywood, and other themed restaurants, and Disney officials
expect it to rank among their most "high-profile attractions."
The 13,000- square-foot club is divided into three areas: "The
Yard," a retail and arcade area; "The Sidelines," with a bar,
booths and high tables; and "Sports Central," the main dining
area. ESPN Club will also have a studio in Sports Central, where
interviews and programs for radio and TV will be broadcast.
Also, a "SportsHost" will "work the crowd" like a TV talk-show
host (Christine Shenot, ORLANDO SENTINEL, 6/10).
