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SPORTS AVENUE SECURES NASCAR HALL OF FAME RETAIL SPACE
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Oct. 14, 2009 – 208 days until opening) – The NASCAR Hall of Fame, a 150,000-square foot interactive, entertainment attraction under construction in Charlotte, N.C., finalized today a lease agreement with veteran merchandiser Sports Avenue to occupy the facility’s 5,800 square-foot retail space.
The Sports Avenue store, the company’s first inside a hall of fame, will primarily feature NASCAR Hall of Fame-branded merchandise but also will include NASCAR driver and team-specific inventory. Opening in May of 2010, the store will be on the main floor adjacent to Buffalo Wild Wings, the recently announced restaurant also being constructed inside the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
“Each day we take a step closer to our May 11, 2010 grand opening, and solidifying our retail plan was an important step in the process,” said Winston Kelley, executive director of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. “Sports Avenue is committed to offering the same high level of customer service and value as the NASCAR Hall of Fame, which are two key factors when we evaluate partnerships for the facility.”
Sports Avenue, the official clubhouse operator of Major League Baseball, has been in business for more than 20 years and currently operates 45 stores across the United States. The NASCAR Hall of Fame location will be its first in North Carolina and the company’s largest store in terms of square footage. Other prominent locations include Times Square in New York City and Universal Studios City Walk in Hollywood, Calif.
“Being the sole retailer inside the prestigious new NASCAR Hall of Fame is a significant addition to our expansive portfolio,” said Jeff Collins, president of Sports Avenue. “The hall will attract scores of sports fans who live in and visit Charlotte. Our focus is on serving those guests of the NASCAR Hall of Fame and making sure they have something to commemorate their visit to the unique attraction.”
Based in Illinois, Sports Avenue also owns an extensive network of online stores such as the official merchandising web sites for the New York Jets, University of Kentucky, Sugar Bowl, Arizona State University, University of Washington and more. It specializes in team’s stores, concessions, e-commerce, special events and promotions.
Tickets and memberships for the NASCAR Hall of Fame are now available by calling 877-231-2010 or online at www.nascarhall.com.
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Opening May 11, 2010 in Uptown Charlotte, the 150,000-square-foot NASCAR Hall of Fame is an interactive, entertainment attraction honoring the history and heritage of NASCAR. The high-tech venue, designed to educate and entertain race fans and non-fans alike, includes artifacts, interactive exhibits, 275-person state-of-the-art theater, Hall of Honor, Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant, Sports Avenue retail outlet and NASCAR Media Group-operated broadcast studio. The five-acre site also includes a privately developed 19-story office tower and 102,000-square-foot expansion to the Charlotte Convention Center, highlighted by a 40,000 square-foot ballroom. The NASCAR Hall of Fame is owned by the City of Charlotte, licensed by NASCAR and operated by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority. www.nascarhall.com
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