Populous selected to design College Baseball Hall of Fame

The College Baseball Foundation has partnered with global design firm Populous to design the permanent location of the College Baseball Hall of Fame in Overland Park, Kansas, USA.

The partnership teams the College Baseball Hall of Fame with one of the most renowned global design firms to construct a dynamic showcase of college baseball within a community they both call home. In addition, the Kansas City metro area is also the location for the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.

The addition of the College Baseball Hall of Fame will further embed the deeply rooted connection between Kansas City and America’s favourite pastime.

Tom Jacobs, chief executive officer and executive director, College Baseball Foundation, said:

After a comprehensive proposal process that attracted interest from multiple world-class design firms, we determined that Populous was an ideal partner to assist us on the design and buildout of the College Baseball Hall of Fame. Not only is Populous based in Kansas City, but they are widely regarded as the number one design firm in the world dedicated to sports and entertainment venues.

Populous has a depth and breadth of experience in the collegiate space demonstrated by their more than 300 college projects, including 60 collegiate ballparks. We are excited to tap into this expertise to create a fantastic venue that will tell the story of college baseball, past, present, and future, and that will serve as the home for our 160+ Hall of Fame Inductees.

The request for proposal process was initiated in April. After requests were received, proposals were reviewed, and interviews were conducted with finalists. Populous was then selected to design the College Baseball Hall of Fame.

Brian Mirakian, senior principal, Populous, said:

This moment in time is incredible for the College Baseball Hall of Fame — one that celebrates the amazing legacy of great players, coaches, philanthropists and personalities who’ve helped define the game. Not only is this monumental for the city of Overland Park and the region, but it also further solidifies Kansas City as an internationally renowned baseball destination. For Populous to be part of that storyline is an immense honour for our team.

Last January, the College Baseball Foundation and Visit Overland Park announced that the College Baseball Hall of Fame will be located within the iconic Museum at Prairiefire. Following an extensive search to find the permanent home for the College Baseball Hall of Fame, Overland Park and the Museum at Prairiefire emerged as ideal partners for the College Baseball Foundation through its purposeful vision and united support from the community.

Visit Overland Park estimates that the College Baseball Hall of Fame will have a multi-million dollar impact on the local economy when its doors open in 2025.

Populous’ Global Director & Senior Principal EMEA, Declan Sharkey, is one of 50+ expert speakers taking part in next month’s SVB LIVE Conference & Exhibition. The main focus of SVB LIVE events is to elevate & innovate the ‘live experience’ through architecture & design, the customer journey, fan experience, hospitality, premium sales & service, technology, sustainability and venue commercialisation.

At Populous, we understand how powerful, engaging experiences can inspire passionate fans and future generations. Showcasing the rich and illustrious history of college baseball through innovative and experiential design will help tell the story of so many players who made the game what it is today.

The sport of baseball holds a special place in the history of Populous, so we’re honoured to work with the College Baseball Foundation to design a space and experience that reflects baseball’s finest. This new hall of fame will preserve the legacy of the collegiate game and create a place that not only reflects its traditions but tells the stories of all those enshrined.

About the College Baseball Hall of Fame

Each year, more than 190 representatives nationwide vote on the College Baseball Hall of Fame induction class. The voting body is comprised of national and regional college baseball media, active and retired coaches, former players, former inductees, college baseball historians and members of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) collegiate baseball committee. The College Baseball Hall of Fame inducted its first class in 2006. Since that time, 165 players, coaches, umpires, administrators and contributors have been selected for induction.

About the College Baseball Foundation

The College Baseball Foundation’s purpose is to preserve, elevate, and advance the game; to inspire the next generation; to teach those who love college baseball about its rich history and traditions; to celebrate those who make college baseball special; and
to honour those who have come before us, and built the foundation upon which college baseball thrives today.

About Populous

Populous is a global design firm that began with a singular focus — to draw people together around the things they love, through experiences that capture all the senses and amplify the pure emotion shared in human moments. Over the last 40 years, the
firm has designed more than 3,500 projects worth over $60 billion across emerging and established markets.

Populous’ comprehensive services include architecture, interior design, event planning and overlay, branded environments, wayfinding, and graphics, planning and urban design, landscape architecture, aviation and transport design, hospitality and sustainable design consulting. Populous has over 1,400 employees in 29 global offices on four continents with regional centres in Kansas City, London and Brisbane. For more information, visit https://populous.com/

Sports Venue Business organises and delivers the SVB LIVE series of events, including Networking Events & Webinars, and the main SVB LIVE Conference & Exhibition, taking place at Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland, on October 9th and 10th, with an Opening Night Icebreaker at Aviva Stadium on October 8th.