Prairiefire in southern Overland Park will be the new home of the first-ever permanent College Baseball Hall of Fame.
State and local leaders, as well as representatives from the College Baseball Foundation which oversees the Hall of Fame, announced the decision on Tuesday at an event at the Museum at Prairiefire on 135th Street.
The new Hall of Fame is expected to open late next year in a space in the museum previously set aside for traveling exhibits.
Warren Wilkinson, president and CEO of Visit OP, the city’s tourism bureau, called it a “historic milestone” for the city.
“Prairiefire was built for this moment,” Wilkinson said during the announcement event Tuesday. “Working together we have not only secured a permanent home for the College Baseball Hall of Fame, we’ve intentionally created a unique place that elevates our destination and supports our tourism strategy.”
Patrick Mahomes had a hand in landing the deal
In a news release that accompanied Tuesday’s announcement, College Baseball Foundation officials said they selected Overland Park after an “extensive search” for a permanent home for its Hall of Fame, which has been inducting classes of honorees since 2006.
The College Baseball Foundation said Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes played an “instrumental role” in finalizing the deal to settle on Overland Park. Mahomes played college baseball at Texas Tech and is also the son of a former Major League Baseball pitcher.
“Mahomes’ commitment mirrors a love for the game fostered by watching his father play professional baseball, a steadfast dedication to preserving the heritage of college baseball and a genuine enthusiasm for providing a space where budding athletes can envision a promising future,” the Foundation’s release said.
“Baseball has been a huge part of my life, and I was fortunate to play the game in college,” Mahomes is quoted in the release. “I’m excited for the College Baseball Hall of Fame to call Overland Park home and join the community that I love so much.”
It’s the latest involvement for the two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback in a Kansas City area sports venture. He is also part owner of the Kansas City Royals, Sporting KC and the KC Current.
Visit OP forecasts 'multi-million dollar impact' in 2025
Overland Park and state officials promised immediate financial returns once the College Baseball Hall of Fame opens in 2025.
“Bringing a cultural gem such as the College Baseball Hall of Fame to Overland Park will add to our state’s strong array of top-notch tourist attractions and will provide a solid boost to both the local and state economies,” Democratic Lieutenant Gov. David Toland said.
Overland Park officials forecast a “multi-million dollar impact” once the Hall of Fame opens next year. Wilkinson said Tuesday 150,000 visitors are expected in the first year, with an estimated economic impact of $25 million over five years.
The College Baseball Foundation’s annual Night of Champions, meant to honor collegiate baseball’s top performers and stars, is already set for Feb. 15, 2024, at The Marriott Overland Park hotel.
Billed on Tuesday as a “dynamic and ever-evolving space for college baseball enthusiasts to celebrate the sport’s rich past, present and future,” the College Baseball Hall of Fame immediately promises to become the headline attraction for the Prairiefire development.
Prairiefire was first established more than a decade ago with the backing of $65 million in state-issued STAR bonds, meant for projects with regional and national tourism appeal.
But the development has struggled to meet that billing.
Prairiefire faced criticism from state auditors, who concluded it could take decades for the project to totally recoup its bond debt through tax revenues, and its developers recently defaulted on the first round of repayment for the STAR bonds.
“Let me tell you, this is a big deal for Kansas,” Toland, the state’s lieutenant governor, said Tuesday.
Wilkinson told the Post after the event Tuesday that Overland Park was able to attract the College Baseball Hall of Fame to the community in part because it already had a space for the new museum in the heart of an entertainment district.
“We have a world class, purpose-built, designed museum-quality space that’s already available,” he said. “It became pretty natural to get excited about this.”
Additionally, Wilkinson said what really sealed the deal was an invitation to come visit Overland Park during the selection process.
“When things really started to get interesting was when they came and they could see what we have,” he said.
This story was originally published on the Johnson County Post.
