College Football Hall Of Fame Plans Back On Track

Contrary to speculation that the plans for a new College Football Hame of Fame in downtown Atlanta were no longer, the drawing process for a building to be located at the current Georgia World Congress Center Green Parking Lot has begun.

Phil Marwill, the director of communication for the College Football Hall of Fame, announced as much recently, saying, "We are in the process of redoing all the Hall of Fame drawings, and we'll make them available, which should be within the next two months. Major changes to the plans are in the works and we'll be distributing them in the near future."

The new location should be a major draw for the downtown area, as the building would reside near such major attractions as the Coca-Cola museum, Phillips Arena, the Georgia Dome, and more.

Despite the recent developments, it remains unclear when the new hall will be opened.

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College Football Hall Of Fame Budget Slashed By State Of Georgia

What a fun headline to write! The College Football Hall of Fame, which is leaving South Bend after 2012 and hopefully arriving in Atlanta at some point, may have to scale back down more than had been feared. The new Georgia state budget removes $10 million in bond money that had been devoted to the Hall, with college construction looking to be a priority of the budget.

You ain't even mad about Kennesaw State getting $6.5 million for building expansions out of that budget. Like the College Football Hall of Fame, KSU has a football-related project that should hopefully be open for business at some point in 2014ish. I'll stop talking about Kennesaw State now.

One way or the other, the Hall is definitely winding up somewhere besides South Bend. Georgia's financial issues could open the door for another city to make a strong pitch, but the project would need to be derailed to not end up here. This is because the rail it's on leads here, you see. No, they're not actually moving the whole thing via rail.

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College Football Hall Of Fame To Leave South Bend After 2012 Season ...

... but will it still arrive in Atlanta in 2013 or 2014? This much we know: the College Football Hall of Fame's current staff is certain the South Bend facility will close down in 2012, perhaps after the Notre Dame Fighting Irish finish playing football, the South Bend Tribune reports. From there, it's up to Atlanta's end to determine when it resurfaces in a superior sports town.

Last summer, South Bend's mayor said the Hall might be welcome to stick around in Indiana.

The concept for the Atlanta version has been expanding in size since first conceived, reaching a 75,000-square foot monster at one point. But the National Football Foundation has asked for it to be scaled back down to the original planned size of 50,000.

Wednesday, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported frustration regarding delays, but the Hall wasn't originally scheduled to open in Atlanta until 2013 anyway. Other cities want in, but are not the best college football towns in the world, so that would be dumb. Atlanta's Hall people (this is what we'll call them) will need to present a new plan to the NFF in April.

Gary Stokan Turning Over College Football Hall Of Fame Leadership

Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game: Gary Stokan On 'The Capital Of College Football'

Gary Stokan, overseer of the Chick-fil-A Bowl, College Football Hall of Fame and just about everything else Atlanta sports, spoke with SB Nation Atlanta as Georgia and Boise State prepare to play in the Chick-fil-A College Kickoff.

College Football Hall Of Fame May Have Invitation To Remain In South Bend

The College Football Hall of Fame will officially be unveiled as Atlanta's newest pride and joy in 2013's football season, we hope. But South Bend, Indiana, which has been keeping the hall warm for us, says it might be welcome to stay there if it doesn't work out here.

South Bend mayor Stephen Luecke says the city would "consider" keeping the hall around if increasingly grandiose plans for the institution's rebirth in its rightful home fall through. Though halls of fame don't always appear in the towns most commonly identified as the hearts of their respective sports -- COOPAHSTOWN? TRY FENWAY PAHK, PAL -- it's only a matter of time before the hall most earmarked for Atlanta makes its way south.

Talking pretty tough here because I'm pretty sure we'll still get it. Yeah, it would really suck to see the thing remain in Indiana. Indiana! It is not a building about basketball or cars!

For more college football, visit SB Nation's NCAA Football hub.

College Football Hall Of Fame To Be Bigger Than Expected, Open In Fall 2013

The College Football Hall of Fame was originally scheduled to open in Atlanta in March 2013, but its opening has been bumped back to the fall of that year. Chick-fil-A Bowl president and Atlanta Hall Management CEO and wearer of various other hats Gary Stokan says the delay is due to the facility's plans blooming from a 50,000-square-foot building to a 75,000-footer, which will draw no complaint from us.

Read Stokan's remarks in that link above -- he's pretty pumped about all the high-tech gadgetry the hall will incorporate. There's also a bunch of stuff about money and sponsorships and bonds and stuff, for those of you who care about those things.

And, yes, it will have a Chick-fil-A.

It's also convenient that it's now supposed to open near college football season. Accordingly, Stokan said he wants the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets to play in the Chick-fil-A kickoff game at the Georgia Dome in 2013, providing even more local color for the unveiling. 

For more college football, visit SB Nation's NCAA Football hub.

College Football Hall Of Fame In Atlanta To Feature 32 Local Players

The goal of any SEC football player is to reach Atlanta, the site of the biggest conference championship game in college football. With the College Football Hall of Fame set to leave South Bend for Atlanta in 2013, getting to Atlanta isn't just an SEC thing any more. Canton, Cooperstown, Springfield, and the A. Not bad, huh?

Thirty-two players from Peach State schools are already enshrined, and that number's set to boom with Reggie Ball's eligibility drawing nigh. Because this is more exciting than the World of Coke's 90 flavors of Brazilian jaguar residue cola or Georgia Aquarium's ... fish (?), here's the rundown so you can start planning your first visit. Do we tailgate outside of this thing, or what? 

Name, tenure, and year of induction for each:

Georgia Bulldogs:

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets:

Other:

College Football Hall Of Fame's Atlanta Opening Set For March 2013

The College Football Hall of Fame will open its new doors in Atlanta, Georgia in March 2013, according to details released today by Atlanta Hall Management, Inc. Fleeing South Bend, Indiana for the sport's true capital, the 50,000-square-foot facility will be near the Georgia Dome and Philips Arena, across the street from Centennial Olympic Park and taking over space currently used by Centennial's Green Parking Lot. That's Georgia World Congress Center Authority turf:

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With groundbreaking scheduled for August 2011 and doors set to open in March 2013, the Hall will boast a 3-D theater, stadium-style lighting, and a broadcast facility. Atlanta Hall Management president Gary Stokan says it "will not be a museum, but an attraction." Who's excited about the Les Miles Hall of Mystery, Bear Bryant Oversigning Whack-A-Mole, and Joe Hamilton Bumper Cars? Stokan mentions Archie Manning-conjuring kiosks as an example, though it would be awesome if every few feet there was a kiosk manned by several holographic Archie Mannings, and if you can pick out the real Archie Manning before he flees you get a free pass to the Fernbank Uncle Luke Freakatorium.

ESPN is set to provide content, along with big screens for game days. The outside is meant to look like a football, signaling a noble intent that will be sure to change as Chick Fil A sinks its hooves into the project because this is Atlanta. If you're reading this in 2014, please post a photo below of the gigantic, rotating cow-print Coca-Cola cup towering over Centennial. #whogonrunthistowntonight

The facility will cost $50 million, of which $31 million has already been raised. Stokan says more earnest fundraising will begin in January, with the Hall seeking partnerships with Home Depot and UPS, among others, because, again, this is Atlanta.