NFL Hall of Fame Signs Deal to Offer Legal Sports Betting
The state of Ohio recently passed the necessary legislation to offer legal sports betting. Part of these new provisions include the ability to operate retail sportsbooks at sports facilities located throughout Ohio.
One of those approved sports facilities happens to be in Canton, as the official home of the NFL’s Hall of Fame. The company behind this facility is the Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company America. Given the go ahead to open a retail sportsbook, the company recently announced a 10-year partnership with Rush Street Interactive.
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Rush Street, as a Chicago-based gaming and entertainment company, owns and operates BetRivers as both a retail and mobile sportsbook. The company also owns and operates PlaySugarHouse as an online sportsbook and iGaming brand.
Richard Schwartz is the CEO at Rush Street Interactive (RSI). He had this to say about his company’s latest partnership:
“We are excited to partner with the Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company, a unique sports and entertainment company with exceptional reach in professional football and beyond.”
He also added:
“HOFV shares RSI’s drive to create fun, memorable experiences for customers as well as our passion for building a one-of-a-kind destination that will delight the millions of guests that will visit the Hall of Fame Village campus each year.”
As part of the agreement, RSI will operate the retail sportsbook at the Hall of Fame Village in Canton. This will be part of the planned expansion at the resort venue. Plans include an expanded Fan Engagement Zone that is currently being built.
RSI was one of several US-based sportsbook operators in the running for the right to operate the retail book at the Hall of Fame Village complex. As President and Chief Executive Officer of HOFV, Michael Crawford made these comments as part of an official media release:
“With the legalization of sports betting in Ohio, we see a variety of opportunities and benefits across out company’s multiple business lines. We considered many different retail sportsbook operators, but selected RSI because of its outstanding reputation, impressive sportsbook results in other markets and the quality and experience of its team.”
Crawford went on to say:
“We are thrilled to work with RSI to bring a retail sportsbook to the Hall of Fame Village’s Fan Engagement Zone and provide guests and fans a new and enhanced way to interact with their favorite sports, all conveniently from our campus.”
Pro football fans view the Hall of Fame in Canton as the ultimate destination for connecting with the long and iconic history of the NFL. The resort features museums that capture the true spirit of the league and its storied past as an American treasure. This is the world’s largest collection of pro football memorabilia.
Looking to capitalize on the attraction of this travel destination, the Hall of Fame Village has grown over the years to include restaurants, hotels, retail facilities and office space. Other expansions include a entertainment and performance center. Construction of a state-of-art indoor water park is also underway.
Part of the current construction is an elaborate renovation project at the site’s Hilton Hotel. The finished project is being designed to increase the venue’s appeal across an even wider audience of visitors.
The timeline for the opening of the RSI sportsbook is during the second half of 2022. However, Ohio still needs to move through the regulatory phase of the legalization process. Ideally, the launch of legal sports betting across the entire state would coincide with the start of the 2022 NFL regular season.
RSI is currently operating in 10 different states across the US. This includes Indiana, Pennsylvania and West Virginia as border states with Ohio.
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