This article originally appeared in the Springfield Republican.


Kerry visits hoop shrine

Sunday, March 02, 2008
By Michael McAuliffe
The Republican

SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Sen. John F. Kerry said yesterday he was impressed after getting a look inside the new Onyx Fusion Bar & Restaurant.

"I'll do an event here," Kerry said, shortly after paying his first visit to the new Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame across the parking lot.

Kerry, D-Mass., was in the city for a visit to the Hall of Fame and to receive an update on development along the nearby Connecticut River. John L. Doleva, president and chief executive officer of the Hall of Fame, took Kerry a tour of the basketball shrine.

The new Hall of Fame opened in 2002, and in a reference to not making an earlier visit, Kerry quipped: "For better or worse, I was running for president in 2003 and 4."

Kerry said he was impressed with what he saw yesterday, particularly the Center Court area, where visitors can shoot hoops. Nearby are hands-on exhibits and opportunities for visitors to read about famous players and coaches.

"It's a terrific interactive place," Kerry said. "I love the Center Court concept, with the activities going on around it."

Doleva told Kerry about the possibility of creating a basketball center near the museum by 2010 that would include eight to 10 courts and primarily be a site for AAU tournaments much of the year.

"It's a wonderful concept," Doleva said.

The Hall of Fame draws about 250,000 people a year, but there are no locker rooms to accommodate teams.

"This was really not designed to be a competitive basketball center," Doleva told Kerry.

Work continues at Onyx, which will occupy a portion of the old Hall of Fame building on West Columbus Avenue and is scheduled to open March 24 with a reception for the NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championship. The restaurant will include a sushi bar, a juice bar and seating for 250 people indoors and another 50 people on an outdoor patio.

The restaurant, which will be about 12,000 square feet, will also feature a two-story wall of 18, 50-inch high definition plasma televisions.

"I think this will become a destination spot for people around here," Kerry said.

In a single building will be the $14 million River's Landing project, which will include the restaurant, a 60,000 square-foot LA Fitness center, and a 3,000 square-foot sports medicine facility. LA Fitness has 250 facilities in the country, and this will be the first in Massachusetts and the second largest in the United States.