Teamwork is essential to winning football games at every level. No one has epitomized that concept in the NFL more so than the New England Patriots who captured three Super Bowl championships in four years between 2001 and 2004 by putting egos aside and the team first. Now the Patriots will pay tribute to the high school and youth players that do the same in a distinctive, exciting exhibit in the soon-to-be-built Hall at Patriot Place.

The Hall is set to open in August of 2008 as part of the massive Patriot Place project set around Gillette Stadium. The Hall is an interactive museum and hall of fame that will honor Patriots history and its hall of famers in a technologically unique fashion, but New England's high school and youth football champs will also be honored.

An exhibit, titled "New England Football" will pay tribute to every high school football championship team in New England along with the youth football regional champions. The permanent exhibit will feature every championship team jersey hanging on a wall - about 60 in all -- along with a mosaic of photos from teams throughout the region

Additionally, the exhibit will also include information on New England's football roots, traditions, champions, heroes, professionals and rivalries with access to this website for information on every high school football team in the region.

Did you know that the oldest high school football rivalry in the country is here in New England? So is the oldest continuous high school rivalry. Do you know all the pro players from your home state? Do you know about the Little Red Flag at the Harvard-Yale game or The Walk at Williams College? You will when you visit the New England Football exhibit at The Hall at Patriot Place.

The Patriots also will honor all of the championship teams in an annual jersey-raising ceremony held at the Hall.

More About The Hall at Patriot Place

The Kraft family is investing in the creation and construction of The Hall at Patriot Place, a highly interactive experience that will showcase the history of the New England Patriots while providing a permanent home for the team's Hall of Fame. The museum will also explore the history of football in New England and will feature an integrated educational program to benefit visiting school groups. Utilizing the latest in design concepts and multimedia technology, The Hall will be unique among sports museums and a must-visit attraction for any Patriots fan.

The Hall at Patriot Place is scheduled to open for the start of the 2008 season and will be one of the signature attractions of Patriot Place, a 1.3 million square foot super-regional lifestyle and entertainment destination adjacent to Gillette Stadium.

• The 4,500 square foot grand hall will also be an exhibit known as “Patriots United.” It will feature a 45-foot cathedral ceiling alive with projected Patriots video and photos. The grand hall will serve as the main gathering area and double as function space seating up to 250. Every 20 minutes, the grand hall will darken and present a video and audio program.
• A 10-minute feature film, “Patriots Way,” will be presented throughout the day in The Hall’s state-of-the-art, 150-seat panoramic theatre. The film will explore the root of the connection between New England and its football team.
• Four 30-foot tall, double-sided interactive video pylons will honor the Patriots Hall of Famers. The Hall of Fame pylons will be visible from outside the building, and utilize a breakthrough moveable ink technology to display video and other multimedia. Touch screens will allow visitors to choose which Patriots Hall of Famers to highlight on the pylons.
• Cutting-edge technology throughout The Hall brings Patriots history alive and allows visitors to interact through touch, feel and sound.

• A Super Bowl exhibit featuring the Patriots’ three Vince Lombardi trophies.
• An interactive exhibit highlighting football in New England will be integrated with www.NewEnglandFootball.com, focusing on youth football leagues throughout the six New England states and include the jerseys of the year’s championship teams in each state.
• A 16-foot diameter geodesic dome greets visitors with a sharp drop in temperature and a snow squall experience as they relive the greatest kick in Patriots history.
• A clubhouse area where visitors will peruse personal items from former players and hear stories from the Patriots greats in their own voices.
• An “In the Game” exhibit will take visitors within the huddle, onto the bench and into the playbook as they experience the interactions between players and coaches during a game.
• Both significant events and great moments will be at visitors’ fingertips as touch screen databases allow them to choose areas about which they want to learn more.
• A Patriots fan exhibit highlighting the unique and loyal fans of the New England Patriots, including a photo opportunity in an actual Duck Boat used in the victory parade following Super Bowl XXXVI.

• 12 Number of players currently in the Patriots Hall of Fame
• 3 Number of Lombardi Trophies on display
• 36,000 sq ft Total exhibit, archive and office space
• $22 million Investment made by the Kraft family to preserve the Patriots’ history and honor players past and present
• 8 Number of signature exhibit galleries
• 30 ft Height of the interactive video pylons honoring the Patriots Hall of Famers
• 45 ft Height of the cathedral ceiling of the Patriots United grand hall
• 150 Number of seats in The Hall’s panoramic theatre
• 16,000 sq ft Size of the new Patriots Pro Shop occupying the first floor of the building

The Hall at Patriot Place will provide a home for current and future members of the New England Patriots Hall of Fame. There are currently 12 members in the Patriots Hall of Fame.

In 1991, John Hannah became the first Patriots player in franchise history to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. That year, the Patriots created a new distinction for honoring past greats by creating a team Hall of Fame. A committee of media and staff selected Patriots players for induction, choosing John Hannah to become the first player in the Patriots Hall of Fame. Eleven other players have since been added. The 12 members of the Patriots Hall of Fame and the year they were inducted are listed below.

» John Hannah (1991)
» Nick Buoniconti (1992)
» Gino Cappelletti (1992)
» Bob Dee (1993)
» Jim Lee Hunt (1993)
» Steve Nelson (1993)
» Vito “Babe” Parilli (1993)
» Mike Haynes (1994)
» Steve Grogan (1995)
» Andre Tippett (1999)
» Bruce Armstrong (2001)
» Stanley Morgan (2007)

New Selection Process

As of 2007, a new selection process provides fans with ultimate decision to induct players into the Patriots Hall of Fame. One former player or head coach will be inducted prior to the start of each season. A nomination committee will meet annually to discuss, nominate and ultimately vote for their top three candidates for induction. First-place votes are worth five points with second place scoring three points and third place one point. All votes are tabulated and the top three vote-getters are announced as the upcoming season’s Patriots Hall of Fame Finalists. Once the finalists are announced, fan voting takes place online at Patriots.com, allowing fans the final say for Hall of Fame induction. Stanley Morgan (2007) was the first Patriots Hall of Famer inducted via the new selection process.

Induction Ceremony

Induction ceremonies will be held at the Hall at Patriot Place each season beginning in 2008.

Eligibility

All former players and coaches who have been retired for at least four years are eligible for induction into the Patriots Hall of Fame.

Related Links
http://www.patriot-place.com
http://www.patriot-place.com/thehall