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NEPWORT, RI - The International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum has announced a partnership with the Sports Museum of America (SmA). The International Tennis Hall of Fame now joins over 50 single-sport Halls of Fame, National Governing Bodies, Museums and other sports organizations across North America as a Founding Sports Partner of the Sports Museum of America (SmA), www.sportsmuseum.com. Scheduled to open in New York City in May 2008, SmA is the Nation's first and only museum to celebrate all sports under one roof. Filled with original films, state-of-the-art interactives and an iconic collection of memorabilia, SmA will richly showcase the history, grandeur and significance of sports in American culture through great sports stories of courage, education and triumph.
According to Mark L. Stenning, Chief Executive Officer of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, this exciting new partnership will introduce a broad new audience to the thrills of tennis. "We are honored to partner with the Sports Museum of America," said Stenning. "Representation of all American sports is an incredible undertaking and the SmA will be one of the finest attractions in New York City when it opens. Tennis has a strong, rich history, and we are pleased to have this unique opportunity to showcase our sport in such a dynamic and energetic setting. The Sports Museum of America is a great new institution that will be educational, entertaining and quite an enjoyable experience for many years to come." "The Sports Museum of America is extremely pleased to have the International Tennis Hall of Fame join our more than 50 exclusive sports partner organizations to create the first comprehensive museum of sports," says Founder and CEO Philip Schwalb. "We're particularly excited because of the special place that tennis holds in the hearts and minds of American sports' enthusiasts. SmA looks forward to sharing tennis's tremendous legacy – from Arthur Ashe and Andre Agassi to Venus and Serena Williams to the stars of tomorrow – with our millions of visitors. We'll also excite our fans about the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island, and encourage them to visit there for the ultimate celebration of tennis." Under the terms of the partnership, the International Tennis Hall of Fame will provide archival tennis materials, such as the racquet used by Chris Evert in the 1982 US Open; the outfit worn by World No. 1 Roger Federer in the 2005 US Open; the 1929 US National Men's Singles trophy won by Bill Tilden; the 1890-1901 US National Men's Doubles Challenge Trophy and the 1923-1935 Women's Doubles Challenge Trophy. Other memorabilia pertaining to the history of tennis and of interest to the projected one million worldwide annual visitors to SmA will be sent on a rotating basis. Likewise, joint promotional efforts will be undertaken by both partners, and SmA will make an annual donation to support the International Tennis Hall of Fame. SmA is widely anticipated to be a vibrant new addition to the redevelopment of Lower Manhattan by significantly increasing commercial and tourist activity in the area. |
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