Major renovation planned for National Museum of Racing

The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame plans to raise $20 million to fund a massive renovation of its exhibit area to create a “truly transforming” interactive experience, the Hall’s president, John Hendrickson, announced at the start of the Hall’s 2018 induction ceremony on Friday in Saratoga Springs.

The fundraising effort has been seeded by a $1 million donation from Hendrickson and his wife, Marylou Whitney, according to the Hall. Other pledges will be sought from members throughout the racing industry over the next several years, Hendrickson said.

“I believe it will be one of the most important things our industry has done in our sport in our lifetimes,” Hendrickson said.

A video produced to build support for the renovation showed a large, square theater space that would provide 360-degree visuals of racing and related activities, along with interactive touchscreens for the Hall’s current and future inductees.

The renovation plan grew out of a committee the Hall of Fame set up to study how the facility’s features could be modernized, according to Hendrickson. The plan is for the renovation to be complete by 2020, he said.

“We knew we needed a game-changer, a must-see destination,” he said. “We think this is truly transforming.”

The Hall of Fame said that additional details about the project would be provided on Monday. A link is being set up on the Hall’s website to take in donations.

“It will take the entire industry’s participation to complete this project,” Hendrickson said.