See inside the only Pro Football Hall of Fame satellite exhibit, open in Myrtle Beach
The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s exhibit “Gridiron Glory, The Best of the Pro Football Hall of Fame” opened on July 4 at Broadway at the Beach in the space formerly occupied by Malibu’s Surf Bar.
It’s the first satellite location of the Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, and it may be just the beginning of its involvement in the Myrtle Beach community.
The comprehensive showcase features approximately 250 original artifacts, rare photos and one-of-a-kind documents from the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s archives and collection.
“This is a taste of Canton, Ohio,” said Robert Casterline, executive director of the exhibit. “No matter what team you’re a fan of there is something for everyone.”
Casterline and business partner Dan Hunt, the youngest son of the late Lamar Hunt, the founder of the Kansas City Chiefs and a Hall of Fame member himself, are investors in partnership with the nonprofit Pro Football Hall of Fame in the ancillary location.
Their extensive collection of football cards is on display in the Hall of Fame in Canton.
Casterline said he hopes to expand the football- and HOF-related offerings in Myrtle Beach. He intends to create a pair of Myrtle Beach HOF golf tournaments featuring several hall members, perhaps with the involvement of former Buffalo Bill and HOF member Joe DeLamielleure, who lives in South Carolina and already hosts a tournament in another location.
Casterline said he has also had discussions about building a football park similar to The Ripken Experience baseball facility with four fields and spectator seating.
Organized by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in association with NFL Films, the Gridiron Glory exhibit presents a panoramic view of the story of professional football – from its beginnings in the late 19th century to its mass popularity today – and brings together a collection of artifacts while creating a number of interactive experiences.
Artifacts include a 1917 game ball used by Jim Thorpe and the Canton Bulldogs; a football and leather helmet dating to the early origins of the game; Saints kicker Tom Dempsey’s famous kicking shoe created for his half foot; and turf (and other objects) from the “Immaculate Reception” game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Oakland Raiders.
The exhibit also includes artifacts that tell the stories of Pro Football Hall of Famers Red Grange, Dick Butkus, Joe Namath, Bart Starr, Tom Landry, Joe Montana, John Elway and many other giants of the game, and traditions and oddities of the game including tailgating.
The centerpiece of the exhibit, Champions Theater, has memorabilia dedicated to NFL champions and features a seven-minute video and a replica of the Vince Lombardi Trophy created by Tiffany & Co. in a display.
Casterline plans to add more displays over time.
The exhibit includes a retail store with exclusive Pro Football Hall of Fame Myrtle Beach merchandise.
Casterline plans to host NFL game viewing gatherings on the second floor, where he’ll be installing some large TVs.
Preparing the interior of the former nightclub required a lot of work, including the demolition and removal of a pair of bars and a 40-foot shark’s head protruding from the wall above Malibu’s DJ booth.
The hall of fame is open daily from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Tickets are $24 for adults 14 and older, $13 for ages 7-13 and free for 6 and under, and are available on site or can be purchased at HOFMyrtleBeach.com. Group rates and local discounts are available.
This isn’t Casterline’s first exhibit at Broadway at the Beach. The fine art dealer from Aspen, Colorado owned and operated Fun Art Gallery, an animated gallery licensed by The Walt Disney Company and Warner Bros., for about 10 years beginning in 1995.
He was also married at The Dunes Golf and Beach Club in Myrtle Beach 22 years ago and purchased a home here five years ago in anticipation of opening the museum.
Casterline said previous discussions with Broadway at the Beach owner Burroughs & Chapin Co. about finding a location to build the museum were put on hold by the coronavirus pandemic, which led to the opening of the Malibu’s space along The Avenue at Broadway.
“There’s not a lot of museums in Myrtle Beach as a whole,” Casterline said. “There is a lot of entertainment, a lot of attractions, but there’s not a lot of historical-designated museums. So I thought between the amount of people who come here, the amount of tourists, the love of professional football and the lack of things to do for adults, bringing a Pro Football Hall of Fame here would be wonderful.”
This story was originally published July 12, 2021 at 12:31 PM.
