The NJ Hall of Fame has begun construction at American Dream

The New Jersey Hall of Fame has begun construction on its custom-built 10,000-square-foot space coming to American Dream in East Rutherford.

The forthcoming Entertainment and Learning Center will be located on the third floor of American Dream near the Nickelodeon theme park, the new Toys R Us, and the Dreamworks water park.

The ELC will feature exhibits and highly immersive experiences to celebrate the Garden State, as well as inductees of the New Jersey Hall of Fame.

“American Dream is filled with attractions, shops and restaurants that cannot be found anywhere else in the world, let alone the state. It’s truly a source of pride for the great state of New Jersey, and therefore it’s only fitting for the NJHOF to open its Entertainment and Learning center here. It will round out our exceptional entertainment, retail and dining options, making American Dream an unmatched destination for indoor family fun,” said Don Ghermezian, CEO of American Dream.

Visitors will first be greeted by life-size replicas of NJHOF inductees welcoming them into the ELC, before moving onto the Hometown Exhibit, where they can embark on a virtual reality journey in a classic car with a Hall of Fame inductee, visiting their hometowns, school, home, and favorite restaurant.

The new facility will also feature the historic Model “T” Ford car gifted by Henry Ford to Hall of Fame inductee Thomas Edison in 1933. And while you can’t take a ride in the original Model T Ford, patrons will be able to climb aboard a replica of the car and take an epic ride with the “Fly Me to the Moon” motion simulator. Former astronauts Mark and Scott Kelly will narrate the experience of New Jersey’s many contributions to the field of science.

Meanwhile, the Great Hall in the ELC will contain the Wall of Fame, composed of artifacts and plaques celebrating each of the more than 200 inductees, as well as Everyday Heroes, focusing on the achievements of New Jersey citizens.

Patrons can also hop on stage on the hologram karaoke stage and sing along some of music’s biggest legends, including Gloria Gaynor and Frankie Valli, or play a late-night host and interview some of their favorite stars.

With construction underway, the Entertainment and Learning Center is working towards an expected completion of Spring 2023.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Doyle only.

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