If you didn’t already know, basketball in Indiana is a big deal, so much so that Indiana has its own Basketball Hall of Fame Museum that brings visitors from all over the country.
This year, one of Jack Laurie Group’s very own employees, Kevin Ault, was honored in the Hall of Fame’s 2021 Silver Anniversary Team. Kevin, who was Indiana’s 1996 Mr. Basketball from Warsaw High School, had an outstanding career at Missouri State University under Steve Alford.
Jack Laurie Group has done smaller flooring projects with the Hall of Fame and when the opportunity arose for the large renovation known as “The Legends Project,” Executive Director, Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame thought of Kevin and decided to bring Jack Laurie Group on for the overhaul.
May said in working with Kevin, “In addition to him being an all around great guy to do business with, it is easy to get a guy like him excited about being part of a facilities project in our building!”
The Legends Project is the most comprehensive renovation of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame museum’s 30-year history. The renovation included all new flooring, electrical, HVAC, lighting and other infrastructure improvements. Perhaps the most notable impact for visitors are the six new digital experiences, encompassing 12 digital screens, that help tell the story of basketball in Indiana in a modern and impactful way.
Jack Laurie Group had the opportunity to work on many areas of the project including floor removal, floor installation, interior painting, specialty painting for the basketball and state of Indiana rendering on the floor, and more.
The JLG team worked collaboratively with Chris May to create the final colors and design of the overall scope. In addition to this, delicate craftsmanship was put into the project by Paul Grinstead and Todd Houchin.
“The opportunity to work on a project that so many visitors from all over get to experience is a great thrill for our team. We are very proud of the work we do especially with facilities like the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame ,” said Kevin Ault, Business Development Manager at Jack Laurie Group.
The Legends Project came about with an estate gift of Ron & Charlotte Warrick . The official name of the renovation is the Ron and Charlotte Warrick Legends Project and it is the single largest gift in the 59-year history of the organization. Beyond the Warricks’ especially generous gift, the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame then raised an additional $150,000 to amplify the project and add scope to their improvements.
“Working with Jack Laurie Group has been a great experience. The pride that the JLG crew takes in their work and their attention to detail were top-notch. There were instances that what my untrained eye thought was fine, the JLG crew wanted to give extra attention to and make look the absolute very best,” May said.
In a normal year, big re-opening celebrations would be planned but because of COVID-19 precautions, current events to celebrate are smaller with the hopes of having a larger celebration in the summer or fall.
The Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame is more than just a museum in New Castle. They host events around the state year-round, have members and supporters across the globe, publish a quarterly magazine on Indiana basketball history and stay active on social media.
You can follow along with them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube .
If you’re looking to relive the great memories and history of basketball in the great state of Indiana, you can visit www.hoopshall.com to learn more about the museum and how you can get involved.
