PCC Reveals First Look at the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame Exhibit

Laie, Hawaii – December 9, 2014 – The Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC) unveiled a preview of the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame’s permanent exhibit during a press conference held this morning, where University of Oregon Quarterback Marcus Mariota was named the inaugural Polynesian Football College Player of the Year.

The new Hall of Fame exhibit honoring football’s greatest players, coaches and contributors from Polynesia, including Mariota and 13 inductees from the 2014 and 2013 classes, is set to open on January 24, 2015 and will be free to all guests of the PCC and the Hukilau Marketplace.

“It’s such an honor and a privilege for us to provide a home for our Polynesian Football Hall of Fame honorees to showcase their achievements,” said Eric Workman, PCC’s Executive Vice President of Business Development and Marketing. “These are guys who radiate the Polynesian values of pride, respect and passion in their work both on and off the field, and we are proud to welcome them to be part of the Polynesian Cultural Center ohana.”
“I can’t think of a more fitting place than the Polynesian Cultural Center for the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame to call home,” noted Jesse Sapolu, Co-Founder and Chairman of the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame. “Our hope is that people from around the world will be able to get a better understanding of the role that the Polynesian culture has played in the success of our inductees.”

Norm Harris, Principal of TBU International, is the lead project designer for the Hall of Fame exhibit. A Polynesian native who was born in Tonga and raised in Honolulu, Harris’s pride for his Polynesian roots has given him the inspiration to create an experience that speaks to the heart of the heritage of the inductees who will be enshrined therein. The design elements will mirror those of ancient Polynesian architecture, with lava stones, tropical plants, natural woods like ohia and koa, and accents of lauhala mats and other native textures and fabrics.

Construction of the Hall of Fame exhibit will begin next week in the former group ticketing box office at PCC’s main entrance, which is being transformed into a new guest orientation center as part of the Center’s expanded Hukilau Marketplace. The display, comprised of 12 booths one for each of the featured honorees for that year and a Hall of Fame wall, will be expanded over time to accommodate additional inductees.

The public is invited to attend the dedication of the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame exhibit at the Polynesian Cultural Center on January 24, 2015.
For more information about the PCC or to make reservations, please visit www.Polynesia.com or call toll-free at (800) 367-7060. On Oahu, call (808) 293-3333.

About the Polynesian Cultural Center
Located on Oahu’s beautiful North Shore, the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC) is the only cultural tourist attraction of its kind in the world and a favorite of all visitors to Hawaii. An engaging, interactive celebration showcasing the people, culture, arts and crafts of Polynesia, the PCC has entertained more than 37 million visitors from around the world in its first 50 years (1963-2013). A non-profit organization, 100 percent of PCC’s revenue goes to daily operations and to support the education of its student-employees from neighboring Brigham Young University-Hawaii.