Fresno County Athletic Hall of Fame finds home at Save Mart Center

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Fresno County's rich sports history is full of champions on and off the court.

Their stories will soon be told inside the Save Mart Center, which will be home to the Fresno County Athletic Hall of Fame.

One corner will come alive with several colorful displays that will feature much more than uniforms and photos.

"There will be interactive kiosks in the middle of the space where our kids and our families can walk up. They can push on the screen and learn about a particular athlete," says Paula Castadio, VP University Advancement.

The Fresno County Athletic Hall of Fame has partnered with Fresno State and the Fresno County Office of Education on the $1.5 million project. Organizers are now $250,000 from their fundraising goal.

Superintendent Jim Yovino believes the display's proximity to Fresno State will also inspire many kids to attend college.

"We have amazing athletes but what we really want students to understand is it's about that hard work that really propelled them to the next level," says Yovino.

The Hall of Fame will be open to the public throughout the week.

Yovino envisions students taking field trips here to celebrate the past and those visits will help inspire the next generation.

"We want things to draw kids to really want to be there, their teachers to have them on the college campus and we feel like the Athletic Hall of Fame has really hit a home run here," he says.

The Athletic Hall of Fame is expected to open next fall.