LITTLE ROCK — Finally, after four long and often tedious years, the light at the end of the tunnel is not a train.
Next week, Ray Tucker, executive director of the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame, Andrew Meadors, its president, and Catherine Johnson, the organization’s fundraiser, go before the Pulaski County Quorum Court for approval to move forward on the Jimmy Lou and Floyd Sagely Conference Center.
It will be adjacent to the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame at Verizon Arena in North Little Rock.
There have been a number of people and organizations who stepped up after the Sagelys opened the door with a very generous donation, but it seemed the dream was hung up with $300,000 to go.
Keith Ingram of West Memphis did a little ground work, and then Tucker and Johnson approached Troy Keeping, president and general manager of Southland Park Gaming and Racing in West Memphis.
Keeping, knowing the rich sports tradition of Jeremy Jacobs, chief executive officer of Southland parent Delaware North Companies, went to him about a donation and the naming rights to the Jeremy M. Jacobs Great Hall inside the Sagely Conference Center.
Among his holdings, Jacobs owns the Boston Bruins, the 2011 Stanley Cup winners, and has been chairman of the NHL’s board of governors since 2007.
Jacobs started his company as a vendor in sports arenas, including Southland, in 1958, and today it includes more than 55,000 associates in the United States, Canada, Australia, Europe and New Zealand.
Tucker and Johnson hadn’t intended to ask for the entire $300,000 but did during a second meeting with Keeping.
Last week, Keeping presented a check on behalf of Jacobs for the needed amount to move to the project forward.
If the Quorum Court approves the conference center, bids will go out and ground could be broken within six weeks. Since the work is indoors, it should be finished by next spring or early summer.
The Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame Museum is open Monday through Saturday and is an incredible experience, and now the Jimmy Lou and Floyd Sagely Conference Center is on the verge of becoming another building block in a great organization.
A couple of dates to note for coming Hall of Fame events are Oct. 26, a celebration of Harold Horton, at the Hall of Fame. There will be more details, but it will be a drop-by event. It will be $25 for members and $50 for nonmembers, but that will include a membership and full voting rights.
The other is a dinner to honor former University of Arkansas track and field coach John McDonnell on Nov. 15, but this one will be on a first-come, first-served basis as seating will be limited at the Clinton presidential library in Little Rock.
The event is being chaired by Frank O’Mara, a two-time world champion runner in the indoor 3,000 meters and three-time Irish Olympian, who ran for McDonnell at Arkansas.
Longtime respected basketball coach Cliff Garrison, who coached the Hendrix Warriors for 34 years, and others have founded the Arkansas Basketball Coaches Association, making Arkansas the 39th state to have such an organization.
Membership is open to all basketball coaches. More information is available by calling (501) 733-2022.
The first coaching clinic will be Sept. 20 at Cabot High School, and Arkansas Coach Mike Anderson has been invited to be the first speaker.
Garrison is the executive director and Terry Garner is the associate executive director.
The Jacksonville State-Arkansas football game will be on pay per view, $34.95 on cable and $39.95 for DirectTV or Dish Network.
Scott Inman will do playby-play and Jimmy Dykes will be the analyst. More information is available from local providers.
Sports, Pages 19 on 08/22/2012