Plans that have been in the work for more than two years, received a major shot in the arm Monday morning when the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announced the awarding of a $750,00 grant to the city of Pinckneyville.
The matching grant will be used to create the Illinois High School Basketball Hall of Fame and Museum and the Illinois Rural Heritage Museum in Pinckneyville.
The grant was secured due to the combined work of the city of Pinckneyville, the Foundation for the Future of Pinckneyville along with the board members of the Illinois High School Basketball Hall of Fame and Museum, and the Illinois Rural Heritage Museum.
“We began all of this with a vision of what Pinckneyville could look like in 2016,” said Tibretta Reiman, general manager of the Foundation for the Future of Pinckneyville. “Today we take a giant step toward that vision.”
“This is an example of good things that are happening in the state despite the bad economy,” said DCEO Director Warren Ribley. “I applaud the effort Pinckneyville is putting forth to better itself. Their vision made an impression on me. These two new tourism sites will play a role in helping bring more people to southern Illinois.”
The Illinois High School Basketball Hall of Fame and Museum will be located in the former McDaniels’ Furniture store on the north side of the Pinckneyville Square and will feature annual induction ceremonies, exhibits, game films and memorabilia.
“This is a project the state has needed for sometime now,” said Illinois High School Basketball Hall of Fame and Museum Executive Director and longtime Pinckneyville High School basketball coach Dick Corn. “This state has an excellent tradition of high school basketball. This museum will highlight achievements and the history of the game in the state of Illinois.
“This area is a hotbed for high school basketball and I believe Pinckneyville is the right place for this. There is still a lot of work to do, but we are thrilled that we can do something for the city of Pinckneyville.”
The Hall of Fame and Museum will also highlight the accomplishments of African-American teams during their struggle for inclusion and appropriate recognition along with the emergence of girls basketball in the past decades.
The Illinois High School Basketball Hall of Fame and Museum has a board of directors made up of Illinois basketball greats and important members of the community.
Along with Corn as executive director, John Shotton will serve as board president, Rich Herrin as vice president, Tom Hawkins as treasurer and State Senator Dave Luechtefeld, Joe Wiley and Staci Starkweather as board members.
The executive advisory committee features the likes of basketball legends Mike Krzyzewski, coach of the Duke Blue Devils; Mannie Jackson, owner of the Harlem Globetrotters; Jerry Sloan, coach of the Utah Jazz; Doug Collins, current color commentator for the NBA; Ed Hightower, NCAA basketball official and Jerry Colangelo, chairman of the USA Basketball Board of Directors.
“I don’t know what may happen next month and next year, but I am 100 percent sold on Pinckneyville being successful,” said Pinckneyville Mayor Joe Holder.