Hall Of Fame Facelift

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, mostly unchanged in its 11-year history, will undergo a $3 million interior redesign, set for completion by the first quarter of 2008.

Joel Peresman, president and CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, which awarded the $3 million grant, said the upgrades will bring the Hall up to date and take advantage of the latest in technology.

"We’re looking at all the exhibit space, and all the public space and looking for a way to really update it," Peresman told Pollstar. "Utilize new technology, re-look at all the space to see that we can use it more effectively and just keep the experience current."

Ed Schlossberg of ESI Design was chosen as lead designer for the interior overhaul. The renowned designer’s company has worked on the Country Music Hall of Fame, Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and the Time Warner Center, among other projects.

"While it is a museum, it’s a museum about rock ’n’ roll. And you want it to have that kind of vibe as people come in and walk through it," Peresman said.

Peresman said the museum hopes to finalize plans by mid-summer and work through winter for an April or May completion.

The foundation, which runs the Hall of Fame in conjunction with a Cleveland board, is also awarding $50,000 worth of scholarships for high school students in Cleveland and New York public schools.

Eight scholarships will be awarded – five one-year scholarships in New York and three four-year awards in Cleveland – to students interested in music or the music business.

Applicants will write one-page essays explaining what music means to them and contemplate their musical future. Peresman said they’re looking for passion and seeking young business prodigies and musicians alike.

The program is administered by the Cleveland Scholarship Program and the New York Dept. of Education.