Governor Christie Announces $400,000 State Grant For New Jersey Hall Of Fame Exhibit At Newark Liberty International Airport

Trenton, NJ – Governor Chris Christie today announced the New Jersey Hall of Fame will receive a $400,000 Project Support grant from the New Jersey Department of State to install a state-of-the-art exhibition at Newark Liberty International Airport, highlighting the inspiring lives of homegrown New Jerseyans who have made groundbreaking contributions to the state and the world through business, government, cultural arts, entertainment, and sports.

“New Jersey Hall of Fame inductees, people who we are most proud of in this state, have made significant and vitally important contributions to our state’s quality of life, our society in general and to the world,” said Governor Christie. “This new exhibition will welcome domestic and international travelers to our State, giving them the opportunity to learn more about who we are in New Jersey and our state’s history, and it will further instill a sense of Jersey Pride for all New Jersey residents.”

The exhibit will include posters, videos, an electronic wall of fame with virtual reality headsets, and five hologram units. Holograms in both Terminals B and C will feature Hall of Fame inductees such as astronaut Mark Kelly and recording artist Wyclef Jean. The interactive exhibit will give airport patrons the ability to learn more through questions and recorded answers.

The exhibition will be installed over the next year, with the first two hologram units this month and three additional by the end of March.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey also provided funding for the project and designated terminal areas to the Hall of Fame for the establishment of this public education exhibit. Notable inductees include Thomas Edison, Yogi Berra, Norman Schwarzkopf, Bruce Springsteen, Count Basie, Vince Lombardi, Danny DeVito, Jack Nicholson, and Whitney Houston.

“Newark Liberty Airport is an essential economic engine for the Garden State, generating thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in economic activity,” said Governor Christie. “This new cultural enhancement is just another step in our efforts to ensure the airport has the most advanced, up-to-date terminals to meet the needs of modern-day travelers.”

In June, Governor Christie attended a groundbreaking ceremony at the airport for the start of construction of three roadway bridges, which will connect the central area roadway network to the eventual new Terminal A to replace the existing 1970s-era building. The redevelopment is expected to create 10,000 jobs and $998 million in direct payroll wages, while generating $3.9 billion in regional economic activity.

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