After Two Decades Of Work, The College Baseball Hall of Fame Is Leaving Lubbock

After two decades of work, Lubbock will not be the home of the College Baseball Hall of Fame.

In 2004 a group of Red Raiders began their work to create a place to honor the achievements of amateur athletes who made their mark on America’s pastime.

Now, College Baseball Foundation’s Executive Director Mike Gustafson says that privilege is going to Overland Park, Kansas.

“We pursued Lubbock as the physical home for this until about 2017,” Gustafson said.

The vision was created many years before that, Born out of the desire to remember a former Texas Tech player and honor others who were outstanding in the game.

Hall of Fame induction ceremonies were held in Lubbock starting in 2006.

In 2017, that vision began to change. Much of that decision was due to delays and location options.

The decision was based on detailed financial projections that showed achieving sustainability at the current site in Lubbock would be difficult.

“It was always our intention to pursue making the National College Baseball Hall of Fame a showcase facility in Lubbock,” Gustafson said. “However, under the current parameters, it has become increasingly clear that doing so in the manner our board, our supporters, our inductees and the council members expect is not going to be possible at the location at this time.”

A key component of the initial Hall of Fame museum design was a full-sized baseball field that could be used to host national, regional and local tournaments throughout the year and generate revenue for the Hall of Fame. When the field was removed from the plans for the museum, it became apparent that the site would no longer be feasible.

Downtown Lubbock was the desired site for the hall, but the idea of building a baseball field to host events there wasn’t possible in the area.

The next one will be in Overland Park, Kansas where the College Baseball Hall of Fame will now call home.

Over the past year, Gustafson says there has been an aggressive push to have the hall at Overland Park, including a large donation from Patrick Mahomes.

With a facility that’s already built, the site appeared to be a home run for the college baseball foundation.

Located within the iconic Museum at Prairiefire, the College Baseball Hall of Fame will serve as a shared community asset, deepening connections to the nation's favorite pastime through a dynamic and ever-evolving space for college baseball enthusiasts to celebrate the sport's rich past, present and future.

Visit Overland Park estimates that the College Baseball Hall of Fame will have a multi-million dollar impact on the local economy when its doors open in 2025.