Second partner signs on for Hall of Fame Resort sports betting business – Canton Repository

CANTON An international sports betting company will be the official partner ofHall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Co. to provide online betting services.

Genesis Global Ltd., a mobile-first global gaming operator, has entered a 10-year agreement with Hall of Fame Resort to be the company's officialmobile sports-betting partner.

More: HOF Village partners with Rush Street Interactive for sports betting operation

New Partner: Hall of Fame Resort will partner with Genesis Global to offer mobile sports betting.

Sports betting is one of the business units for Hall of Fame Resort, which is developing the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls. The village is under construction and will be a campus wrappedaround the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.

The agreement, announced Thursday, has a sponsorship component that includes support of the Hall of Fantasy League, a fantasy football league created by Hall of Fame Resort. The partnersalso will have opportunities for cross-marketing, branding and direct contact with consumers.

Hall of Fame Resort now has two partners involved with sports betting in the Hall of Fame Village project.

In December, Hall of Fame Resort announced a partnership with Chicago-based Rush StreetInteractive to "operate a premier retail sportsbook" at theHall of Fame Villagecomplex. Plans are for Rush Street to use a space in the retail area being developed at the village.

The partnership with Rush Street was announced the day afterGov. Mike DeWine signed the state's new sports betting bill.

Genesis is based in Malta, an island nation in the Mediterranean Sea. According to Thursday's announcement, Genesis is "a rapidly growing, worldwide iGaming and sports-betting operator." The company generates 78% of its revenue from mobile sports betting, the release stated.

Ariel Reem, Genesis chief executive officer, said his company sees the partnership with Hall of Fame Village as an "exciting opportunity" that reflects its "approach to innovation, collaboration and commitment to growth in the U.S.

Michael Crawford, Hall of Fame Resort president and CEO, said the company is excited about the possibilities of legalized sports betting. The market is expected to grow by 40% to more than $39 billion by 2033.

Partnerships such as the one with Genesis help the company establish the infrastructure needed to benefit from the growth trend in sports betting, Crawford said.

Genesis operatesin several geographic areas and is expanding in the United States, according to the release. The hope is that Genesis will use its technology to provide a mobile sports-betting platform with easy and remote access to mobile iGaming, which refers to any online game tied to betting, gambling or casinos.

Development of Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls started with construction of Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium and youth athletic fields. Work stalled for several yearsbut picked up when Hall of Fame Resort formed in 2019.

As part of a $300 million second phase of construction, the Hall of Fame Resortbuilt the Constellation Center for Excellence andcompleted work at the stadium. It also bought and renovated the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in downtown Canton.

Expansion of the sports playing fields and construction of a retail area called the Fan Engagement Zone is underway, while ground is being prepared for the Center of Performance.

The Fan Engagement Zone stretches north from the Constellation building toward the site for a future hotel and water park. Future tenants include a Don Shula's restaurant, a Helix Esports Center, which will be operated by Esports Entertainment Group, and a Topgolf Swing Suite that will be paired with craft brewery The Brew Kettle.

Construction of a Tapestry by Hilton hotel and water park are scheduled to begin later this year. The project is expected to be finished late in 2023.

A third constructionphase, also estimated at $300 million, has been discussed.

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Second partner signs on for Hall of Fame Resort sports betting business - Canton Repository