The RV/MH Hall of Fame heads into summer ready to expand after a few years of preparation.
Construction is now underway at the facility, which celebrates the RV industry’s history and connection to Elkhart County, near the Indiana Toll Road and C.R. 17. The work is part of a growth strategy that includes a new pavilion and eventually adding a large, new event center.
This story by Aimee Ambrose originally appeared in Goshen News.
The current project is focused on building a new 22,000-square-foot pavilion, said Darryl Searer, president of the RV/MH Heritage Foundation.
The Elkhart County Commissioners helped the expansion plans move forward at their meeting Monday. They approved the Hall of Fame organization’s request to update the current development plan in its business park zoning to allow for new construction.
The vote came after the county Plan Commission unanimously supported the amended zoning in April.
The pavilion will include heating and air conditioning for year-round use and new parking. The site will be set in a large outdoor space that can host shows and rallies, Searer said. He also said he couldn’t talk about the anticipated cost of the project, but he did estimate construction should be complete by September.
The pavilion is considered the first of three phases to expand and update the Hall of Fame under plans that have been in the works since about 2016. The other two phases have called for building a new 60,000-square-foot event center and then renovating the existing event center.
Searer said Phase 2 is on hold and won’t start until after funds are raised for construction. The Phase 3 renovation can’t start until the new facility is built, he said.
