Forward Thinking Designs, a provider of advanced AV solutions for the themed entertainment industry, reports that the GAME ON! Experience at the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame has provided tangible evidence of AI's impact on the visitor experience.
Launched in August 2024 to mark 10 years of the College Football Hall of Fame, the attraction-wide integration incorporates AI across 19 touchpoints and has driven measurable gains in both engagement and revenue.
Kimberly Beaudin, Hall of Fame CEO, says: "The museum’s experience has always been about personalization and storytelling, and the beauty of this AI technology is that it’s literally embedded throughout the museum.
"I loved the concept from the start because it’s taking what we already do to an extreme level that will have a significant impact on the guest experience."
Personalised, interactive stories
Forward Thinking Designs partnered with Creative Principals and The Producers Group executive producer Bob Chambers to integrate HyperCinema’s AI software solution and transform the visitor experience with enhanced interactivity and personalisation.
The entrance to the Hall of Fame features photo kiosks powered by HyperCinema’s AI technology. The kiosks scan each visitor’s face from different angles and ask simple questions about their favourite college football team, dream job, and personal preferences.
This information serves as a foundation for a personalised experience that flows through the attraction. Rather than navigating static exhibits, visitors will discover interactive stories that reflect their answers and interests.
This customised approach places each visitor as the lead character in their own college football story, from legendary coaches giving motivational speeches to 1980s tailgaters in the era's iconic styles. These moments of humour and connection create an impactful, unforgettable experience.
This mix of nostalgia and innovation sets a new benchmark for elevating the overall visitor experience.
AI AV integration
The project’s success required close partnership across the project teams. Creative Principals, The Producers Group, HyperCinema, 3 Stage Designs, Project Workshop and Forward Thinking Designs brought specialised expertise spanning storytelling, AI development, and system design and implementation.
The integration of the AI technology with complex audio-visual systems was key. Forward Thinking Designs played a vital role in building and implementing the infrastructure that drives personalisation, from concept to early development and full installation.
The museum’s show and video playback control systems were also extensively upgraded, including audio, lighting, video, control, and interactive components. This was achieved while the museum was operational, without disrupting visitors.
Furthermore, custom Q-SYS AV system control interfaces were used to maintain staff familiarity while bringing significant technological improvements and future scalability.
Tangible impact
Situated in downtown Atlanta’s sports district, the Hall has always focused on interactivity. Features like its 45-yard indoor field seamlessly combine historic artefacts with hands-on experiences.
The AI enhancement furthers this work by delivering unique, customised content tailored to each visitor's preferences.
And GAME ON!'s impact is notable. As of March 2026, 86 per cent of visitors have chosen to upgrade, resulting in the delivery of over 183,000 personalised AI experiences, with 227 million creative elements, nearly 4.9 million outputs, 366,000 minutes of video content, and expanded generative touchpoints.
Additionally, the system’s performance has improved materially since launch. Processing has been reduced from 8–12-minute windows to approximately 2 minutes and 15 seconds from registration to the start of the experience, enabling high throughput whilst maintaining content quality.
On peak days, the system operates at a significant scale. During the 2025 National Championship (Ohio State vs Notre Dame), 3,129 guests completed the AI experience in one day. This momentum continued into 2026, when the Peach Bowl Semifinal weekend saw over 3,200 AI generations.
With a wider view, the Hall has welcomed a 22 per cent rise in attendance, a 75 per cent increase in retail sales, and an average dwell time of 1 hour and 55 minutes (previously 30 minutes). The Net Promoter Score (NPS) climbed from 79 to 90, reflecting a significant improvement in visitor satisfaction.
The project has attracted widespread acclaim, including the 2025 Storyteller Award for Best Use of AI and a fourth-place ranking on USA Today’s Best Attractions for Sports Fans list.
The GAME ON! AI Experience demonstrates how AI and AV technology can work together to create personalised experiences. It serves as a practical example of how AI can be used in sports and entertainment venues, and how existing attractions can integrate personalisation without disrupting daily operations.
Moreover, it presents a blueprint for stadiums, museums, and fan-focused destinations looking to engage audiences in innovative ways.
Last month, Forward Thinking Designs announced the expansion of its leadership team as it enters a new stage of growth.
