SCORE! brings out the inner superstar

You're never too old, too fat or too klutzy to play professional sports, at least not in Jim Beckmann's world.

Beckmann is the founder and CEO of SCORE! at Luxor. His "world" is a 10,000-square-foot interactive exhibit that celebrated its grand opening earlier this month. It boasts a radio and television studio next to a retail store featuring licensed sports merchandise.

But the real attraction is the interactive exhibit that allows visitors to take on the role of professional athlete in the sport of their choice.

It's "the Smithsonian meets Disneyland," Beckmann says of the attraction and exhibit, which features real sports artifacts including the 1999 Women's World Cup trophy, the 1981 Heisman Trophy awarded to Marcus Allen, World Series trophies, Jim Brown's 1957 MVP trophy, championship rings and more.

Also on display are dozens of game-worn jerseys and uniforms borrowed from professional sports' Halls of Fame and private collectors.

With 40 million annual visitors, Las Vegas has become a real destination for sports fans, with people traveling here every year for sporting events such as the NCAA college basketball championships and the Super Bowl, Beckmann notes.

He hopes that SCORE! attracts those sports fans and locals, too.

The interactive part of the exhibit, called "Be the Legend," gives visitors the chance to sample some sports challenges, including a hockey stick-handling drill, college combine tests, peripheral vision test, vertical leap test, baseball pitching speed and more. Visitors can also attempt a NASCAR-themed pit-stop challenge by changing the tires on a race car.

The exhibit area carries a storyline throughout. Upon entering, visitors find themselves in the office of a sports agent. Using a card issued to them in the beginning, visitors select a professional sport to play, including basketball, football, soccer, baseball, boxing and racing.

Then they choose a professional team they would like to play for and goals they want to reach during their "pro career."

Want a five-year, $20 million contract with the Lakers? It can be yours. Want to be a hall-of-famer and a fan favorite? You can have that, too.

Along the way, people will learn about the impact steroids can have on a body, the various injuries one might sustain as a pro athlete and other facts.

"Every time someone comes back, they can have a new and unique experience," Beckmann says.

SCORE! is open daily at 10 a.m. with the last admission at 9 p.m. Tickets are $28 per person, $20 for Nevada residents and $15 for children younger than 12. For more information, visit scorelv.com.

Contact reporter Sonya Padgett at spadgett@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4564. Follow @StripSonya on Twitter.