Posted September 17, 201410 yr Nobody's brought this up yet?! HOF, leaders exploring creating Hall of Fame Village with NFL support Todd Porter CantonRep.com sports writer Posted Sep. 13, 2014 @ 10:25 pm Stark County’s crown jewel soon might no longer be the only gem in the jewelry box. Leaders of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Canton City Schools, private investors and business leaders have commissioned a study to see what it would take to turn the Hall of Fame into more than a campus. Where the Hall of Fame Village idea leads is unknown until an international feasibility group completes its study next month. A key part of that study would examine the addition of a four-star hotel and conference center to the Hall of Fame grounds. Read more: http://www.cantonrep.com/article/20140913/News/140919619#ixzz3DWq1pAhx
September 17, 201410 yr Nobody's brought this up yet?! HOF, leaders exploring creating Hall of Fame Village with NFL support Todd Porter CantonRep.com sports writer Posted Sep. 13, 2014 @ 10:25 pm Stark County’s crown jewel soon might no longer be the only gem in the jewelry box. Leaders of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Canton City Schools, private investors and business leaders have commissioned a study to see what it would take to turn the Hall of Fame into more than a campus. Where the Hall of Fame Village idea leads is unknown until an international feasibility group completes its study next month. A key part of that study would examine the addition of a four-star hotel and conference center to the Hall of Fame grounds. Read more: http://www.cantonrep.com/article/20140913/News/140919619#ixzz3DWq1pAhx That would be a good addition there and makes total sense. There is such a dearth of meaningful or useful support businesses near the HOF. Of course, given that the HOF has spurred basically no nearby development, it would do much better being downtown. Which isn't going to happen, but still, think about the addition of a hotel and conference center to downtown Canton on top of already having the HOF there. And the synergy they could get between existing attractions there and the HOF. Oh well.
September 17, 201410 yr Author That would be a good addition there and makes total sense. There is such a dearth of meaningful or useful support businesses near the HOF. Of course, given that the HOF has spurred basically no nearby development, it would do much better being downtown. Which isn't going to happen, but still, think about the addition of a hotel and conference center to downtown Canton on top of already having the HOF there. And the synergy they could get between existing attractions there and the HOF. Oh well. This was looked at one time. I'm not sure whey they stopped, but with the expansion last year I highly doubt they are going to move now.
November 11, 201410 yr The @ProFootballHOF approves concept for 'Hall of Fame Village.' http://t.co/BA5ZDxcsU6 http://t.co/WGClEPJPLF "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
November 12, 201410 yr Pro Football Hall of Fame's big expansion plans The Pro Football Hall of Fame is expanding with plans for a larger campus including a hotel and conference center, the Canton Repository reports. Longer-range plans include restaurants, retail, youth football fields and even residential units for retired NFL players, the paper said. The hotel's the key piece in efforts to bring the NFL Draft to Canton in 2019, the paper said, marking the centennial of the league that was formed in downtown Canton. Bloomberg reports the first phase would cost upwards of $250 million, with Hall of Fame President David Baker saying about $35 million has been raised so far. More below: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/morning_call/2014/11/morning-roundup-pro-football-hall-of-fames-big.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
November 14, 201410 yr I still think the HoF museum & stadium complex would have a far more transformational impact for the region in Downtown Canton, not to mention amping up the city center considerably as a tourist attraction year round, as well as during the HoF festivities. But I guess that aspiration went out the window maybe for good when they committed to the remodel of the museum at its current site. The city and HoF appear to be "doubling down" now on that location, which I suppose is still a net positive for Canton. And perhaps it can truly become the anchor institution for a new or reinvigorated residential community. At the same time, I can't help but feel like a key historic opportunity is being overlooked akin to the one residents blew in the 1950s to create a "University of Canton" downtown. At least there's still the Arts District, which has been wonderful to watch as it grows. But Downtown Canton could definitely benefit from having more unique anchor institutions and the synergies that these would create.
November 22, 201410 yr I still think the HoF museum & stadium complex would have a far more transformational impact for the region in Downtown Canton, not to mention amping up the city center considerably as a tourist attraction year round, as well as during the HoF festivities. But I guess that aspiration went out the window maybe for good when they committed to the remodel of the museum at its current site. The city and HoF appear to be "doubling down" now on that location, which I suppose is still a net positive for Canton. And perhaps it can truly become the anchor institution for a new or reinvigorated residential community. At the same time, I can't help but feel like a key historic opportunity is being overlooked akin to the one residents blew in the 1950s to create a "University of Canton" downtown. At least there's still the Arts District, which has been wonderful to watch as it grows. But Downtown Canton could definitely benefit from having more unique anchor institutions and the synergies that these would create. If there ever was a reason for a municipality to throw money at something, it would have been to move the HOF Downtown. I'm going to assume that from the HOF's point of view, that is a convenience for tourists to be right at the exit off of I-77. Their business is to draw in as many visitors as possible, and being located right Downtown would probably not be as convenient. And, unfortunately, the I-77 exits closer to Downtown are either not well suited to that type of development (12th/13th St NW) or in really depressed neighborhoods (just about anywhere south of Tusc. along the interstate). It would have been interesting if they could have worked something out on the South end of Downtown near Rt 30 where there is a lot of underutilized industrial facilities. But I do think, in the long run, having them stay on Fulton is not the best idea for the City. And clearly the HOF is not generating any economic spillover to the local neighborhood. I think most people who visit the HOF stay in Belden Village, roll a couple of exits down I-77, and then head back up to stay at hotels and dine out. Aside from some people staying on-site at the hotel I don't expect this to change whatsoever.
November 24, 201410 yr Author Fawcett to be renamed Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium Fawcett Stadium, which is one of the cornerstone pieces to the Pro Football Hall of Fame's new village concept, will be named Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Benson is the owner of the New Orleans Saints and his $11 million donation to the Hall of Fame's expansion efforts is the largest individual gift in the Hall's history. Fawcett Stadium was built at a cost of $500,000 more than 75 years ago. A gift of $11 million and a strong belief in the future of the Pro Football Hall of Fame is changing the name of Stark County’s most-identifiable venue. The new stadium, which is one of the cornerstone pieces to the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s new village concept, will be named Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Read more: http://www.cantonrep.com/article/20141123/Sports/141129681#ixzz3K0YXh03m
November 27, 201410 yr Looks like Fawcett Stadium will be significantly renovated and a Hall of Fame village will be built alongside it. Oh and the stadium's also getting a new name: http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2014/11/tom_benson_hall_of_fame.html
November 27, 201410 yr Yeah, they will be tearing the entire stadium down and rebuilding it. It looks like the new stadium will be brick. I really thnk the name change is a shame. It shows that for the right amount of money, anything is for sale.... Even past honors.
November 27, 201410 yr Yeah, they will be tearing the entire stadium down and rebuilding it. It looks like the new stadium will be brick. I really thnk the name change is a shame. It shows that for the right amount of money, anything is for sale.... Even past honors. As an Ohio high school football fan, the name change is ridiculous and kind of a slap in the face to the community.
November 28, 201410 yr Yeah, they will be tearing the entire stadium down and rebuilding it. It looks like the new stadium will be brick. I really thnk the name change is a shame. It shows that for the right amount of money, anything is for sale.... Even past honors. As an Ohio high school football fan, the name change is ridiculous and kind of a slap in the face to the community. Why all the angst over a name change?
November 28, 201410 yr Yeah, they will be tearing the entire stadium down and rebuilding it. It looks like the new stadium will be brick. I really thnk the name change is a shame. It shows that for the right amount of money, anything is for sale.... Even past honors. As an Ohio high school football fan, the name change is ridiculous and kind of a slap in the face to the community. Why all the angst over a name change? Well, in my opinion, you're taking what has always been a local stadium named after a local athlete/leader and naming it after a person who is from Louisiana but simply plopped down several million dollars for the honor.
November 28, 201410 yr Exactly. It was in named in honor of a local person, and it's not right to sell that honor to the highest bidder.
November 28, 201410 yr Exactly. It was in named in honor of a local person, and it's not right to sell that honor to the highest bidder. I mean, Benson himself isn't even one of the league's most important owners/leaders.
November 28, 201410 yr I understand the sentimentality but either it can remain Fawcett Stadium and be a 76 year old high school stadium or they can accept the money and the name change and have a much more modern facility for the community. And for the high school football community, none of this has anything to do with high school football. So, again, were it not for HOF and association to the NFL, Canton high school football players would be running around in a wood frame stadium with bleacher seating like everyone else. I think you will be hard pressed to find a high school football team that would turn down playing in a stadium several steps up from what they otherwise would be playing in just on the basis of the name on the front of the building. You've got an NFL owner with a connection to the NFL who wants to drop $11 million dollars in exchange for the naming rights for a stadium at the Pro Football HOF, a facility honoring players and people associated with the NFL. I don't see much disconnect there.
November 28, 201410 yr Exactly. It was in named in honor of a local person, and it's not right to sell that honor to the highest bidder. This is America. EVERYTHING is for sale to the highest bidder. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
November 28, 201410 yr I understand the sentimentality but either it can remain Fawcett Stadium and be a 76 year old high school stadium or they can accept the money and the name change and have a much more modern facility for the community. And for the high school football community, none of this has anything to do with high school football. So, again, were it not for HOF and association to the NFL, Canton high school football players would be running around in a wood frame stadium with bleacher seating like everyone else. I think you will be hard pressed to find a high school football team that would turn down playing in a stadium several steps up from what they otherwise would be playing in just on the basis of the name on the front of the building. You've got an NFL owner with a connection to the NFL who wants to drop $11 million dollars in exchange for the naming rights for a stadium at the Pro Football HOF, a facility honoring players and people associated with the NFL. I don't see much disconnect there. Exactly.
November 28, 201410 yr I understand the sentimentality but either it can remain Fawcett Stadium and be a 76 year old high school stadium or they can accept the money and the name change and have a much more modern facility for the community. And for the high school football community, none of this has anything to do with high school football. So, again, were it not for HOF and association to the NFL, Canton high school football players would be running around in a wood frame stadium with bleacher seating like everyone else. I think you will be hard pressed to find a high school football team that would turn down playing in a stadium several steps up from what they otherwise would be playing in just on the basis of the name on the front of the building. You've got an NFL owner with a connection to the NFL who wants to drop $11 million dollars in exchange for the naming rights for a stadium at the Pro Football HOF, a facility honoring players and people associated with the NFL. I don't see much disconnect there. I don't think this is entirely true. My understanding is that Canton would have a very large stadium for high school and college football use regardless of whether or not the NFL ever decided to locate the Hall of Fame there. The original stadium was built, with public money, some two decades before the Hall of Fame even opened. The history of this stadium is rooted in high school football and I think there's good reason to believe that with or without the NFL, the McKinley Bulldogs would still be playing in one of the largest and nicest stadia in the state. Stark County is football crazy and while it's hard to make guesses about history, I suspect that the local community would have dug into their collective pockets over the years to fund renovations and maintenance for the place. And building on that point, the schools and state are still fronting about half of the money for these newer renovations, so I'm still not seeing the argument behind so nonchalantly discarding tradition.
November 28, 201410 yr I don't think this is entirely true. My understanding is that Canton would have a very large stadium for high school and college football use regardless of whether or not the NFL ever decided to locate the Hall of Fame there. The original stadium was built, with public money, some two decades before the Hall of Fame even opened. The history of this stadium is rooted in high school football and I think there's good reason to believe that with or without the NFL, the McKinley Bulldogs would still be playing in one of the largest and nicest stadia in the state. Stark County is football crazy and while it's hard to make guesses about history, I suspect that the local community would have dug into their collective pockets over the years to fund renovations and maintenance for the place. NicER, probably. High school football is big there. And true, Fawcett was a WPA project. But so were a lot of other projects that wouldn't be done again were the federal government not throwing money around just to give unemployed people something to do. But ultimately the attention drawn to that stadium at that location is because of the HOF and the NFL, with local football coming in a distant second. And building on that point, the schools and state are still fronting about half of the money for these newer renovations, so I'm still not seeing the argument behind so nonchalantly discarding tradition. Yes, the schools and the state are fronting half of the money. And then there's the other half. And that is with them knowing full well that is where the Hall of Fame game is played. What would the state and local governments pitch in if it wasn't? At the end of the day high school football plays but a part of the role in that stadium... and so does the HOF and the NFL. Because the name and a big chunk of the money is coming from the other side doesn't make it any more or less valid than had it been named after someone drawing from the local sports heritage part of it. You've still got Paul Brown Stadium in Massillon, also home to a major high school football legacy, also originally built with WPA dollars, and also with no one from the NFL trying to throw $11 million dollars at it because... it isn't at the HOF and doesn't host the annual HOF game.
November 28, 201410 yr I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on how ridiculous it is to name the stadium for Tom Benson considering the history of the stadium. And I've yet to hear of any formal public backlash, but I hope it's coming. Or maybe it's not, and we now know the price of dignity in an old Rust Belt town. FWIW, even if the state backed out, between Malone College, Walsh University, the Canton City Schools, and various local private donors, I bet a tidy sum could be dug up to do whatever renovations are necessary to update the place. I'm not talking about making it into the Taj Mahal, but bring it into the 21st century. The Hall of Fame isn't going anywhere; perhaps community leaders should lean on the committee a bit since this decision seems to have been made without much care for local history.
November 29, 201410 yr I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on how ridiculous it is to name the stadium for Tom Benson considering the history of the stadium. And I've yet to hear of any formal public backlash, but I hope it's coming. Or maybe it's not, and we now know the price of dignity in an old Rust Belt town. FWIW, even if the state backed out, between Malone College, Walsh University, the Canton City Schools, and various local private donors, I bet a tidy sum could be dug up to do whatever renovations are necessary to update the place. I'm not talking about making it into the Taj Mahal, but bring it into the 21st century. The Hall of Fame isn't going anywhere; perhaps community leaders should lean on the committee a bit since this decision seems to have been made without much care for local history. Perhaps so, and I do get where you're coming from, but I guess I fail to see how this is any different from FirstEnergy Stadium being named after FirstEnergy. Why didn't they turn down FirstEnergy's money and call it Bernie Kosar Stadium instead? Sure, Malone and Walsh and CCS could cough up an extra $11 million dollars, but why? That's $11 million more dollars they can put into educating kids. And it's not like they are naming it something patently absurd, they are naming it after a guy who is chipping in $11 million dollars to build something in Canton. Honestly, I don't think John Fawcett or most any other person would want the community to turn down $11 million dollars so their name could be up there instead. I just don't see it as a dignity issue whatsoever. It's not like Tom Benson came along and said, "Hey. I'm going to give you this money, but you need to really embarrass yourselves. Draw a giant penis on the side of the stadium. Then call it 'Canton Sucks Stadium.' Make sure all of it is in big, bright letters too." It's just the guy's name. And that's probably why there is no outcry from the community, because there isn't anything to cry about. Fawcett got 76 years of his name being up there. That's pretty good in my opinion for a guy whose claim to fame was being on the school board.
November 29, 201410 yr I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on how ridiculous it is to name the stadium for Tom Benson considering the history of the stadium. And I've yet to hear of any formal public backlash, but I hope it's coming. Or maybe it's not, and we now know the price of dignity in an old Rust Belt town. FWIW, even if the state backed out, between Malone College, Walsh University, the Canton City Schools, and various local private donors, I bet a tidy sum could be dug up to do whatever renovations are necessary to update the place. I'm not talking about making it into the Taj Mahal, but bring it into the 21st century. The Hall of Fame isn't going anywhere; perhaps community leaders should lean on the committee a bit since this decision seems to have been made without much care for local history. "The price of dignity in an old Rust Belt town"? Dabbling in hyperbole a bit there, aren't you? People donate a lot of money for a project and they have things names after them. It happens for schools, stadiums, office buildings, etc. This guy wasn't asking them to name the stadium after him, it was done as a nod to his generosity. It's silly to play armchair quarterback and say "if only this school or that other person or institution donated, then we could keep the name." There will be no backlash because there is nothing about which to have a backlash.
November 29, 201410 yr Perhaps so, and I do get where you're coming from, but I guess I fail to see how this is any different from FirstEnergy Stadium being named after FirstEnergy. Why didn't they turn down FirstEnergy's money and call it Bernie Kosar Stadium instead? Sure, Malone and Walsh and CCS could cough up an extra $11 million dollars, but why? That's $11 million more dollars they can put into educating kids. And it's not like they are naming it something patently absurd, they are naming it after a guy who is chipping in $11 million dollars to build something in Canton. Honestly, I don't think John Fawcett or most any other person would want the community to turn down $11 million dollars so their name could be up there instead. I just don't see it as a dignity issue whatsoever. It's not like Tom Benson came along and said, "Hey. I'm going to give you this money, but you need to really embarrass yourselves. Draw a giant penis on the side of the stadium. Then call it 'Canton Sucks Stadium.' Make sure all of it is in big, bright letters too." It's just the guy's name. And that's probably why there is no outcry from the community, because there isn't anything to cry about. Fawcett got 76 years of his name being up there. That's pretty good in my opinion for a guy whose claim to fame was being on the school board. There are some obvious differences between a local company buying naming rights for a stadium in which a professional team plays versus a nonlocal businessman (who's still alive) making a donation and having a committee "choose" to name after him a stadium in which amateur teams play. The big similarity is that these are both "publicly-owned" stadia in which control has been ceded to outside interests to do as they please, sometimes to no benefit of the public. But thank you for the context. I guess Benson wasn't willing to pay an extra $2 million to put up those large pictures of his penis on banners outside the stadium and besides the HOF committee had to draw the line somewhere, right? Thank goodness!
November 29, 201410 yr "The price of dignity in an old Rust Belt town"? Dabbling in hyperbole a bit there, aren't you? People donate a lot of money for a project and they have things names after them. It happens for schools, stadiums, office buildings, etc. This guy wasn't asking them to name the stadium after him, it was done as a nod to his generosity. It's silly to play armchair quarterback and say "if only this school or that other person or institution donated, then we could keep the name." There will be no backlash because there is nothing about which to have a backlash. A few things: 1. Read the comments on the Canton Repository story and there is definitely some anger amongst residents. Enough to force a change? Unlikely. 2. Publicly the HOF committee says that it was their decision to name it after him. Either that's poor judgement on their part or it's a front story for may have really happened. 3. Of course I'm aware that people pay money to have buildings named after them, but this was a locally-based building, overwhelmingly used by locally-based teams, that already had a name for a local resident. There's something a little bit different, a little bit unseemly about this situation, at least in my opinion.
November 29, 201410 yr Perhaps so, and I do get where you're coming from, but I guess I fail to see how this is any different from FirstEnergy Stadium being named after FirstEnergy. Why didn't they turn down FirstEnergy's money and call it Bernie Kosar Stadium instead? Sure, Malone and Walsh and CCS could cough up an extra $11 million dollars, but why? That's $11 million more dollars they can put into educating kids. And it's not like they are naming it something patently absurd, they are naming it after a guy who is chipping in $11 million dollars to build something in Canton. Honestly, I don't think John Fawcett or most any other person would want the community to turn down $11 million dollars so their name could be up there instead. I just don't see it as a dignity issue whatsoever. It's not like Tom Benson came along and said, "Hey. I'm going to give you this money, but you need to really embarrass yourselves. Draw a giant penis on the side of the stadium. Then call it 'Canton Sucks Stadium.' Make sure all of it is in big, bright letters too." It's just the guy's name. And that's probably why there is no outcry from the community, because there isn't anything to cry about. Fawcett got 76 years of his name being up there. That's pretty good in my opinion for a guy whose claim to fame was being on the school board. There are some obvious differences between a local company buying naming rights for a stadium in which a professional team plays versus a nonlocal businessman (who's still alive) making a donation and having a committee "choose" to name after him a stadium in which amateur teams play. The big similarity is that these are both "publicly-owned" stadia in which control has been ceded to outside interests to do as they please, sometimes to no benefit of the public. But thank you for the context. I guess Benson wasn't willing to pay an extra $2 million to put up those large pictures of his penis on banners outside the stadium and besides the HOF committee had to draw the line somewhere, right? Thank goodness! $2 million is a lot of money though, they should probably investigate that angle. :laugh: Of course, the donation has nothing to do with the local teams whatsoever. They just reap the benefit.
June 28, 20159 yr Cross-posted in the NFL thread as most of it has to do with the NFL. But it also discusses the Hall of Fame and the NFL's investment there.... NFL is strengthening its Canton-Cleveland roots June 28, 2015 By KEVIN KLEPS When Pro Football Hall of Fame president and executive director David Baker spoke to two groups of NFL rookies who visited the Canton landmark last week, he gave the 20-somethings a brief history lesson. The American Professional Football Association was launched in Canton on Sept. 17, 1920. Nearly 95 years later, the NFL — no matter how many hits it takes — is the most powerful sports league in the country. The league's bond with its birthplace, and all of Northeast Ohio, “has never been better than it is right now,” Baker said. ...When next year's rookie class takes a tour of the Hall of Fame, the facility will be in the midst of a massive renovation that eventually will include a new hotel, restaurants, retail stores, sports complexes and even a residential community for retired athletes. MORE: http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20150628/NEWS/306289994/nfl-is-strengthening-its-canton-cleveland-roots "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
September 2, 20159 yr Author Framework set for Hall of Fame Village Kelli Young CantonRep.com staff writer Posted Sep. 1, 2015 at 7:02 PM A few more details about who will handle what when it comes to the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s proposed Hall of Fame Village were revealed Tuesday. The five-member governing board of the Stark County Port Authority unanimously approved a preliminary agreement that sets the framework for the first phase of the Hall of Fame Village. The first phase includes the $80 million reconstruction of Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, conversion of Don Scott field into youth football fields and improvements to the parking lot at McKinley High School that is used by students and by patrons of the Canton Symphony Orchestra. http://www.cantonrep.com/article/20150901/NEWS/150909919
September 11, 20159 yr Author Stadium demolition opens the road to the future of HOF Village By Jessica Holbrook CantonRep.com business writer Posted Sep. 10, 2015 at 2:30 AM Updated Sep 10, 2015 at 3:36 PM CANTON The name already is changed, but Thursday signaled the end of the Fawcett Stadium era. Construction on the Pro Football Hall of Fame Village began in earnest with the demolition work needed to make way for the new Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. http://www.cantonrep.com/article/20150910/NEWS/150919917
September 25, 20159 yr Author Hall of Fame Village plans evolve Plans for the Hall of Fame Village have begun to shift, and are expected to continue changing. While the eight major components of the plan remain intact, new ideas for the estimated 75-acre complex were introduced publicly this week. By CANTON Posted Sep. 24, 2015 at 11:51 PM Plans for the Hall of Fame Village have begun to shift, and are expected to continue changing. While the eight major components of the plan remain intact, new ideas for the estimated 75-acre complex were introduced publicly this week: • There could be a second hotel built to accommodate teams in town to use the youth fields. • Legends Landing, the retirement community planned for former NFL players, likely will be moved. • Residential development might be included. http://www.cantonrep.com/article/20150924/NEWS/150929571
September 26, 20159 yr Hall of Fame Village plans evolve Plans for the Hall of Fame Village have begun to shift, and are expected to continue changing. While the eight major components of the plan remain intact, new ideas for the estimated 75-acre complex were introduced publicly this week. By CANTON Posted Sep. 24, 2015 at 11:51 PM Plans for the Hall of Fame Village have begun to shift, and are expected to continue changing. While the eight major components of the plan remain intact, new ideas for the estimated 75-acre complex were introduced publicly this week: • There could be a second hotel built to accommodate teams in town to use the youth fields. • Legends Landing, the retirement community planned for former NFL players, likely will be moved. • Residential development might be included. http://www.cantonrep.com/article/20150924/NEWS/150929571 - Legends Landing: I would love to know the economics behind this. How many former NFL players are going to want to spend their retirement off of a freeway exit in Canton? They can only go the Hall of Fame so many times. - Residential development: Are they planning on flattening more of the residential neighborhood to make way for residential development? That is a landlocked piece of land.
September 26, 20159 yr whoa there had been so much discussion i didnt realize this big project was actually happening. they better redo the stadium right, besides its pro football hof game history it also had a best hs facility in the usa title at one point.
November 16, 20159 yr Author Pro Football Hall of Fame expansion plans keep growing, as does the optimism Comments Email Print November 15, 2015 Updated 11 hours ago By Kevin Kleps When David Baker looks out the windows of his office at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he doesn’t just see excavators, torn-up turf and mounds of dirt. The president of the Canton landmark thinks about jobs, tax revenues, tourism and teamwork. http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20151115/NEWS/151119866/pro-football-hall-of-fame-expansion-plans-keep-growing-as-does-the#utm_medium=email&utm_source=ccl-akronmorning&utm_campaign=ccl-akronmorning-20151116
November 16, 20159 yr Great thing for Canton. Only thing is I hope it doesn't suck the life out of downtown Canton, which is actually a pretty cool place with a bit of momentum right now.
November 16, 20159 yr Don't see that happening. Downtown is self sustaining and not a tourist draw per se. Downtown has the nightlife with a good assortment of bars, local restaurants, music venues, and various art galleries. I was at Canton Brewing last week and it's an impressive facility they've opened in the heart of downtown. It was packed on a Saturday night. I don't see that changing much when all other things open by the HOF. There seemed to be a decent amount of foot traffic in that area as well. I figure to enhance it, they will add trolleys to downtown from the HOF when the time is right.
December 2, 20159 yr Author Updated Dec 1, 2015 at 3:48 PM CANTON Crestline Hotels to develop upscale hotel at Hall of Fame Village More details about the four-star hotel and conference center planned for Hall of Fame Village are taking shape. Crestline Hotels and Resorts, a company that provides management services to some of the nation’s largest hotel chains, will help develop and manage the hotel planned for Hall of Fame Village, officials with the Pro Football Hall of Fame and project master developer Industrial Realty Group announced Tuesday. http://www.cantonrep.com/article/20151201/NEWS/151209941
December 2, 20159 yr Found this: Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium Construction Cam http://www.profootballhof.com/tom-benson-hall-of-fame-stadium-construction-cam/
December 3, 20159 yr Author Found this: Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium Construction Cam http://www.profootballhof.com/tom-benson-hall-of-fame-stadium-construction-cam/ Cool, it looks like that is mounted on the school building behind the stadium. What you can't see is to the left the grandstands and press boxes / suites are still standing.
December 10, 20159 yr Author Hall of Fame talks annexation, safety services with Plain trustees By Jessica Holbrook CantonRep.com business writer Follow @@JHolbrookREP Posted Dec. 9, 2015 at 10:51 AM Updated Dec 9, 2015 at 10:56 AM Canton may be the home of the Pro-Football Hall of Fame, but the proposed Hall of Fame Village will have a ripple effect outside of the Canton border. Hall of Fame officials, including President and CEO David Baker and Stuart Lichter, president of Industrial Realty Group, the project’s master developer, presented information about the project to Plain Township officials Tuesday and answered questions about annexation, fire and safety services and other project details. http://www.cantonrep.com/article/20151209/NEWS/151209347
February 18, 20169 yr Author Hall receives $2.5 million grant from Ralph Wilson Jr. Foundation By Todd Porter Repository Special Projects Editor Posted Feb. 17, 2016 at 3:00 PM The Buffalo Bills and the Pro Football Hall of Fame have shared a bond over the years. The Hall was near and dear to late Bills owner Ralph Wilson Jr. In 2011, Wilson made a $2.5 million donation to the Hall of Fame to help build its research library. Wednesday The Ralph Wilson Jr. Foundation announced a second $2.5 million grant to the Hall. The grant will go toward programs and projects that will become a part of the Hall of Fame Village experience. A holographic theater will open on the second floor of the Hall of Fame early this summer as a result of the grant. http://www.cantonrep.com/news/20160217/hall-receives-25-million-grant-from-ralph-wilson-jr-foundation
March 11, 20169 yr Author Hall of Fame Village youth sports complex underway By Kelli Young Repository staff writer Posted Mar. 10, 2016 at 9:56 AM Updated Mar 10, 2016 at 10:31 AM CANTON Construction has begun on what Hall of Fame officials hope will make Canton America’s youth football capital. Work crews have removed the dugouts, bleachers and the backstop fencing at the baseball diamond on Don Scott Field. This week, a bulldozer pushed mounds of dirt over the diamond’s former infield to make way for a planned amateur football sports complex. The complex, which includes eight youth fields, a championship field with 1,500 seats, and a football-sized concourse area, is part of the $476 million Hall of Fame Village project that began last fall with the renovation of Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. http://www.cantonrep.com/news/20160310/hall-of-fame-village-youth-sports-complex-underway
April 8, 20169 yr Author Pro Football Hall of Fame celebrates initial milestone in $500 million village project By Jim Mackinnon Beacon Journal business writer Nothing beats a nice warm winter to quicken the pace of Ohio’s most visible construction project, the building of the $500 million Hall of Fame Village at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton. The hall, developer and other notables on Thursday celebrated a “topping off” ceremony to mark a significant phase, the building of new north stands at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Demolition of the old stands at the former Fawcett Stadium started in September. http://www.ohio.com/business/pro-football-hall-of-fame-celebrates-initial-milestone-in-500-million-village-project-1.674535#
May 26, 20169 yr Pretty badass. Someone driving by this thing will probably think what the hell is that doing out here along the highway...oh OK Football Hall of Fame http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20160525/NEWS/160529889/pro-football-hall-of-fame-reveals-design-for-planned-243-room-hotel
May 26, 20169 yr That looks great. Here is the coverage from the Canton Rep. It has a pic from another perspective. http://www.cantonrep.com/article/20160525/NEWS/160529477
May 26, 20169 yr Awesome! "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
May 26, 20169 yr I'd be very surprised if something of this caliber design actually gets built here. Having spent a little bit of time in Canton and at the HOF, this project seems beyond the means and capabilities of the town. And it surprised me that the HOF is directly adjacent to a suburban style single family neighborhood. Think they'll object to the height and scale of this development?
May 26, 20169 yr It certainly is not something any business in Stark county would dream of building in Canton. But I don't think people will have a problem with it either. They know a new hotel is coming in. I believe there may be some property aquisition depending on how the master plan unfolds.
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