Pro Football Hall of Fame's 'Village' Concept An Exciting Development for Stark County

The Stark Oil & Gas Partnership has a great working relationship with the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton and is grateful for their support of the Partnership's programs and initiatives.

It was exciting to learn of the Hall of Fame's idea to create a village around the shrine that would change the face of not only that area but all of Canton and Stark County. The prospect of including a convention center and a four-star hotel turned heads in this area and at the national level, with leadership of the National Football League and its 32 team owners.

"For starters we have the Hall of Fame here, and we have this incredible metaphor for excellence," Hall of Fame president David Baker told The Repository. "No one thought Kissimmee, Florida, would be what it is today...Most people don't know Disney World is located in Kissimmee. Look at what they did."

Whatever shape the Hall of Fame's plans ultimately take, the ongoing growth of the internationally known museum will only serve to strengthen Stark County's economy, provide more jobs, and improve the region's quality of life—all things to which the Stark County Oil & Gas Partnership is dedicated.

Oil & Gas Activity Helps Drive Stark County Hotel Boom

The continued progress on the hotels being built in Stark County has been a hot topic for more than a year now. Last fall we wrote of six hotels being built (5) or renovated (1) in the region.

Springhill Suites (Courtesy Canton-Stark County CVB)

Would you believe seven? That's right, another one was added to the mix when Embassy Suites announced plans to build a new hotel at the Shuffel Road exit off of I-77 at the northern edge of Stark County.

Recent updates in The Repository and from the Canton Stark County Convention & Visitors Bureau provided more details of the hotel construction boom, which is being fueled in large part by the oil & gas activity in Northeast Ohio.

Progress continues on the Springhill Suites by Marriott (set to open in June), the Hyatt Place, and the Staybridge Suites, all in the Belden Village area, along with the Fairfield Inn at the intersection of I-77 and Faircrest on Canton's south side, and the new Comfort Inn in Hartville (that community's first major hotel chain property). In addition, the major renovation of the Holiday Inn in Belden Village continues, with a projected completion set for early 2015.

These properties will not only be supported by the oil and gas industry, but also by tourism in the region (especially for the Pro Football Hall of Fame annual activities), airport traffic at CAK, and travelers to the flea market and other activities in Hartville.

Click on the links to read more from The Repository or the Canton Stark County Convention & Visitors Bureau.