The steel structure for a new 23,000-seat football stadium that will be part of the $500 million, 90-acre Hall of Fame Village in Canton, Ohio, should be visible to travelers on Interstate 77 by next Christmas.
The old stadium’s north and south stands have been demolished, and the press box—which was built in 2009—will meet the wrecking ball next week, to be replaced by a larger area for media.
The new facility, called Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium and formerly known as Fawcett Stadium, is on schedule to be completed in time for next year’s Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement festival, although some elements won’t be completed until 2018. The stadium’s cost alone is projected to exceed $80 million.
Tom Benson, who owns the New Orleans Saints pro football team, has donated $11 million to the Hall of Fame, nearly all of it earmarked for the stadium reconstruction. The state is kicking in $10 million, and the city of Canton $5 million for the new stadium. The Canton City Schools owns the stadium, but will only be on the hook for its maintenance.
HKS’s Sports and Entertainment Group is the stadium’s designer, working with clients Industrial Realty Group and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The 76-year-old Fawcett Stadium has been a high school field. Its ticket booths are among the artifacts being preserved for future display within the Village.
This fall, construction begins on the Hall of Fame Village that will involve between 400 and 500 workers.
There are eight components to Hall of Fame Village, according to its website:
•The Pro Football Hall of Fame Museum
•Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium/Sports & Entertainment Complex, which will include a first-of-its-kind permanent stage that will be embedded into the stadium’s seating bowl and located at midfield. The field is being lowered by 12 feet to accommodate a fan plaza that connects to the Hall of Fame museum.
•A four-star Hotel & Conference Center
•Legends Landing/Residential (an assisted living facility, some of which could be housing for retired pro football players)
•A state-of-the-art Youth Sports Complex, which is already underway
•Center for Excellence (Coaches University; Academy of Corporate Excellence; Officiating Clinics; Safety, Health & Performance Center)
•Main Street Hall of Fame (restaurants, retail)
•Hall of Fame/NFL Family Experience (high-tech virtual reality experiences and rides)
An economic feasibility study indicates that Hall of Fame Village will create more than 13,000 new jobs, and over a 25-year period will generate $15.3 billion in net new total economic output within Stark County, Ohio.
Related Stories
| Jan 28, 2014
Big Ten Conference opens swanky HQ and museum [slideshow]
The new mixed-use headquarters includes a museum, broadcast studios, conference facilities, office spaces, and, oh yeah, a Brazilian steakhouse.
| Jan 27, 2014
A climber's dream: Rock climbing hall planned near Iran's highest peak
Forget the rock climbing wall. A developer in Iran is building a rock climbing hall. That's right, an entire building dedicated to the sport, with more than 48,000 sf of program space.
| Jan 13, 2014
Custom exterior fabricator A. Zahner unveils free façade design software for architects
The web-based tool uses the company's factory floor like "a massive rapid prototype machine,” allowing designers to manipulate designs on the fly based on cost and other factors, according to CEO/President Bill Zahner.
| Jan 11, 2014
Getting to net-zero energy with brick masonry construction [AIA course]
When targeting net-zero energy performance, AEC professionals are advised to tackle energy demand first. This AIA course covers brick masonry's role in reducing energy consumption in buildings.
| Jan 7, 2014
Concrete solutions: 9 innovations for a construction essential
BD+C editors offer a roundup of new products and case studies that represent the latest breakthroughs in concrete technology.
Smart Buildings | Jan 7, 2014
9 mega redevelopments poised to transform the urban landscape
Slowed by the recession—and often by protracted negotiations—some big redevelopment plans are now moving ahead. Here’s a sampling of nine major mixed-use projects throughout the country.
| Dec 27, 2013
$1 billion 'city within a city' development approved by Coachella, Calif., city council
The mega development includes 7,800 homes, a retail center, office space, and nearly 350 acres of open space.
| Dec 13, 2013
Safe and sound: 10 solutions for fire and life safety
From a dual fire-CO detector to an aspiration-sensing fire alarm, BD+C editors present a roundup of new fire and life safety products and technologies.
| Dec 10, 2013
16 great solutions for architects, engineers, and contractors
From a crowd-funded smart shovel to a why-didn’t-someone-do-this-sooner scheme for managing traffic in public restrooms, these ideas are noteworthy for creative problem-solving. Here are some of the most intriguing innovations the BD+C community has brought to our attention this year.
| Dec 9, 2013
Tips for designing higher education's newest building type: the learning commons
In this era of scaled-down budgets, maximized efficiencies, new learning methods and social media’s domination of face time, college and university campuses are gravitating toward a new space type: the learning commons.