PART 1 - A SCPR EXCLUSIVE: NFL PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME, "THE BEST IS STILL AHEAD?"

VIDEOS

PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME

PRESIDENT & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

DAVID BAKER

INTRO

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HALL OF FAME VILLAGE UPDATE

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MAYOR THOMAS M. BERNABEI

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BAKER PRESENTATION

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COUNCILMAN WILLIAM SMUCKLER

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BAKER PRESENTATION

Yesterday, a majority of Canton City councilpersons, Mayor Thomas Bernabei, Deputy Mayor Fonda Williams, II and other administration and independently elected and appointed city officials gathered at the NFL Pro Football Hall of Fame complex (HOF, Hall) to be updated on the progress of the building of the Hall of Fame Village project (HOFVP).

 The project which likely will stretch into the 2020s is projected to cost anywhere from $475MM to $500MM.

If all pans out the HOFVP, the year 2020—the Centennial year of the NFL—could be a year in which Cantonians/Stark Countians see Stark County's county seat reverse direction and began a march back to the 1950s when Canton at some 116,000 population was in the heydey of its existence.

At the outset,  HOF President and Executive Director David Baker, said that having invited city of Canton officialdom to a get-together was not because the Hall wanted to ask for something but rather to update them on the progress of construction, planning and development of the Hall Fame Village project.

After having a light meal and refreshments catered in by the HOF folks, Baker took center stage to emcee a nearly two hour update presentation.

At the end of this video of Baker's introductory remarks, he states that the goal of the HOFVP is to make Canton/the HOFV area "the most inspiring place on earth."
 
If that happens, Canton will once again approximate Canton of the 1950s.

There are those holding office in various Stark County political subdivision government who are skeptical that the Hall of Fame Village Project will ever get anywhere near full realization.

One such official thinks that Canton may end up with one-half a football stadium.

The SCPR posed that question to Baker (off-camera) of the negativity that exists as to whether or not the project will be fully realized.

While he is highly optimistic that the millions upon millions of financing to be raised will be forthcoming, he did acknowledge that failure is possible.  

His response was to quote former U.S. president Teddy Roosevelt, to wit:

The Baker video:



For however long it takes for The Stark County Political Report to sift through frame-by-frame the video captured of the event, readers will be seeing a multi-part series spread out over the next week or so of all that Baker had to say and the questions posed by city of Canton officialdom.

Canton government has contributed $5 million to the project so far.

In this Part 1, The Report presents interviews of Mayor Bernabei and Councilman-at-Large William Smuckler as to their take on Baker's presentation.

MAYOR THOMAS M. BERNABEI



COUNCILMAN WILLIAM SMUCKLER