Michael Crawford, CEO of Hall of Fame Village resigns position

 

(Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium on campus of Hall of Fame Village. Photo: Ohsfbmedia.com file photo)

CANTON, Oh--The Hall of Fame Village & Resort Company will be looking for a new CEO as Michael Crawford has indicated that he will resign the position, citing wanting to look for other career opportunities.

Crawford was hired by the village in 2018, previously an executive at the Four Seasons Hotel and Resort Company and Walt Disney Company. 

Financial dilemmas

The last few years in terms of completion of the Village has been under enormous scrutiny, as projects were either delayed or just halted due to financial constraints, in 2023 Crawford and staff took pay cuts (reduced staff) to secure funds for projects to be completed.

July of 2024 the entity secured $19.7 million to finish the Gameday Bay and Hilton Tapestry hotel, to date the project is still unfinished and without a date of completion made publicly. 

In the previous month they also secured a $9.8 million Ohio grant according to Investing.com that was to support the development of the Hall of Fame Village.

In October of 2024 the waterpark property owners Chicago based Oak Street Real Estate Capital terminated the lease due to $2.6 million in unpaid rent, the default under the lease agreement dated back in November of 2022.

The Village also has agreements with the Stark County Port Authority and City of Canton.

Without speculation could this have been the reason for the surprise resignation?

Hall of Fame Village hosts OHSAA State Football Championships 

The Village is host to ton of entertainment such as concerts, Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic, Tacos and Tequila Music Fest, Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Week events, and Ohio High School Athletic Association state football championships.

Noting that there is no public information if this current situation would affect any of the above events.