CANTON — As visitors flock to the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival this week, they can enjoy music, food and high-profile events like the Hall of Fame Game.
But don’t expect to find on-site parking for all events.
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Properties near the Hall campus are closed to the public Thursday for the Hall of Fame game and Saturday for the legends anchoring ceremony and concert. The closures make it easier to accommodate media and operations staff for these events, said Rich Desrosiers, chief communications and content officer at the hall.
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Attending a Pro Football Hall of Fame game, anchoring ceremony or Legends concert? Park at the Stark County Fairgrounds
Attendees of these events will find parking at the Stark County Fairgrounds, 305 Wertz Ave. NW. A shuttle system then takes visitors to the campus from Thursday 8 a.m. to Friday 4 a.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to Sunday 2 a.m.
A sign at the Lot A entrance near the concourse Monday indicated the shuttles would arrive in 10- to 15-minute increments.
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“It’s really the only way to get to the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium … as far as local parking goes,” Desrosiers said. “There is some parking in the neighborhood that people are used to finding and using, but overall most of our guests will use the exhibition center car park and shuttle service on both Thursday and Saturday.”
Most Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Week attendees will use the SARTA shuttle system
Desrosiers said he expects about 45,000 participants at these three events, most of whom will use the shuttle system. The shuttles are operated by the Stark Area Regional Transit Authority, which has worked with the Hall for more than 20 years.
SARTA will use all available vehicles from its fleet during the Enshrinement Festival, CEO Kirt Conrad said, including charter-style buses and smaller buses with the ability to transport people with ADA-recognized disabilities. SARTA has also contracted with a school bus company to transport excess passengers.
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Conrad emphasized that SARTA’s priority, despite the partnership with Hall, is to keep the fixed routes operational.
Though there is no parking at the concourse on Thursdays or Saturdays, Desrosiers added that there will be an increased number of golf carts to transport visitors with mobility issues to and from the shuttle drop-off location.
Parking spaces are available on Wednesdays and Fridays or in the neighbors’ yards
On-campus parking is available Wednesday and Friday for the hall’s other events, such as the First Play Football Toss and Fun Fest, Desrosiers said.
Nearby homeowners also often require people to park in their yards during the celebrations.
Polly Rose, who lives on Clarendon Avenue near the concourse, started parking in her backyard in 2000. At the time, she lived closer to the hall in a house with a larger garden, she said. However, she can fit about 12 cars at a time in her yard at her current home. She typically charges around $10 to $15 per car.
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Many people park in yards near the concourse because they don’t like the shuttle system, Rose said. She is a football fan and understands the desire of other football fans to be able to easily reach the indoor celebrations without having to get on a bus.
“It’s part of the neighborhood,” Rose said. “(People) have to keep parking and taking the bus, which a lot of people don’t care about. I think that’s why a lot of neighbors are trying to help.”
Additional parking spaces will be available at the HOF in the coming years
Anne Graffice, executive vice president of public affairs at Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Co., said the plans for the Hall of Fame Village include adding parking near the village’s attractions. At future shrine festivals, she said, these spaces could be used for visitors.
However, the shuttle system used this year is similar to last year’s, Grafice said. She added that she believes construction at the Hall of Fame Village hasn’t prevented anyone from parking on campus, and her company has worked closely with the Hall of Fame and SARTA to find creative ways to transport visitors .
“The reality is that everyone wants to park right next to their destination,” Graffice said. “We continue to look at ways we can make (parking) a convenient and wonderful experience when people come to visit.”
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She also emphasized the walkability of the hall’s campus and sidewalks, which were purpose-built for pedestrian traffic.
Desrosiers said he looks forward to solving some of the parking issues near the concourse when future properties are built. Though it may be frustrating now, he said the shuttle system is the ideal parking strategy.
“We know it’s a challenge and we appreciate people’s patience and understanding,” Desrosiers said. “It’s a system that’s been in place for a number of years – it uses the fairgrounds and the shuttles – and they’ve made it into a pretty good system.”
Contact Ryan via email at [email protected], on Twitter at @ryanmaxin or by calling 330-580-8412.