Pro Football Hall of Fame and City Unveil Downtown Canton's Centennial Plaza Honoring a Century of Professional Football

In commemorating the first 100 years of the National Football League (born on Sept. 17, 1920), the City of Canton and the Pro Football Hall of Fame celebrated a major milestone in the construction of the Centennial Plaza by revealing to football fans and people across the nation the 11 NFL Pylons that memorialize all 25,488 players who competed in the first 100 years of the league. Located in the heart of downtown Canton, Centennial Plaza celebrates not only the birth of a league and the rich and lasting legacy of football in Canton Ohio, but also the proud citizens who call Canton home. Thursday night’s broadcast on the NFL network shined a light on the city of Canton and to all who made this milestone a reality.

Serving as prime consultant, MKSK led a diverse team of design professionals, including Tim Lai Architect (pavilion and restaurant Design Architect), Sol Harris/Day Architecture (restaurant Architect of Record), Atwell LLC (Civil Engineer), Arup (Structural Engineer), Tec Studio Inc. (Lighting Designer), and Tec Inc. (Electrical Engineer) who delivered an award-winning public space that offers a variety of amenities such as the Centennial Pavilion and Event Lawn, the 65-foot tall stainless steel Rotunda sculpture, the Mist Garden and custom Canton signage, a 1,400 square foot restaurant, the Social Garden for casual gatherings, and of course the 11 NFL Pylons. In total, the project has enhanced one city block and three adjoining streetscapes, 3rd Street, 4th Street, and Court Avenue at a cost of $12.5M with the help of funding from the citizens and businesses of Canton. Centennial Plaza is the first of many projects, including the on-going multi-phase development of the Johnson Controls Hall of Fame Village, that will help advance the economic and lifestyle opportunities for the people of Canton. The new downtown plaza will open in November.

The Honorable Thomas Bernabei, Mayor of Canton, and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell prepare to dedicate the new Centennial Plaza in downtown Canton. (Source: Facebook)