CANTON, Ohio — Over the past few years, things around Canton's Pro Football Hall of Fame have transformed with the construction of the Hall of Fame Village. Now, guests of the area have a new restaurant and entertainment spot as Brew Kettle opened its doors Saturday to the public.
Hall of Fame Village, a $600 million project announced in 2015, has faced numerous hurdles over the years. From financial setbacks to COVID-19 delays, projects have continued, but often at a snail's pace.
"What we're doing here as it relates to our project and our company really is, for this region, a game changer," said Anne Graffice, HOF Village Evp Global Marketing & Public Affairs. "We literally have been pushing, pushing, pushing for several years now to get our campus open and it's not been easy."
The rebuild of Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium and the youth fields surrounding it have been done for some time, but the surrounding projects to create a destination hub have continued to develop over the past few years.
From the addition of the iconic I-X Center Ferris wheel to a zip line coming this summer and a waterpark expected next year, things are taking shape at the village and there will be plenty to draw in visitors from all over.
But places like the new Brew Kettle will likely keep them in Canton and help boost the local economy.
An outdoor patio with views into Tom Benson HOF Stadium will certainly draw in crowds.
But the restaurant and bar will not only be a spot for guests to grab a bite to eat or have a drink—it features entertainment of its own. Partnered with Topgolf, the Hall of Fame Village's Brew Kettle features golf simulation bays.
"Not just an hour having dinner and leaving, but it being in a place where you have good music, you can watch any and all sports games, you can have activities," said Brian Webber, CEO & Manager of Brew Kettle. "It's one thing to have a really nice dinner or a nice lunch, nice beverages and then, 'Okay, let's go home.' But 'Hey, wait a minute, we can go into a sports simulator and if we want to play Augusta, we can play Augusta. And if we want to play battle ball against trolls, we can play battle ball or we can play hockey or we can play football.'"
The entertainment hub is now open for business seven days a week.
Over the next few weeks and months, more will take shape at Hall of Fame Village. But with new restaurants and businesses up and running already, this summer is expected to start bringing in people to check the spot out.
"Folks really can come stay, play and be entertained in some really amazing ways here at the village," Graffice said. "This is the place to be if you want to hang out this summer."
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