The NFL Draft is not coming to Northeast Ohio in 2019 or 2020. And any bids in the near future might pivot away from the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton.
Northeast Ohio’s bid to host the draft put the first two days at Public Auditorium in Cleveland, and the last day at the Hall of Fame. But this week, Las Vegas got the nod for 2020, while Nashville was previously selected for next year.
Kevin Kleps, assistant editor at Crain’s Cleveland Business, says the Cleveland-Canton split may have cost the region its chance, and future bids will probably concentrate mostly on Cleveland due to its larger number of hotel rooms. But that could change once the billion-dollar Hall of Fame Village is completed.
“If this village project gets done as they’ve said it’s going to be done, it looks like it’s going to be incredible. So who knows? The Hall of Fame’s a huge, important piece for the NFL -- with the history and whatnot – so I wouldn’t put anything off the table.”
The project is currently set for completion in 2020.
