Stark County commissioners ending 90-year lease for Canton Memorial Civic Center land

• Stark County commissioners have approved ending its 90-year lease with Canton for the land underneath the Canton Memorial Civic Center.
• Commissioners plan to transfer the 4 acres at 1101 Market Ave. N to the city.
• Canton City Council is expected to accept the donated land later this month.

CANTON − The city of Canton is one step closer to owning the land under one of its core assets.

Stark County commissioners have approved ending its 90-year lease with Canton for the land underneath the Canton Memorial Civic Center and transferring the four acres at 1101 Market Ave. N to the city.

The lease, which was approved in October 1949 before the Civic Center was built, was set to expire in 2039. Under the lease, the city paid $480 a year to the county to use the land.

County Administrator Brant Luther and Commissioner Janet Creighton said they have met with Canton and Civic Center officials and the land transfer makes sense because the county has no use for the land, not many people know that the county owns the property and the transfer will remove some challenges for the city to upgrade the facility.

"This lease has been in place since 1949,” Luther said. “Most people that drive by the Canton Civic Center do not know that the county owns the property underneath the Civic Center.”

Canton still must accept the Civic Center land

Canton City Council still must approve ending the lease and accepting the donated land. Legislation to do so is expected to come before council at the end of the month.

Mayor William V. Sherer II doesn’t expect any opposition to the land transfer. He said the transfer is part of the city’s long-term renovation plans for the 73-year-old sports and entertainment facility.

The city already is spending roughly $2.5 million in federal pandemic relief funds to upgrade the Civic Center’s sound, lighting, plumbing, heating and air conditioning system, and power systems.

The next phase of improvements is expected to include upgraded seating and expanded and remodeled northside bathrooms.

Council last month authorized to spend up to $600,000 to purchase the next-door former Arby’s at 1125 Market Ave. N.

Reach Canton Repository staff writer Grace Springer at 330-580-8364 or gspringer@gannett.com. Follow her on X @GraceSpringer16.

Reach Canton Repository staff writer Kelli Weir at 330-580-8339 or kelli.weir@cantonrep.com.