Other than the two HOF there is no overwhelming draw. In my opinion, having vacationed there, the other places are things to fill your time if you want to visit the two HOFs. There are plenty of all the other things everywhere else.
Joe
Twenty years ago is a long time, lol! Everyone has places that once they've been there are so many other places to go that going back isn't high on their list. Or on their list at all.
It takes a wide variety of resorts to suit everyone's needs. When the new resort in Austin first opened we went and my sister and BIL joined us there. They didn't care for Austin so I highly doubt they would ever go back but we are looking forward to going back sometime. They love Hilton Head but didn't care for Sanibel Island. I went to Hilton Head once, have no burning desire to go back, and we love Sanibel Island.
People in the Midwest want more places they can go within driving distance. Many vacations are about going to a nice resort to spend time with family or friends. Most people want someplace with a good selection of restaurants and some things of interest to do in the area. People from out of an area want a nearby major airport that they can find reasonably priced flights into.
People who live in areas where they have Spring flowers and the beautiful Fall colors take that for granted and think Florida and the Southwest are a very different change of scenery. A younger coworker of my husband's here in Florida had only ever seen pictures of the trees in the Fall up North. She asked him if it really looked that like that. Experiencing the Fall colors was on her bucket list of dream vacations. Three years ago I accompanied my husband on a business trip to Arkansas in early April and we stayed at Fairfield Bay for a little over two weeks. I hadn't seen the Spring flowers since we moved to Florida 5 years earlier. When we were out to dinner with a group and were asked about the trip I said how much I enjoyed seeing the Spring flowers, the trees leafing out and the smell of Spring. One couple are Florida natives so the rest of the group had to explain it to them.
Hey jwalk03, we both forgot to mention the boating and fishing on Lake Erie. Also the fresh fruits, tomatoes and sweet corn you get in the summer along Lake Erie just can't be beat.