Craige Hoover

In a time when so much of our experiential world is virtual, Craige Hoover believes in creating physical interactions between people and places—creating the kinds of moments that define culture, that speak to the soul. In fact, he’s made a career of it.

Hoover left Middle Tennessee after college at Sewanee, headed to San Francisco to pursue a masters in theater. But the left side of his brain coaxed him to the Emerald coast, where he could combine both passions—earning an MBA at the University of Florida while building the Seaside Repertory Theatre into a national model for non-profit, community-based production houses. That experience gave him a deep view into New Urbanism, and the ways in which cultural elements define destinations. He wanted to create those sacred spaces.

As an executive with an international real estate developer, Hoover has conceived and brought to life vibrant, mixed-use communities. As an independent consultant, he was selected to evaluate key assets and opportunities for the Nashville Next 25-year master plan, helping define the future for a southern city that has quickly become a global destination. He’s curated major festivals, re-envisioned shopping malls as town centers, and developed arts and culture strategic plans that have breathed new life into dying icons.

And now back home as the SVP of Leasing and Development at Southall, he’s able to bring those experiences to bear, marrying the natural and the built environments with well-conceived programming that kindles community, a sense of belonging, and a cultural experience that’s more important now than ever before.