Augusta voters ushered in a new era in entertainment Tuesday, approving construction of a 10,500-seat venue to replace the 45-year-old James Brown Arena.
With all precincts fully reporting, arena supporters outpolled opponents two to one. Sixty-six percent or 10,653 voted in favor to 34% or 5,474 against.
Supporters were ecstatic. “We got an arena coming to Augusta! Thank you Augusta! I feel good!” Commissioner Sean Frantom posted.
“We are excited. We have a mandate. Time to get to work,” said Brad Usry, vice-chairman of Augusta-Richmond County Coliseum Authority and chair of the authority’s new arena committee.
The authority has pushed for nearly eight years to replace the aging arena, deemed too small, decrepit and inadequate to attract top acts. Event configurations in the new arena will include a center stage, end stage, basketball, trade show, wrestling and more recently, ice hockey.
Supporters now say they have a commitment from hockey franchise owner Zawyer Sports and Entertainment to bring a franchise to Augusta. The firm owns and manages the Jacksonville Icemen, Atlanta Gladiators and the Savannah Ghost Pirates.
Plans show the new venue will include 1,100 premium seats and 12 luxury suites, open party suites and loge boxes. A club level will feature a members-only bar and lounge area. Joined to the Bell Auditorium with a three-story wing, the arena will include a state-of-the-art ballroom, rooftop terraces, meeting rooms and outdoor plazas.
The vote is a boon for Oak View Group, the firm that manages the Augusta Entertainment Complex, which includes the arena and Bell. Renovations at the Bell are expected complete next summer, when demolition of the arena and its two-plus-year construction timeline will begin.
The coliseum authority rather than the Augusta Commission will oversee spending on the construction project. The authority has had project manager H.B. Brantley with Atlanta-based Russell SPACE Venues, on the project for several years.
The vote is a reversal of fortune from two years ago, when voters rejected a referendum that would have funded the project through a property tax increase.
During that time, area legislators and lobbyists worked to develop a new funding mechanism, a C-SPLOST, or coliseum sales tax, to fund the project.
With the “yes” vote comes a new half-cent sales tax that will appear on retail sales for years to come and bring total sales taxes to 8.5%. At current collection rates, it will take about 17 years to pay off $433 million. That’s the maximum amount the authority can raise toward a $250 million arena plus interest on bonded debt.
Supporters spent big on an awareness campaign that came under fire when public figures and funds were involved. Other questions on the public’s mind were parking, which will rely heavily on patrons walking or being shuttled from about 5,000 spaces identified within a six-block radius. No parking deck is currently funded in the package.
Turnout tripled on Election Day after fewer than 4% cast ballots early. Final turnout was 12.7% of Augusta’s 127,232 registered voters.
Most Augusta voting precincts favored the arena and tax by more than 70%, but in a few, a majority of voters were opposed.
Support was weak among voters voting at Southside Baptist Church on Mike Padgett Highway, where 65% were opposed, as well as among most polling places in the far reaches of south Richmond County.
Voters at Pine Hill Baptist Church rejected the arena by 55%, McBean Community Center opposed it by 67% and Blythe Recreation Center rejected it by 58%. Opposition was greatest at Blythe City Hall, where 93% of 29 voters voted no.
Blythe voters had the only other contested election in Richmond County, and incumbents Noel Cartagena and Daniel Martin narrowly defended their seats in a four-way contest.
Support for the arena was greatest among voters at the Wallace Branch Library on Laney-Walker Boulevard and Mt. Calvary Baptist Church, two polling places close to the arena. Each favored the project by about 85%.
Richmond County Board of Elections is expected to certify election results at a 6 p.m. Monday meeting.
