The Augusta-Richmond County Coliseum Authority (ARCCA) addressed the controversial issue of how the event facility currently under construction will be named during its monthly meeting, Tuesday afternoon in the Bell Auditorium.
This comes weeks after the Augusta Commission voted to support keeping the name “James Brown Arena” for the venue, which the ARCCA is now referring to as the “New Augusta Arena” as it deliberates on what it will be named.
ARCCA Chairman Cedric Johnson, in a statement at the end of the meeting, reiterated to media and inquiring public after the meeting adjourned that the Coliseum Authority never voted to remove James Brown’s name from the arena.
He then stressed, however, that the Authority has a “fiduciary responsibility” to maintain the facility. Music publisher Primary Wave purchased the remaining assets of James Brown’s estate, including the rights to use his name, in 2021 for $90 million. Johnson told attending public, Tuesday, that the ARCCA would be giving Primary Wave the first right of refusal regarding naming the new building after the Godfather of Soul.
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“We’re trying to make sure that there’s a revenue stream to make sure to pay the maintenance, pay the light bill, the water bill, and to take care of those things that need to be taken care of,” said Johnson, who also said that he had spoken with Primary Wave about using the Brown’s name on the new arena, and that the company replied “no,” but would be willing to allow it should sponsors express interest in attaching the name to the venue.
Underscoring his own commitment to honoring Brown’s legacy, Johnson noted the Augusta Aviation Commission’s decision to set up a James Brown display at the Augusta Regional Airport, during Johnson’s time as chairman of the commission. Moreover, he mentioned that, should the arena not be named after Brown, the music legend would still be commemorated at the facility in some fashion.
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“Even if the name was there, we were going to do something to honor James Brown,” Johnson said. “We’ve talked to Primary Wave about having a kiosk, [or] having a James Brown Avenue. I don’t know exactly what we’re going to do, and I don’t want to say specifically, because there are so many different ways that we can honor him, but we are going to honor him, and we’re going to make the people of Augusta proud, and we’re going to make them proud and his legacy.”
Deanna Brown Thomas, James Brown’s daughter, who also attended the meeting, said that the removal of her father’s name from the arena effectively amounts to a reduction of his legacy.
Addressing the media and fellow attendees, Thomas said that over the last year former Coliseum Authority board member J.R. Riles had contacted her on behalf of Johnson to discuss what the ARCCA could legally do about using Brown’s name.
“They said that they may need a letter from Primary Wave for the city attorney. I gave Mr. Riles my email. I said, please email me. I will put you in touch with the heads of Primary Wave so that you can ask any question you need… This is months ago,” Thomas said, adding that she did not receive a response from the ARCCA in the interim. “But to now ask Primary Wave to pay for it when they stand in the seat of my father, is like asking my father to pay to put his name. How dare you? How dare you ask the people who are stewarding his name to pay you when you could have called them months ago or years ago to talk to them about it.”
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Moreover, Thomas read aloud a statement from Primary Wave expressing disapproval of the ARCCA’s provisional deliberation on how the building will be named.
“Mr. Brown gifted his name, free of charge, to the Augusta-Richmond County Coliseum Authority,” said Primary Wave. “Since becoming stewards of Mr. Brown’s legacy, Primary Wave Music has been proud to continue his gift, which remains free of charge. We are appalled that ARCCA is apparently declining continued use of the free license and that its partner is seeking to monetize what has long been a monument to Mr. Brown’s generosity and care for his community.”
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter covering business for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
