Members of the Coliseum Authority got updates on finances for the new James Brown Arena at Tuesday’s regular meeting.
The discussion focused on the $15 million dollar advance of SPLOST 8 funds approved by the Augusta Commission.
Attorney Ed Enoch told members a hearing is set for Monday morning to validate issuing bonds for that money. It’s a legal requirement for the intergovernmental agreement to issue bonds.
MORE: See Complete James Brown Arena Design Plans Here
Money from the bonds will be used for continuing work with the architects and finding builders, contractors and other necessary workers ahead of the start of demolition in early 2022.
This money is in addition to the referendum the authority wants on the Nov. 2 general election ballot to pay for the new facility.
During the meeting, Johnson urged authority members to remain upbeat when citizens ask about the $228 million project.
He said it’s important to stay on message.
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“How important we think this is, we’ve actually hired a person who specializes in messaging, and she’s going to help us with this message,” he said. “We all have different jobs and different expertise. None of us are marketers or persons who know how to craft that type of information, so we’ve hired someone to help us with that.”
Project Manager HB Brantley of Atlanta-based SPACE suggested setting up public meetings in each of the commission’s 10 districts to help answer any questions about the project.
The new arena will seat 10,000 people for a concert. By comparison, Chris Bird, general manager at the Augusta Entertainment Complex, said the existing arena seats about 6,500 for a concert.
MORE: SPLOST 8 Gets Voter Approval
SPLOST 8, approved by voters in March 2021, includes $25 million in seed money to help kick off the project.
The demolition work is anticipated to begin in February.
The Augusta Futurity, scheduled for Jan. 15 to 22, 2022, may be the last major event in the old arena.
There is a website to review the plan and look at the artist’s rendering.
Dana Lynn McIntyre is a Staff Reporter with The Augusta Press. You can reach her at dana@theaugustapress.com.
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