In November 2023, the people of Richmond County and the CSRA sent a clear message: they wanted to Build Augusta’s Future. By approving the C-SPLOST referendum with 66% of the vote, our community dedicated a half-penny sales tax to build the New Augusta Arena. It wasn’t about many different projects. It was about one big investment in a facility that will shape our region for decades to come.
Less than two years later, that investment is literally rising from the ground. And with the return of professional hockey, it promises to energize Augusta like never before.
When we first asked voters to approve a new arena in 2021, it failed. People didn’t understand how it would be funded or why it mattered. It felt more like a “want” than a “need.”
We learned from that. By 2023, we made sure people knew the facts. We explained what the arena would mean for Augusta and how the half-penny sales tax would pay for it. The difference was clear. Voter turnout nearly doubled, and almost seven out of ten voters said yes.
That wasn’t close — it was a mandate. People said loudly and clearly, they wanted a modern venue to bring big concerts, conventions, and sporting events. They wanted to Build Augusta’s Future.
The New Augusta Arena will be much more than just a building. It will hold 10,500 seats, 12 luxury suites, club spaces, and a grand lobby that connects to the Bell Auditorium. Outside, 4.5 acres of plazas will give our community space to gather year-round.
The work is already making an impact. The demolition of the old arena cleared the way for construction. The foundation has been poured, and steel beams are now climbing into the sky. Hundreds of workers from PCL Construction, McKnight Construction, and J&B Construction are on the job each day—eating in our restaurants, shopping in our stores, and staying in our hotels. As I’ve said before, “The new Arena is literally rising from the ground!”
And when it opens, the Arena will create close to 600 permanent jobs and generate an estimated $1.6 billion in economic impact through direct, indirect, and induced spending. That is the kind of growth that strengthens families, supports small businesses, and keeps our community moving forward.
During the campaign for C-SPLOST, one question came up more than any other: “What about hockey?” Many people still remember the Augusta Lynx. Others, especially families who moved here from hockey towns, were eager for ice sports.
I often said, “Ice is nice, but is it right for our community?” To answer that, we hired experts to study the issue. Their report showed that hockey would bring major benefits. Spending at the Arena would grow by more than sixty percent. New jobs would be created. More visitors would stay in local hotels, and the city would gain more tax dollars to fund schools and public safety.
The conclusion was clear: Augusta is ready for hockey again. In October 2024, our Board voted to add ice to the new Arena. In 2025, we announced that professional hockey is officially returning. The team, owned by Tim Tebow and businessman David Hodges, will join the East Coast Hockey League in 2027. Season ticket deposits are already being taken, and fans are sharing ideas for the team’s name.
This project is about more than bricks, steel, or ice. It is about giving our community a better quality of life. A state-of-the-art arena means more concerts, more conventions, more family shows, and more opportunities to showcase our city. It also means more private investment downtown. Already, we are seeing progress with the redevelopment of the former Ramada Inn into a major hotel project. The Arena and new hotel will work together—drawing visitors to Augusta, filling our restaurants, and keeping people downtown longer.
The steel rising downtown tells the story: Augusta is building its future. Soon, that future will echo with the roar of a crowd, the crash of skates on ice, the sounds of new and nostalgic artists, and the excitement of a region that knows how to come together and win.
Brad Usry
Chairman, New Augusta Arena Committee
