It has been a major feature of the downtown skyline for half a century, but now all that remains of the “cub”’ or the old James Brown Arena is a pile of rubble.
The only visible sign of what used to be are the green awnings that once hung over the ticket counters and Augusta Coliseum Authority Vice-Chairman Brad Usry says the awnings themselves will soon be a memory.
According to Usry, the authority, last week, signed with a hockey ownership group to bring the game back to Augusta. The city last had a hockey league here when the Augusta RiverHawks were active from 2010 to 2013.
Usry, coyly, would not release the name of the group, but says that Augustans will be pleased with the high-performance ownership group.
“It’s a good group. I can tell you they are tied to Zawyer Sports who has Savannah, Jacksonville and, I believe, Greensboro,” Usry said.
Back in October 2024, the authority signed a new contract with arena manager Oak View Group that includes a $10 million investment in an ice rink and hockey franchise
According to past articles in The Augusta Press, the 10-year contract guarantees Augusta won’t lose money on the arena, with Oak View assuming all risk, Usry said.
Otherwise, with the exception of the project being on time and on budget, the only thing left is to clear the debris and start building. Usry says that the demolition certifications and the paperwork hurdles needed for construction were filed separately, so there should not be any last minute delays due to Planning and Zoning.
“It’s pretty boring right now, no hiccups, but we should see the towers go up in early fall, and that will be exciting,” Usry said.
The new James Brown Arena is scheduled to open in mid-2027.
Scott Hudson is the Senior Investigative Reporter, Editorial Page Editor and weekly columnist for The Augusta Press. Reach him at scott@theaugustapress.com
