Matt Jameson is checking things off his list.
“Essentially, we’re in the final stages,” said Jameson, general manager for the new Columbia County Performing Arts Center. “We’re really in the punch list phase.”
The project has taken more than three years to complete, in part due to COVID-19 delays.
The main focus over the next month will be the facility’s acoustics. Located on the corner of Ronald Reagan Drive and Evans Town Center Boulevard, the theater, which will seat roughly 2,100 people, is a venue for events including concerts, national Broadway touring productions and dance performances.
“Acoustics have been a consideration since Day One,” said Jameson. “Acoustics are one of the most important things.”
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And many factors play a role in having great acoustics. It’s integral to the structure of the building.
Over the next couple of weeks, sound engineers will get a baseline.
“A lot of effort goes into that,” he said.
How the mechanical structures such as heating and air-conditioning systems vibrate will affect overall sound quality. Other items from the seating to the flooring also will impact the quality of sound in the building, he said.
Once the acoustics are checked, there are other hurdles to jump before the building is ready to be used.
“We have to have a final inspection. It doesn’t have its certificate of occupancy yet,” he said.
There are safety codes that must be checked. The building has to be ADA compliant. The Department of Labor has to inspect the elevators. A website with the capability for ticket purchases is under development as well. Those are just a few of the items on Jameson’s list.
Paid for by SPLOST funding and 2017 general obligation funding, the center doesn’t have too many events on the books yet because of the nature of performing arts under COVID. Most large live performances are still locked down.
“We’ve got some things penciled in,” he said.
Jameson said he’s hopeful that performances will fill the arena by the fall, but that will depend on many factors.
“We’re targeted for fall of the year with a strong 2022,” he said.
Not only will the venue be a performance space, but it can be utilized in other ways such as receptions, weddings and meetings. Jameson said arts exhibitions can also ben held in the space.
“There are multiple ways to use the space,” he said.
Charmain Z. Brackett is the Features Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach her at charmain@theaugustapress.com
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