City looks at alternate ways to finance new James Brown Arena

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – It’s back to the drawing board for the new James Brown Arena. Voters turned down the $235-million needed to finish the project. Nearly 13,000 people cast a ballot for this. 5,000 voting yes to the funding. Close to 8,000 voting no. But the city says they’re not giving up on the plans just yet.

This isn’t the end of the road. The Coliseum Authority says it’s not a matter of if we’ll get a new James Brown Arena – it’s a just matter of when and who will pay for it. But until they figure it out what you see, is what you get.

It’s 41 years old. It’s outdated, outworn, and pretty soon it might be outshined.

“Savannah, Columbia, Greenville – we need a new arena, so we can remain competitive and people come to us,” said Margaret Woodard, Downtown Development Authority, Executive Director.

Voters denied using increased property taxes to pay the remaining $235 million needed for a new James Brown Arena. Which means if the Coliseum Authority wants this new JBA they’ll have to lift some of the burden off taxpayers.

“This is the building we need to build if we want to build. I mean we’re gonna stick with that,” said Brad Usry, Coliseum Authority, Vice Chairman.

But the sooner the better. Savannah is opening a new 9,500 seat arena in January. Their price tag was $165 million they used SPLOST dollars to cover it.

“I mean, yes, we can all go to Savannah and we can go to other places but wouldn’t it be great if people came here and spent their money and stayed in our hotels and ate in our restaurants and shopped in our stores, it would be a huge economic boom,” said Woodward.

Columbia County also recently expanded their entertainment options with a new performing arts center.

“All we can do is look out our own backyard. We have a building, albeit old and functionally obsolete, but it still can have shows,” said Usry.

The authority says upgrading the current JBA would be a bad investment because it’s so outdated. But downsizing the new plans isn’t an option either.

“So we need to stick with this, we need to find a good finance package that the citizens of Augusta will accept,” he said.

Until the Coliseum Authority takes their next steps the $25 million for the arena allocated in SPLOST 8 will sit in the bank. In the meantime this JBA will continue hosting shows and selling tickets.

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