The Augusta-Richmond County Coliseum Authority is settling into a new location for its meetings, the Grand Lobby at the newly renovated Bell Auditorium. The location gives authority members and staff a front-row seat to watch the demolition of the James Brown Arena.
Well, you can see a building torn down right now. The insides don’t look like what I thought they were going to look like,” quipped Mike Harvey of Nations Group, the owner’s representative for the construction of the new JBA and concourse connecting it to the Bell. He went on to update authority members on the progress.
“The 90% construction drawings are going out this Friday, and they will be available to (contractors) PCL, McKnight, and JV construction. And new pricing will create a GMP (guaranteed maximum price),” he explained. “So, then we’ll have more accurate information on the cost of the building, and with that pricing, we’re also going to make sure we dial in the design to the next budget.”
Harvey anticipates construction on the new, more than 10,000-seat arena will begin by Spring 2025.
“Let’s get started. We’re ready to see it come down so we can start going the other way, back up vertical,” Brad Usry, chairman of the authority’s New JBA subcommittee, told ABD. “It’s really going to be nice. And these guys we got working on it are top-notch.”
The existing JBA opened in late 1979. It was designed by renowned architect I.M. Pei, who also designed the penthouse on top of the Lamar Building, the former Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce Building on Broad Street, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The current arena has just 7,000 seats. In addition to the increased capacity, the new facility will have luxury suites, loge boxes and party suites.
The new arena will also have the ability to create an ice floor, bringing the hoped-for return of hockey to Augusta a step closer to reality.
“OVG (Oak View Group) will be leasing from us, and they are very much pro hockey,” said authority chairman Cedric Johnson. “I think they have a partner for us. We’re not sure who that’s going to be, but they wouldn’t be paying for ice if they didn’t intend to have a hockey team here.”
OVG has committed $10 million to purchasing the necessary equipment to create an ice floor in the new arena. That is included in a 10-year contract extension approved by the authority on October 22.
“We’ve been a long-standing partner through our management of the Augusta Entertainment Complex and are honored that the Augusta-Richmond County Coliseum Authority has entrusted Oak View Group to manage operations of the new Augusta Arena,” said Peter Luukko, Co-Chairman of OVG360 in a news release announcing the agreement. “We’re investors in this market for the long haul and value the opportunity to make a lasting impact on the region’s cultural footprint. “
There is also the possibility of the construction of a second, practice facility.
“I think they’re going to want to kind of get a feel for what it’s going to be and what the people are going to do. And that’s when we can look at it, but looking to the future, that’s very much an option,” said Johnson. “We talked to several hockey owners, and all of them are somewhat committed to at some point in time, if it goes well, building a practice facility and having community involvement with that practice facility.”
The New JBA is scheduled to open in 2027.
