AUGUSTA, Georgia—An affiliate of Flacks Group announced that it has acquired the DoubleTree by Hilton Augusta, located in Augusta, GA. Flacks has selected StepStone Hospitality to manage the property. 

The hotel includes 182 guest rooms and more than 12,000 square feet of flexible meeting and event space, catering to golf groups, corporate gatherings, weddings, birthdays, and social celebrations. A variety of on-site dining experiences is available, including Jama’s Coffee Shop, serving Starbucks coffee; The Lotus Bar, open evenings for appetizers, light bites, cocktails, and craft beverages; and Andrew’s Restaurant, offering breakfast, lunch, and dinner alongside in-room dining options.

Ownership is anticipating undertaking a $12 million capital investment in the property to renovate the hotel. The project will include refreshed guest rooms, upgraded public areas, a reimagined food and beverage experience, new elevators, and a modernized reception and arrival experience.

The DoubleTree by Hilton Augusta offers access to downtown Augusta, Fort Gordon Army Base, Joseph M Still Burn Center, local business corridors, and the Augusta National Golf Club.

“We are excited about the future of the DoubleTree Augusta,” said James Gassenheimer, chief executive officer of Flacks Group. “This investment underscores our confidence in the Augusta market and our vision to create long-term value while delivering an exceptional guest experience.”

“The DoubleTree Augusta is a great addition to our portfolio as we continue to expand our presence in the Southeast and relationship with the Flacks Group,” said Michael Broadhurst, chief operating officer of StepStone Hospitality. “We look forward to leveraging our experience to deliver an exceptional experience for our guests and associated as well to maximize value for ownership”. 

AUGUSTA, Ga. – Augusta University women’s indoor track and field turned in a strong all-around performance at the Tryon Winter Classic and Combined Events, held Jan. 16–17 at Tryon International, with the Jaguars recording a victory in the women’s 5,000 meters and multiple top-10 finishes across the meet.

Senior Gabby Jourdain led Augusta with a first-place finish in the 5,000 meters, crossing the line in 18:37.35. Lily McDonald added a fifth-place finish in 20:50.18, while Carlee Hodges placed seventh in 21:14.02.

Josalyn Branch paced Augusta in the 200 meters, finishing 16th with a time of 25.99. Ava Adams followed in 26.64, with Janiya England (27.35), Madison Mitchell (27.44), and Thanna Davis (27.45) also competing.

In the 400 meters, Adams led the Jaguars with a 20th-place finish in 1:02.89. Kennedy McDonald placed 31st in 1:05.17, and Meadow Roberts finished in 1:06.56.

Thanna Davis recorded a top-10 finish in the 800 meters, placing 10th overall in 2:26.02. Devan Howard represented Augusta in the mile, finishing in 6:04.57.

The 4×400-meter relay team of Cameron Wade, Taneiha Bowman, Kennedy McDonald, and Ava Adams finished seventh overall with a time of 4:17.89.

In the field events, Cameron Wade led Augusta in the long jump with an eighth-place mark of 5.24 meters (17-2.25), followed closely by Nene Akaose in ninth at 5.23 meters (17-2). Taneiha Bowman added a 13th-place finish at 5.14 meters (16-10.5), with Rebekah Klossner and Leilani Stallings also competing.

Bowman also placed 12th in the triple jump with a mark of 11.02 meters (36-2), while Stallings finished 21st at 10.15 meters (33-3.75).

Freshman Jamiya Reed highlighted the high jump group, clearing 1.48 meters (4-10.25) to finish 13th. Paige Justice also competed.

In the shot put, Keeva Tracey recorded a best mark of 9.90 meters (32-5.75), while Kayla Marshall added a throw of 7.54 meters (24-9). Jala Williams also competed in the event.

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – An armed robbery in Richmond County prompted a SWAT team response on Saturday.

Officials said a Hispanic male accepted a ride at around 2:50 p.m. from two black males at the Bank of America ATM located at 3028 Deans Bridge Road to go to another ATM.

Instead of taking him there, the suspects took him to the 3500 block of Jack Kelly Road, where they met a third black male who was armed with a gun, authorities say.

The armed suspect robbed the victim of his bag containing various personal items; the victim was able to flee and contact law enforcement, according to the sheriff’s office.

Deputies arrived in the area where the incident occurred and were shown the residence connected to the suspects.

Upon approaching the residence, officials say the first deputy saw movement from someone inside the house and requested additional units. Responding deputies attempted to contact the people inside, but were unsuccessful.

SWAT was contacted and went to the location, along with the drone response team and a K-9 unit.

Deputies secured the house, cleared nearby residences and blocked the roadway in both directions. Augusta Fire Rescue and Central EMS also responded in a stand-by capacity.

After multiple attempts to establish communication through the PA system and by phone, SWAT entered the residence, according to authorities.

Evidence related to the robbery was found inside; however, no one was found. The sheriff’s office believes the suspects exited the residence before deputies completed the perimeter around the property.

The scene cleared around 7:15 p.m.

The investigation is still active, and no other information is available right now.

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