Excitement builds downtown for Bell Auditorium reopening

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – On May 28, the newly renovated Bell Auditorium will be unveiled, with the project now in the home stretch.

As the Bell reopens for its first show on May 31, the James Brown Arena nearby will soon close for construction when the groundbreaking for a new arena takes place in early June.

With the arena closing, it may seem like entertainment crowds heading to downtown may slow down, but Brad Usry, co-chair of the Augusta-Richmond County Coliseum Authority, says otherwise.

“I think the economic boom is going to start with the construction, and on the other side with the Bell, we have promoters wanting to come in this building and we’ve got some shows from the horizon that we haven’t announced yet,” he said. “I think the city is going to be really excited about it.”

Sports Center Bar and Grill is only a half-mile away from the James Brown Arena and Bell Auditorium. They see the construction crews coming to town as a good thing.

“I think that the construction workers will be the first I guess, boom, you know. The great thing is, all it takes is one guy,” said Sawyer Whatley, a Sports Center employee. “One guy, he’s gonna come here for lunch, and tell the guys when he goes back like, ‘Hey, man, you want a burger. I got just a spot.’”

The authority oversees the Bell as well as the James Brown Arena next door, which will be replaced with a new arena funded by a sales tax that just took effect a few days ago.

The Bell reopens just as city leaders are discussing establishing a downtown entertainment district, which some people think will be just the extra lift the whole effort needs.

Toast of Augusta says the opening of the Bell will bring people in the doors.

“As long as the attractions are there and they are looking like they’re supposed to bring their people down here. Yeah, absolutely. It’d be beneficial for all business owners downtown. If it’s not any traffic traffic is on there or they’re not doing anything with it. Of course, it’s not a benefit to any type of business. But as long as they’re booking and doing what they’re supposed to to keep the business going for themselves it’ll overflow to us downtown people,” said Dominick Cartrell, owner of Toast of Augusta.

It’s adding more to downtown and bringing in more to the area.

“Between Augusta University, the Cyber Center, and all the residential going up, it’s time for us to kind of up our game in downtown Augusta,” Augusta Commission member Sean Franton said last week.

Cartrell said some items need to be addressed before the business boom takes full effect.

“People want to be secure where they go, and that’s one that’s number one. Parking number two and number three, I think they will be very beneficial for being down here. I don’t see a problem with it at all. I think it’s gonna be a massive overflow, especially in the James Brown arena starts,” said Cartrell.

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