One of the smaller items in the special purpose local option sales tax that’s up for a vote Nov. 8 is a list of improvements to the Macon Centreplex: the city Coliseum and convention center, attached to the Marriott City Center; and the City Auditorium.
The project list circulated by Bibb County, and approved by both county commissioners and Macon City Council, includes $5 million for the Centreplex.
It’s listed under the heading of economic development, one of seven items totaling nearly $28.5 million, 15 percent of expected $190 million in SPLOST revenue.
At two of the three parts of the Centreplex, the money would pay for substantial upgrades.
“The overall rationale is to make us competitive with other regional entertainment convention complexes,” said David McCartney naming Augusta, Columbus and Gwinnett as competition.
He’s general manager of Marriott City Center and Centreplex, officially an employee of management company Noble Investment Group though he reports to the city for matters involving the Centreplex.
The city still owns the Coliseum and auditorium, and so it’s responsible for anything beyond fairly routine maintenance and cleaning, McCartney said.
“None of this renovation money is for the convention center,” he said. “We lease the convention center, so like a normal tenant, we’re responsible for keeping that building functioning and in good shape.”
It was Noble, however, that put together the list of improvements to the auditorium and Coliseum, McCartney said.
Topping that list is new light and sound rigging for the Coliseum and the “first 20 percent” of ventilation improvements. Those are essential to attracting more and better shows to both venues -- not major acts, which tend to bring their own light and sound equipment, but “mid-tier groups” and some conventions which rely on in-house systems, he said.
Then there’s the Coliseum restrooms, which are now functional but are still “1960s cinderblock painted over,” not very attractive to groups that can see more modern facilities in other mid-sized cities, McCartney said.
Another big part would be something Noble is already doing piecemeal: improving seating in the Coliseum. Workers are now “cannibalizing” rarely used upper sections to replace broken seats further down in the fixed-seating sections, McCartney said. The fold-out bleachers on the event floor no longer extend and retract automatically, so they’d get new motors, he said.
The City Auditorium would get new carpeting in corridors and the main hall, and new floor seating. Some painting and wallpapering would be done at both venues as well, McCartney said.
Finally, the auditorium’s basement would be waterproofed, he said.
Many of the prices for that work, though, are “placeholders” rather than firm estimates, McCartney said.
“This is spread out over several years, so there may be something that changes in that pricing,” he said.
If voters don’t approve the SPLOST, the city would still have to pay for any substantial improvements to the venues, though it’s unlikely there will be much wiggle room in the next few years’ budgets.
To contact writer Jim Gaines, call 744-4489.
