Who’s going to design new Macon sports arena? County picks architect

The Macon-Bibb County Board of Commissioners has unanimously approved Houston-based company PBK Architects to design the new Macon sports arena.

The decision was made during a special-called county commission meeting Tuesday.

Dan Springer — chief operating officer with MFA Program Management, which is managing the project on behalf of the county — said the new arena will keep Macon competitive in attracting concerts, teams and events, and encourage further development downtown and along the river.

“We want to create the best gateway in all of Georgia, and an anchor to make its next great district,” Springer said.

PBK Architects has constructed more than 80 arenas nationwide, Springer said during the meeting.

The arena will be located on the Macon Centreplax site, adjacent to the existing Macon Coliseum, according to preliminary plans. Springer and Will Christenbury, project executive with MFA Program Management, said the new arena will also connect to the Second Street Bridge, which is currently undergoing improvements, to support businesses and development downtown.

While a design hasn’t been finalized yet, Christenbury and Springer showed mockups of rectangular and bowl-shaped arenas that may resemble the plan for the new sports arena. Springer and Christenbury weren’t able to say how many the new arena will seat, but showed examples of other arenas PBK Architects has constructed which seat around 10,000 people.

Macon-Bibb County Mayor Lester Miller said the county is aiming to break ground on the new arena in July 2026, and expects to open the facility to the public by the summer of 2028. The county doesn’t yet have an estimate on how much construction will cost.

Chris Floore, chief communications officer with Macon-Bibb County, previously told The Telegraph that the Macon Coliseum, which was constructed in 1968, lacks many of the amenities necessary to host the types of events the county is looking to attract.

Miller said during Tuesday’s meeting that the Macon Coliseum will remain open while the new arena is constructed, but the county will have to decide whether to demolish it or try to rehab it once the new space is completed.

“Those (decisions) are for a later day,” Miller said.

Localities across Georgia have been looking to improve their sports facilities.

Athens put about $151 million towards renovating its venue, the Classic Center, to include an upgraded 8,500-seat sports arena called Akins Ford Arena that opened in December 2024. Savannah spent $165 million building Enmarket Arena, a sports facility that can seat up to 9,500 and opened in 2022, and Augusta broke ground on a new arena in July 2024 that is projected to seat more than 10,500.

Floore said the new facility will keep Macon competitive, and in turn, generate tax revenue and stimulate development in the county.

This story was originally published September 24, 2025 at 12:12 PM.