Upgrades to Macon City Auditorium could cost $15 million
The nearly century-old Macon City Auditorium is in need of an estimated $15 million worth of repairs.
Macon-Bibb County will have to weigh its options on how to solve issues plaguing the historic downtown building that's a popular venue for concerts and other large events. On Tuesday, county commissioners heard from several people who said they were concerned about some of the problems they've faced while renting the auditorium, which sits at the corner of First Street and Cherry Street Lane.
The County Commission likely will vote on a resolution later this month that would provide $150,000 for some immediate upgrades to the building while they search for a long-term solution. Andy Ambrose, executive director of the Tubman Museum, said it's unfortunate that a building the caliber of the City Auditorium, built in 1923, has so many problems. Among the issues mentioned Tuesday were a leaky roof, mold and peeling wallpaper. It also is not fully handicap accessible.
Two weeks ago when the auditorium hosted the All that Jazz concert and ball, there were broken tables, moldy and dusty curtains and a dance floor in need of polishing, said Harold Young, the Tubman's special events manager.
"If you take a tour of the facility in the daylight, you'd be surprised with what bad shape it's in," Ambrose said during a Tuesday commission committee meeting.
One way to fund some of the repairs could be through a future special purpose local option sales tax, Mayor Robert Reichert said.
"Maybe this will be an appropriate time to consider adding it to the SPLOST list," he said.
Artists using the auditorium and people paying for tickets aren't getting the experience they deserve, said Justin Andrews, with the Otis Redding Foundation and the Macon Pops board.
He also said it would be better for renters to have more control over the food served at the facility and for there to be an improved relationship with management.
"We can't represent Macon having our main concert facility in such horrible condition," Andrews said.
The county is expected in the next several weeks to allow companies to bid on managing the Macon Coliseum and City Auditorium, which may put the city in a better financial situation compared to the current contract, Reichert said.
Noble Investment Group currently manages the Coliseum, City Auditorium and Wilson Convention Center. The county still has a long-term lease with Noble for the convention center.
"As far as the Coliseum and City Auditorium, (Noble Investment Group) manages that for us and whatever they lose, we have to pay," he said.
COMMITTEE APPROVES SPLOST RESOLUTION
The commission's Committee of the Whole approved a resolution Tuesday to develop a new list of special sales tax projects.
The resolution, expected to go before the full commission next week, would start the preparation of a projects list likely to be voted on in November. The resolution also says public hearings will be held for the penny-on-the-dollar sales tax.
The current $190 million SPLOST had generated through January about $155 million that already has paid for projects such as multiple recreation center improvements, Second Street Corridor work and the construction of fire stations, an animal shelter and a juvenile justice center.
MACON'S 911 FEES COULD GET CLOSER EXAMINATION
The County Commission's Committee of the Whole passed a resolution Tuesday to hire legal counsel to determine if Macon-Bibb is collecting the right amount of 911 fees.
If the resolution receives final approval Feb. 16, it would allow the county to see if it's owed 911 surcharge fees from phone companies and if so, "take necessary steps to collect the fees," Reichert said.
To contact writer Stanley Dunlap, call 744-4623 or find him on Twitter@stan_telegraph.
This story was originally published February 9, 2016 at 5:42 PM with the headline "Upgrades to Macon City Auditorium could cost $15 million ."