New James Brown Arena

The New James Brown Arena is the working name of an arena to be built in Augusta, Georgia. Based on current plans the arena will seat 10,000, and it is projected to open in 2027.
==Background==
Plans to replace the original James Brown Arena were announced in 2020 as the ice making plant in the old arena failed in 2013 forcing the Augusta Riverhawks of the Southern Professional Hockey League to finish their schedule at their practice facility and then going dormant for several seasons prior to relocating to Macon, Georgia for the 2015-16 season.
The estimated price to replace the ice making system in 2013 was $1.2 million.  The age of the building (mid-1970's opening) had lead many to believe that hockey will not return to Augusta until the city builds a new facility, which the county's voters shot down in a referendum in 2004. http://chronicle.augusta.com/sports/scott-michaux/2013-05-18/michaux-outdated-james-brown-arena-really-worth-trouble Media reports have started the public debate on whether the arena should be repaired or replaced.
In 2020, plans were put forward to replace the venue with a new $228 million facility that allow for more concerts to come to Augusta and allow for the possibility of an ice making plant for the new arena. The design would be worked into the 2,800 seat Bell Auditorium, allowing the two venues to share certain facilities, and would call for the demolition of the existing arena.https://arenadigest.com/2020/09/19/new-james-brown-arena-design-unveiled/ The Bell Auditorium is planned to remain open while the new arena is under construction.
After rejecting a bond issue in 2021, residents of Augusta-Richmond County voted in favor of levying a half-cent sales tax to cover the cost of the arena in 2023.https://www.wrdw.com/2023/11/08/voters-approve-tax-new-james-brown-arena/ The old James Brown Arena closed on May 31, 2024, coinciding with the reopening of the Bell Auditorium following a $20 million renovation.https://www.wrdw.com/2024/05/28/bell-auditorium-reopens-james-brown-arena-closes-this-week/
On October 22, 2024, the Augusta-Richmond County Coliseum Authority reached an 10-year agreement with arena operators Oak View Group, who will contribute $10 million towards installing the ice plant and bringing a professional hockey team back to Augusta.https://www.wrdw.com/2024/10/22/hockey-is-coming-back-augusta-under-new-deal/
Category:Indoor ice hockey venues in Georgia