Update on new arena (Savannah, Duluth: 2015, credit, amphitheatre)

[Newsboy]

More $$$ for another study?! Why the heck is this taking so long?! At this rate we'll all be dead before they even decide what the darn thing is gonna look like! Argh!

Savannah leaders could hire firm for new arena study | WJCL News

[bellhead]

Why a arena? With our weather build an outdoor ampitheater seating 20k so we can draw national music acts. This would have a much bigger impact than a 6k arena which is too small for national acts and too big for intimate concerts.

[CoastalGAGuy]

Originally Posted by bellhead

Why a arena? With our weather build an outdoor ampitheater seating 20k so we can draw national music acts. This would have a much bigger impact than a 6k arena which is too small for national acts and too big for intimate concerts.

An outdoor facility would be cool, but pretty uncomfortable during muggy Summer evenings, and highly susceptible to disruption from our often stormy evening weather, which, as we all know, can get pretty severe.

[Newsboy]

Originally Posted by bellhead

Why a arena? With our weather build an outdoor ampitheater seating 20k so we can draw national music acts. This would have a much bigger impact than a 6k arena which is too small for national acts and too big for intimate concerts.

The new arena is desperately needed to replace the aging and inadequate MLK Arena in the Savannah Civic Center. It will probably have around 12,000 seats. The current SPLOST collections (now in the 2nd of 6 years) will provide the $100 million plus in construction funds, and a site has already been chosen at West Gwinnett and I-16 in the planned Canal Historic District. I thought preliminary design, seating capacity and market analysis had already been done. But apparently I was wrong.

[bellhead]

Originally Posted by CoastalGAGuy

An outdoor facility would be cool, but pretty uncomfortable during muggy Summer evenings, and highly susceptible to disruption from our often stormy evening weather, which, as we all know, can get pretty severe.

MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre at the Florida State Fairgrounds | Latest Events and Tickets

http://www.ticketmaster.com/MIDFLORI...a/venue/107257

Tampa Florida, which compares to us.

I think the 12k seating is right at the low end to draw a national act, I don't think we are a big enough market to support 2nd tier acts but we could. Think about what bringing an extra million visitors in for concerts would do? I do not think an arena will do this, but a large amphitheater would.

Syracuse NY is debating building a 17,500 for $50 million on a lake there. I honestly think this is the way to go, for around half the costs we can get a facility which will allow us to draw national acts 10 months a year and will boost overall tourism and business in the downtown area.

[barrygale]

It seems it never ends in this city, study after study, delay after delay. I would like the architects and construction companies that are going to bid on this job, to come up with some ideas so that we can see what they think and save the $175K.

[912]

Originally Posted by bellhead

MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre at the Florida State Fairgrounds | Latest Events and Tickets

http://www.ticketmaster.com/MIDFLORI...a/venue/107257

Tampa Florida, which compares to us.

I think the 12k seating is right at the low end to draw a national act, I don't think we are a big enough market to support 2nd tier acts but we could. Think about what bringing an extra million visitors in for concerts would do? I do not think an arena will do this, but a large amphitheater would.

Syracuse NY is debating building a 17,500 for $50 million on a lake there. I honestly think this is the way to go, for around half the costs we can get a facility which will allow us to draw national acts 10 months a year and will boost overall tourism and business in the downtown area.

While facilities play a role, so does location, income levels and historic support. Savannah has poor facilities and also happens to be wedged in between Charleston & Jax...and to a lesser extent, Augusta; all of which attract touring acts & have much higher metro populations vs. Savannah. I think even with a new arena, due to our area's history of not supporting concerts, we'll still get left behind & not on tour calendars. I also think the location for the new arena is horrid. I can see muggings spike in that area. Unless there is a plan to return the original square that the Civic Center sits on to its original glory, maybe the money would be better spent on renovating the current space. I don't believe in "build it & they will come", especially when tax dollars are on the hook.

[Newsboy]

As far as design and size wise, they say the new Savannah arena will be similar to the Arena at Gwinnett Center in Duluth which has been enormously successful. Of course, there's always almost 1 million people in Gwinnett County alone so...

Gwinnett Center :: Home

Still... I'm good friends with a former manager of the Savannah Civic Center who was VERY VERY successful at booking and selling large national acts here. All if takes is the right kind of know-how, industry connections and MARKETING!!! Add to that the fact that Savannah is only getting bigger. You can't really compare now to the past, especially when we don't even hace a facility capable of taking us to the next level. Just like the Trade and Convention Center across the river, oftentimes you do indeed MUST BUILD IT for them to come.

Imagine if people had this same attitude 22 years ago when the city built the new airport? THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A FEW MIJUTES PLEASE!! Otherwise we'd still be stuck with that tiny little terminal tucked over there between the Gulf Stream buildings with only 3 gates.

[bellhead]

Originally Posted by 912

While facilities play a role, so does location, income levels and historic support. Savannah has poor facilities and also happens to be wedged in between Charleston & Jax...and to a lesser extent, Augusta; all of which attract touring acts & have much higher metro populations vs. Savannah. I think even with a new arena, due to our area's history of not supporting concerts, we'll still get left behind & not on tour calendars. I also think the location for the new arena is horrid. I can see muggings spike in that area. Unless there is a plan to return the original square that the Civic Center sits on to its original glory, maybe the money would be better spent on renovating the current space. I don't believe in "build it & they will come", especially when tax dollars are on the hook.

We have more than 25k college students within one hour of the city, so there is a perfect target audience. The current location sucks mainly because of the public housing community that is right down the street. The ideal location would be to tear down the public housing just east of the historic distric and put it there.

[Airforceguy]

The latest article from Bill Dawers regarding the arena project. I agree with him that the current civic center site should be redeveloped into a mixed-use development. That land is probably the most valuable piece of land in the region, besides the Savannah Landing site...
CITY TALK: Restoring Oglethorpe plan should be part of arena project | BiS | Business in Savannah News