James Brown Arena

James Brown Arena (formerly known as Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center) is a multi-purpose complex located in Augusta, Georgia. It is managed by Spectra Experiences.

James Brown Arena
Former namesAugusta-Richmond County Civic Center (1980–2006)
Location601 7th Street
Augusta, GA 30901
OwnerAugusta / Richmond County Coliseum Authority
OperatorGlobal Spectrum
Capacity9,167
6,557 (hockey)
7,255 (basketball)
Construction
Broke ground1968
Opened1974 (Exhibition hall)
January 24, 1980 (Arena)[1]
Construction cost$11 million[2]
($57 million in 2019 dollars[3])
ArchitectPei Cobb Freed & Partners
Holroyd, Johnson, Hughes, Beattie & Davis[4]
Structural engineerLeMessurier Associates[4]
Services engineerCosentini Associates LLP[4]
Tenants
Augusta Lynx (ECHL) (1998–2008)
Augusta Stallions (af2) (2000–2002)
Augusta Spartans (AIFL/WIFL) (2006–2007)
Augusta RiverHawks (SPHL) (2010–2013)
James Brown Arena in 2017

It features an 8,000 seat arena, renamed the James Brown Arena, in honor of musician James Brown on August 22, 2006. The complex also features a 2,800 seat theater, the William B. Bell Auditorium, and a 14,500-square-foot (1,350 m2) exhibit hall that opens into a 23,000-square-foot (2,100 m2) arena floor.

The James Brown Arena is the former home of the ECHL's Augusta Lynx from 1998–2008, the AF2's Augusta Stallions from 2000–2002, Augusta Spartans from 2006-2007, and the Southern Professional Hockey League's Augusta RiverHawks from 2010–2013.

The Arena hosted UFC 11.

The arena has also hosted many concerts and pro wrestling events, including ECW's December to Dismember in 2006. Many bands have played the arena including Van Halen, Rush, Heart, Bob Seger, REO Speedwagon, KISS, Bon Jovi, Molly Hatchet, John Cougar, Kansas, Charlie Daniels Band, Alabama, Blackfoot, Mother's Finest, Ratt, Mötley Crüe, Def Leppard, Cheap Trick, Marshall Tucker Band, and Loverboy.

The center-hung Fair Play scoreboard dates to the arena's opening in 1980, and in recent years has been joined by additional scoreboards and a Trans-Lux LED video display which can be found at each end of the arena.

Incidents

In late February 2013, the arena's ice system malfunctioned, causing all of the arena's ice to melt. As a result, following the playing of the remaining 2012-13 regular season games at the RiverHawks practice facility, the Augusta RiverHawks suspended operations for the 2013-14 season. After team owner Bob Kerzner, the city of Augusta, and Global Spectrum failed to reach an agreement on how to replace the $1.2 million ice system, Kerzner and the SPHL announced that the RiverHawks would move to Macon and resume play as the Macon Mayhem for the 2015-16 SPHL season.[5][6]

See also

References
  1. "Center Opening". Waycross Journal. January 12, 1980.
  2. "Civic Center Hope of Downtown, Says Charlotte Coliseum Official". The Rock Hill Herald. July 2, 1973.
  3. Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-03-07. Retrieved 2011-09-23.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. Seibel, Ron. "Macon Mayhem to hit ice in 2015". Macon Telegraph. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
  6. "SPHL Approves RiverHawks' Move To Macon, GA For 2015-2016 Season". The SPHL. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
Events and tenants
Preceded by
Fair Park Arena
Dothan Civic Center		 Ultimate Fighting Championship venue
UFC 11
UFC 13		 Succeeded by
Fair Park Arena
Boutwell Memorial Auditorium

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