James Brown Arena

James Brown Arena
Map
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]
ClosedMay 31, 2024[2]
Construction cost$11 million[3]
($68 million in 2023 dollars[4])
ArchitectPei Cobb Freed & Partners
Holroyd, Johnson, Hughes, Beattie & Davis[5]
Structural engineerLeMessurier Associates[5]
Services engineerCosentini Associates LLP[5]
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

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.

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 to 2008, the AF2's Augusta Stallions from 2000 to 2002, Augusta Spartans from 2006 to 2007, and the Southern Professional Hockey League's Augusta RiverHawks from 2010 to 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 acts have played the arena including Elton John, 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.

  1. ^ "Center Opening". Waycross Journal. January 12, 1980.
  2. ^ Dickherber, Audrey (May 28, 2024). "Bell Auditorium reopens, James Brown Arena closes this week". WRDW. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  3. ^ "Civic Center Hope of Downtown, Says Charlotte Coliseum Official". The Rock Hill Herald. July 2, 1973.
  4. ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c "Pei Cobb Freed & Partners". Archived from the original on 2012-03-07. Retrieved 2011-09-23.