Augusta Coliseum Authority approves contract for hockey team
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - On Tuesday, Augusta’s Coliseum Authority approved a contract for a hockey team to come to the garden city.
The contract with the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) will help form a new team for the first time in more than a decade.
We spoke with officials behind the new arena and a player about what this means moving forward.
Leaders say this is an example of things continuing to move forward for the new James Brown Arena.
Demolition is moving along as leaders say demolition is about 75% of the way finished.
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And with the addition of moving forward with professional hockey, leaders say it will be a real return for taxpayers once Augusta’s new addition to the skyline comes to fruition.
Hockey is one step closer to becoming a reality in Augusta.
As a former Augusta Lynx player John Whitwell says he can already imagine what downtown will turn into once the first puck drops.
“You can’t even describe it, how exciting it is when you’ve got, you know, 8 to 10 thousand people just going crazy,” said Whitwell. “As a player, it’s so much fun.”
With the coliseum authority approving the contract to form a new ECHL team, it’s now up to the league to approve the final details.
Leaders behind the construction of the new James Brown Arena say taxpayers are getting one step closer to seeing a real return in their investment.
“That’s 36 extra dates a year that you’ll be able to come down and enjoy the arena, plus that if you make it to the playoffs even further on, you know, more than 36 days,” said Brian Martin, general manager for Facilities OVG. “So that’s the economic impact for downtown Augusta.”
“Augusta owns this building,” said Brad Usry, Augusta Richmond County Coliseum Authority vice chair. “This is the people’s building, and so this going to make this building more successful.”
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Even without hockey in the equation, Whitwell says bringing ice to the new arena could spark a new love for ice-related activities for Augusta families to enjoy for generations.
“I want to get involved in coaching the kids and, you know, growing the game at a grassroots level,” said Whitwell. “So that, to me, that’s the most exciting thing, is having that, you know, the youth hockey and the figure skating and everything else that comes with a community rink.”
It’s a project a couple more years down the line to fully defrost into the dream Whitwell and many others are excited for.
“When we get to that point where we’ve got, you know, a full building, and everybody excited to be there, and just the energy around the around the building is going to be so much fun, I don’t think I can really describe how it’s going to mean to me,” said Whitwell.
Leaders say the demolition should wrap up by the end of February with work on the foundation of the new area starting in May
Coliseum authority leaders say demolition should be complete by the end of February, with foundation work looking to get started in May.
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