Augusta officials back $15M more for new James Brown Arena

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Progress on the new James Brown Arena continues. Wednesday in Augusta Commission committee meetings, an additional $15 million worth of funding passed as well as a request for a bond referendum that you’ll vote on in November.

We told you last week the Coliseum Authority passed a bond resolution to receive $15 million early in order to keep the arena progress on schedule. That will still need to be passed through the full commission next week before they receive the money, but it passed unanimously through committee Wednesday.

Also passing unanimously the authority’s request for a bond referendum on the ballot in November. That ask the city to issue up to $240 million in bonds to complete the project. Authority Chairman Cedric Johnson says the fate of the JBA depends on your vote in November

“We’d have to go back to the drawing board, to see what we’d do because right now, we’re up to a point that our next phase is construction and we need those funds to start construction,” said Johnson.

Johnson says he doesn’t expect they’ll need a full $240 million from the city to complete the project. But within the next 30 days they’ll have a better idea of an exact number.

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