BY MELISSA RUGGIERI
When the Atlanta Braves open their new 53,000 square-foot entertainment complex in 2017, an iconic Atlanta music name will be attached to it.
The 4,000-capacity (at general admission configuration) venue adjacent to SunTrust Park will be christened the Roxy Theatre, in tribute to the Buckhead music venue that closed in 2008 and re-opened two years later as the Buckhead Theatre.
Peter Conlon, president of Live Nation Atlanta, shared promotion duties of the then-Coca Cola Roxy Theatre with longtime business partner Alex Cooley; Conlon and Live Nation have been tapped to steer the new venue in Cobb County.
“They wanted a venue out there, and I came up with the idea that if you want to do something that means something in Atlanta, bring the Roxy back,” Conlon said Thursday afternoon. “We had some great times in there.”
Indeed, the hallowed walls of the 1,200-seat venue witnessed performances from Johnny Cash, Leonard Cohen, Elton John and Lenny Kravitz, among thousands of others.
While it’s too early for Conlon to pinpoint the direction of the new Roxy, he promises it will host multiple genres of concerts, much like The Tabernacle in downtown Atlanta, which Live Nation also operates.
Conlon is involved in the design of the venue and wants to “create a vibe” that fits the environment. He also noted a desire to make sure the building is flexible from a production standpoint given that, “This business is so production-driven now.”
Concerts will primarily take place on non-game nights and Braves brass expect about 40 events per year.
The Roxy Theatre will be situated at the north end of the plaza outside the gates of SunTrust Park.
