The new Enmarket Arena site in west Savannah is abuzz with activity this week as crews work to put the finishing touches on the facility. The activity will continue this weekend as the long-awaited arena finally opens its doors to the community.
It's been more than 20 years since discussions first began about building a new arena, two years since the shovels hit the ground at 620 Stiles Ave. and more than three weeks since the initial opening was delayed.
Monty Jones Jr., arena general manager with Oak View Group (OVG), which manages the arena, said he is both anxious and excited to be at the finish line.
“It's kind of like when you have a long day at work, and then you're able to go home and just sit down - that kind of the feeling,” he said.
The opening delay allowed time for the area’s COVID-19 cases to decline and for construction materials and supplies, which had been held up by supply chain issues, to arrive, Jones said.
“Looking at all those opportunities allowed us to be better situated for the community to also come in and showcase what a great facility this will be,” he said.
Credit: Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News
Credit: Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News
On Saturday the community will get the first chance to see the new 149,000-square-foot arena during a City of Savannah-hosted Community Day from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. The event is free and will feature live music, free and for purchase food, games and tours. The first ticketed event, a Riley Green concert, is planned for Sunday.
The concept of the arena dates back to 1996 after Savannah City Council ordered a feasibility study on the deficiencies of the then 28-year-old Savannah Civic Center.
The years that followed brought special-purpose local-option sales tax funding, a 2005 master plan for a westside facility, various sites for consideration and several additional studies.
In 2016 council finally voted to build the arena at the current site and two years later approved a $8.8 million design contract and $11.2 million construction management contract for the arena.
In 2019 council inked a $87,500 management contract with OVG and work began soon after. Along with OVG, other groups involved in the project include lead construction and engineering firm AECOM Hunt, design firm Perkins & Will and various subcontractors.
“We’re celebrating what took us 20 years,” Mayor Van Johnson said Tuesday.
“Twenty years, a lot of money, millions of meetings and a lot of people involved, elected officials, community folks and of course the City of Savannah.”
The $165 million arena project is being funded largely by $142 million in voter-approved special purpose local option sales tax revenues, known as SPLOST.
A look inside
The 9,500-seat arena on Savannah's westside hit several construction milestones in 2021, including the installation of the final truss and enclosure of the roof in April. In May the arena's north, south and east façades were completed and workers moved on to focusing on the interior buildout in June.
Now complete, the arena features numerous luxury suites, loge boxes and an expansive club seating area all with cushy seating and private space to mingle. But outside of these spaces, even the highest seats in the facility won't give you a nose bleed.
“You have the intimate feel, even though it's a big, 9,500-seat capacity arena, you still feel like it's almost like the Johnny Mercer Theater,” Jones said.
Large terraces on the arena's eastside also provide space for visitors to enjoy their experience while taking in views of the Talmadge Bridge and Sthe avannah skyline.
Visitors will have a variety of drink and food options to choose from including numerous bar areas and concessions featuring Enmarket Grab and Go, Savannah’s own 520 Wings and Spanky’s.
Jones said the team wanted to bring the culinary aspects of the city to the arena and is continuing to have conversations to bring more local flavor on board.
Credit: Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News
Credit: Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News
Patrons will need to remember their debit or credit card when they go to get their grub. The arena is a cashless facility, but reverse ATMs that will convert cash to a prepaid debit card that can be used at the facility and anywhere major credit cards are accepted will be located throughout the venue.
Following Green’s concert on Sunday, the arena is set to host a few other events ahead of the highly anticipated Eagles’ Hotel California tour kickoff on Feb. 19. Later in the year comedian John Mulaney will take the stage, followed by the Harlem Globetrotters, Bon Jovi, Jimmy Buffett and Keith Urban.
If you're a sports fan, mark your calendar for October, when the city's first minor league hockey team, the Savannah Ghost Pirates take the ice.
““As we talked from the beginning, we wanted to bring a deep diverse spectrum of entertainment… We're looking at every area that we can that we feel will do great in Savannah,” Jones said, adding that more announcements are coming in the days ahead.
Parking
While the seats are ready for attendees, most of the parking areas around the arena are still under construction.
In December the city announced that while the venue was set to open soon, the two main road projects at Stiles Avenue and Gwinnett Street, along with construction of some of the parking lots, wouldn’t be ready in time.
Last month, the city released a plan to mitigate traffic concerns and keep visitors out of the surrounding neighborhoods.
Credit: City of Savannah
Credit: City of Savannah
The city and OVG are working together to use two church-owned parking lots and eight city properties around the arena until the infrastructure improvements are finished. There will be about 1,600 parking spaces available for the first several events, as well as a designated Uber and Lyft drop-off/pick-up space and a free trolley from the Historic District to incentivize attendees not to drive.
The arena parking garage is available for premium ticket holders and suite holders, and Ticketmaster is also communicating with ticket holders on parking changes.
Jones said the team is continually assessing the parking situation.
“The city and Oak View Group and the other partners, we're all working to make sure this gets situated as best as possible so that people can continue to really enjoy it, from the aspect of as soon as they park to when they leave the venue,” he said.
The arena along with improvements to the surrounding Canal District is one of the biggest projects ever taken on by the City of Savannah and Jones said it's time for the community to get excited.
"I say just be ready for the ride," he said. "It's going to be a joyous ride with every aspect that we're going to be doing and we're, looking for this ride to continue for years and years at this venue."
Katie Nussbaum is the city and county government reporter for the Savannah Morning News. Contact her at knussbaum@savannahnow.com. Twitter: KnussSMN
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: 'Be ready for the ride.' Savannah's Enmarket Arena readies to open doors to community
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