Friday, January 23, 2004

Metro Atlanta is a Stage and Counties are Merely Players

Governments must come together for arts and convention venue planning

By ROBB PITTS
Fulton County Commissioner, District 2, At-Large

A recent article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, “Arts in the Suburbs” (December 8, 2003), compelled me to express my concerns about the number of such projects completed, under construction or planned.

It is true that arts, entertainment and conventions bring a great deal to metro Atlanta communities and the regional economy.  But in bringing these assets to the region, counties and municipalities need to do a better job of coordinating venue development.

Just as we find a growing need to coordinate regional transportation and water services, arts, entertainment, and convention venues also require coordinated development to avoid duplication of services.

The north metro counties of Cobb, Fulton, and Gwinnett are considering, or have recently completed, construction of three separate entertainment facilities.  In addition, the state’s Georgia World Congress Center recently underwent a comprehensive expansion; Atlanta continues to support the Civic Center and Chastain Park Amphitheater; the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra has undertaken construction of a new facility in midtown; and College Park recently completed the new Georgia International Convention Center.  Similar plans are afoot in DeKalb and South Fulton counties.  

The Arena at Gwinnett has capacity for up to 13,000 concertgoers.  The North Fulton Centre for the Arts amphitheater will have seating for 12,000, and the Cobb County Performing Arts Center will seat 3,000 in its main hall.  All of these facilities are located within 30 minutes of each other.

Besides competing with other newly developed facilities, new venues already face competition with established entertainment and convention sites, including the Fox Theater, Chastain Park Amphitheater, Lakewood Hi Fi Buys Amphitheater, the Georgia Dome, and university-based venues such as Spivey Hall at Clayton State and the Ferst Theater at Georgia Tech.

Governments have a great deal to gain by sharing development costs and associated risk for these projects.  The arts and convention businesses are extremely competitive, and ticket-buyers and convention planners wisely care more about maximizing value for their dollar than about which government paid for a facility.

While all involved in these projects have high hopes for success, it remains to be seen if the audiences, concert talent and convention business are available to consistently fill these facilities.

Arts, entertainment, and cultural or convention venues instill a civic pride in a community, but at some point the region will have more facilities than it can realistically support. 

It is, therefore, imperative that leaders from neighboring counties and cities hold meaningful dialogue about long range plans.  With growth increasing, we must look closely and find ways to share resources and build facilities.  Unless all of these venues can book quality acts and conventions, and fill up every time, these projects could take decades to recoup costs.  Even worse, one or more facilities may be forced to close their doors.