That today is a very historical day for
making Bibb County not just for me,
'cause I look around this area today.
I know all of you have special
relationships with the making mall.
Now I hear this myth.
This story about making.
Is a tale of two cities.
I can tell you today.
That ends.
We have a very big
vibrant downtown Macon and I wouldn't
change it for anything in the world.
It's the heartbeat of our community.
Don't get mad.
It creates a lot of taxpayers.
It's going to tourism.
It's a vibrant part of making
Bibb County and it's going to
continue to grow and prosper.
We have a very attractive.
Asset called North Macon.
Which is going to continue to get bigger,
better and stronger.
But we must not forget about
all the other wonderful areas
we have here in making Bitcoin.
South Bend County, Bloomfield.
This area has always been my home.
And if you haven't noticed,
now I have a passion for this area.
And a connection to this area.
I want to see it grow and prosper.
I know it can grow and prosper
not just for this area.
But for all of Macon, Bibb County.
We're in the center of our community today.
A place that we can't avoid.
A piece of place we cannot run from.
A place,
a place that still needs assets love.
Money. Respect.
We are surrounded by two great
educational institutions.
Central Georgia Technical College,
just across the street,
is going to play a very important
part to revitalization of this area.
Middle Georgia State University.
We have four or five inches here.
We have two interstates
within a few miles here.
What I'm telling you today.
Is this area is getting ready to explode?
It's nothing that I am doing.
It's nothing that one person can do.
Is what we can do together
working together? As one.
Yes, there's going to be those naysayers.
I can imagine they may be sitting
home now talking about some things.
About security and safety.
We're going to address that.
Maybe talking about how all the
business that used to be in this
location are now somewhere else.
We got plenty of room for all kinds
of businesses and making Bitcoin.
We got good jobs.
I can create it right here.
I live on Eisenhower Parkway.
I need some more places to go eat.
Where someone can wait on me for a change.
I shouldn't have to travel to Warner Robins.
I shouldn't have to drive all
the way across the north making.
I should have opportunities right here in
the Community that I live that I love.
And that come from.
Now today I'm going to preface my remarks.
On a couple of things for these naysayers.
Number one. Not one additional.
Tax, penny we say that again,
not one additional tax penny.
Will go into developing this project.
This is a public private. Project.
This is a relationship that would not happen,
but for the cooperation of many people,
including great partners like
the Urban Development Authority.
Couldn't great partners that you'll hear from
today from Central Georgia Technical College.
Great partners like Jamie Arnold,
whose fault for the bid?
Great partners like our
Commissioner Al Tillman,
who this is his district
and that's why is he here.
Then you'll speak from here from him.
Great partners like Jim Hall.
Who currently owns to make him all?
This doesn't happen in a bubble.
Great partners like these Commissioners,
as you see here today who who are
supportive and behind our mission to
bring everyone together and make it
so we get all move forward together.
So I told you not one penny.
Of your tax dollars,
additional tax dollars going to go
through 'cause I don't want people to say.
I saw some news article earlier that
that the mayor and Commissioners
are buying them, making more.
We're not buying them, making money.
OK, we're not buying to make a mall.
I want you to know. That this area
that you're looking at now these 75
acres were on loan outside of all
these parcels you see around us.
This time next year. He's going to
have $100 million invested in it.
So just a second, I'm gonna have
these guys turn around these,
this, this little cardboard.
That we have just to kind
of show you an illustration.
But when people think about
making Georgia a lot of times,
what do you think about you?
Think about our musical heritage, right?
Yeah. You think about Otis Redding.
Little Richard, The Allman Brothers.
Many many, many people don't
want to leave anyone out.
You think about that rich musical heritage,
but yet what do we lose?
The Music Hall of Fame.
How disgraceful for a community of ourselves.
Well, that's coming back. Rabbits.
This area here. It's
going to be revived. It's going to
start with our musical heritage,
so this time you return those maps around.
Ladies and gentlemen,
what do you see in front of you?
Is a revitalization?
Of the Eisenhower corridor.
And if I may,
if you look at that large green space,
that's where you're at right now.
That's where you're seated at.
Where you are seated today.
In less than 18 months you'll
be watching the band performed,
but the 10,000 people in amphitheater.
By all indications that we the
second largest Amphitheatre
in all the state of Georgia.
And it will complement the centreplex,
the Colosseum, the auditorium and
all the other venues we have.
'cause we know that making is
a music capital of the world.
We know that we're getting
back on the map today,
but we're not going to start there.
If you look just outside of
where you're seeing that today,
you're going to see some skyboxes.
You'll save about 7000 long chairs,
you'll see about 2000, covers,
seatings that'll be permanent.
You'll see a dance floor that
people can stand up, bring up it,
or you can have 40 tables.
At 10 people take would have
a event that you want to,
and you'll see a one of a
kind stage right there.
You'll see a restaurant right behind
here where people can enjoy the
music and also have have a time for
fellowship and for food and drink.
But we are at the Macon Mall,
right?
So we have to sometimes re imagine
what we're going to do.
So take for you will the the
current model situation we have.
We understand that there are
challenges for indoor malls
all across the United States.
For residents for retail.
But we still have to maintain that footprint.
So what you're going to see
in the very near future?
Are government offices
and part of this mall.
You guys see expanded
retail in this mall.
You'll see more restaurants in this mall.
We potentially see some film
in this mall. You may be
at the site now of the largest
pickleball indoor facility
that we have in those models.
I don't say that out of gas we've been
talking to folks. It's gonna happen.
We're going to make this happen just
out of this interest where you'll come
into this amphitheater, you're going
to see what we call a Battery Park.
You'll see those areas there if you look
through E when you go through that Plaza.
There you'll see all those
areas or buildings there.
That's where people can eat and drink and
be merry and come together as communities.
We all know that music
brings people together.
All races, all nationalities,
people enjoy music is something that
will bring this community together
and I'm looking forward to it.
So we know. That financially,
we're going to be in good shape
on this project.
Again, all the naysayers out there.
None.
Your additional tax dollars
will be going to this.
Because everybody who pays rent in
this building will fund this project.
We will have the rent rolls to pay
for this project without having
to use your tax dollars to do so.
And we will reinvest that money
into our community.
And everybody who purchases a
ticket to watch watch an event.
And this amphitheatres you're sitting at.
There will be a fee there,
and that fee will make sure that
we have the adequate security
that's needed for this entire
area to make sure it thrives.
It continues to attract businesses.