As Macon-Bibb County moves into a new year, The Macon Newsroom previews 25 things to look for in 2025. The five-part series will publish on Dec. 24, 26, 30 and Jan. 1 and 3 and includes a variety stories from government, industry, education, business, arts and entertainment.
Otis Redding Center for the Arts to open in spring
By spring, the bronze statue of Otis Redding sitting by the dock of the bay will grace a tranquil water feature at the corner of Cherry Street and Cotton Avenue at the new Otis Redding Center for the Arts.
Redding’s grandson, Justin Andrews, led the Macon Arts Alliance on a sneak preview of the nearly completed 15,000-square-foot performing arts facility with state-of-the-art recording studios, classrooms, practice rooms and outdoor amphitheater.
“It was a team effort,” Andrews said of the new facility expected to open by the end of March to hone the artistic talents of folks ages 5 and up.
The building was designed by Riggs Ward, the interdisciplinary studio that combines science, technology, museology, architecture, urban planning and history into its projects that include Macon’s Capricorn Studios.
Stacked artificial stone, floating floors, thick doors and angled walls create soundproof environments for the creation of music.
“How this whole room is designed was constantly based off of sound, and how sound travels and how it will sound when mixing and mastering occur,” Andrews said during the tour.
All of the rooms are digitally connected so music recorded in the studios, five practice rooms or seven classrooms feeds into the control room.
Age appropriate lounges are available for the young creatives to take a break or relax in the sensory room designed for those with special needs.
The stage for the outdoor amphitheater is inside the building, but retractable windows on both sides allow for indoor events during inclement weather.
One of the facility’s show-stoppers will be the lobby’s interactive gallery funded by the Knight Foundation.
“There will be a row of interactive kiosks sitting along this wall with specialty designed programs to the (Otis Redding) foundation — remixing Otis Redding music, making your own CD cases, making your own kind of press kits, anything of that nature we’ll be able to do with this,” Andrews said.
All of the facility’s smartboards and creative technology programs give students the capability of emailing themselves unfinished projects to continue in another location.
On the front corner of the modern building, hundreds of guitar pick shapes are cut in blue metal that frames the backlit sign.
“We wanted to make it something to stand out,” Andrews said.
Macon Arts Alliance’s executive director Julie Wilkerson said it compliments downtown’s historic building.
“I think it fits right in. Everything can’t look the same,” Wilkerson said.
The building was a big hit with her board of directors.
“It’s phenomenal,” Lea McQueen said.
“It’s incredible,” Yvonne Gabriel agreed.
Visit Macon preps for national park, sports tourism
Visit Macon is sprucing up its welcome mat in anticipation of the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historic Park becoming Georgia’s first national park in the first half of 2025.
Director of Visitor Services Kim Chambliss said the lobby of the Visitor Center at 450 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. will undergo a makeover in early 2025.
A new Ocmulgee display and desk are included in the renovation project that is expected to be completed by the end of January.
The Visitor Center also is selling its first 12-month calendar just in time to pencil in next year’s occasions, events and dates for upcoming sports tournaments.
There will be more entries in spring and summer as Visit Macon is upping its sports tourism marketing game in 2025.
Rhythm & Rally at Macon Mall, the world’s largest indoor pickleball facility, hosts the World Pickleball Tour’s Annual Amateur Invitational Championship Jan.16-20.
In his first three months on the job, Sports Development Manager Alex Wood secured 14 baseball and softball tournaments in Macon between March and July..
The U.S. Intercollegiate Boxing Association could book at least 510 room nights as they are eying the Wilson Convention Center for the National Tournament March 26-29.
Downtown BID lighting last alley, plans for new playground
A recent grant from Georgia Power will help NewTown Macon’s downtown Business Improvement District, or BID, complete its project in 2025 to better illuminate downtown alleyways.
In 2022, NewTown launched a $150,000 lighting project to make people feel safer when crossing downtown.
At the BID’s December meeting, NewTown’s Vice President of Development Erin Keller briefed the board on the status of the project.
“Georgia power donated $15,000, so we’re able to finish the last leg of the alley light project, Mulberry Street Lane,” Keller said
Lighting will be installed in the alley between Cotton Avenue and First Street in this phase of the project.
Property owners in downtown’s Central Business Districts agreed to pay more tax money to upgrade services on those streets.
The BID contracts with Block by Block to provide ambassadors to help keep streets tidy and assist downtown visitors.
Into the new year the ambassadors will continue their new schedule of working Sundays to make sure downtown is clear of any trash from weekend revelry and ready for the after-church brunch crowds.
Another project on the horizon includes planning for a family-friendly park in the median of Third Street, southwest of Cherry Street.
Keller said the playground, which is featured in the Macon Action Plan XL, will cater to downtown residents and visitors. In 2025, the BID will determine cost estimates for the project which will dictate how they proceed.
New traffic signal coming to Sardis Church Road
South Bibb County neighbors who worry about truck traffic on Sardis Church Road are getting what they asked for — a new signal light at Frank Amerson Pkwy.
The Macon-Bibb County Industrial Authority agreed to jointly fund the traffic light with the Love’s Truck Stop at that corner.
Developers planning to build a new 7-Eleven fueling center with truck parking across Sardis Church Road from Love’s also raised concerns about vehicles trying to get in and out of their property at the Macon-Bibb County Planning & Zoning Commission meeting in October.
The Industrial Authority approved the $419,000 signal light project at its December meeting.
Authority Chairman Robby Fountain said it makes good sense to install the traffic light because of increasing traffic from the authority’s Interstate 75 Business Park.
About a year ago, YKK AP opened its new manufacturing facility in the industrial park not far from Tractor Supply and Love’s.
“Obviously it’ll be a tremendous asset to our park with YKK coming in and the truck traffic they’re bringing in, and obviously Tractor Supply along with people coming in from Love’s off the interstate, obviously a very congested area,” Fountain said. “We’ve heard that from our neighbors out there in south Bibb off of the Sardis Church exchange. And, obviously the concern to them is the safety of the trucks coming in and out. So, this is just us hearing what the community said and us trying to be good corporate partners and citizens.”
The authority expects it to take about nine months to work with the Georgia Department of Transportation to get the traffic light installed.
Mayor Miller begins second term but might not be his last
As Macon-Bibb County Mayor Lester Miller’s second term begins, he’s eying a third.
On social media, Miller floated the idea of seeking a charter revision but would need approval from state lawmakers during the upcoming legislative session beginning in January.
In the consolidation charter, county commissioners can serve three, four-year terms, but the mayor is limited to two terms.
State Senator John Kennedy said they will look into it and other local legislative priorities.
During December’s Ask Mayor Miller program, the mayor said hopes local legislators will respect the county commission’s request to alter term limits.
The mayor said has so many projects on the horizon that he might need a third term.
“We still have a lot to do because we’re just now starting the airport, so, that’s a job in itself and they’re going to start. We just awarded that bid and someone will start getting to work on that in the next month and we’re very excited about that, as well,” Miller said.
The Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce plans “Macon Day” at the Capitol on Feb. 19 with a lawmaker reception at the Georgia Freight Depot.
— Civic Journalism Senior Fellow Liz Fabian covers Macon-Bibb County government entities for The Macon Newsroom and can be reached at [email protected] or [email protected].
