The mayor of Macon-Bibb County wants the public’s patience when it comes to major economic development projects, fighting blight, combatting violence and curbing homelessness.
At Macon Mall, Mayor Lester Miller expects to announce a job-creating project by the end of February in Phase 2 of the county reimagining the sprawling shopping center that was once Georgia’s largest indoor mall. (11:56 into video)
In the first Ask Mayor Miller program of 2026, multiple people asked when new stores will be opening on the property that is half-owned by Macon-Bibb County and Hull Property Group. (16:17)
“The Macon Mall is not going to be the retail mecca that we remember back in the 80s. Just go ahead and get that out of your mind. It’s not going to happen. We have to reimagine what it really could be,” Miller said.
Miller also received inquiries about revitalizing Presidential Parkway that has vacant storefronts. (18:20)
Many of the stores that left for other locations are still paying out their leases and the owner is paying property taxes, he said.
“We’re making millions of dollars in tax revenue there. It’s serving people there. It’s not going to be the Presidential Parkway when Target was there. Get that out of your mind,” Miller said.
Foundational issues with the Target building caused the popular store to close, he said.
“Target didn’t shut down just because of crime. That’s just a lie. I mean, I don’t know what better way to say it, it’s just a lie. You don’t close down a multi-million dollar business for some shopliftings when you’ve got Walmart right across the street that has the same challenge that continues to operate and expand.”
Miller noted 150,000 people were drawn to the mall since the renovation, 11 new businesses opened and the Eisenhower corridor area outpaced tax digest growth over other sectors of town.
In some cases, property owners could be holding onto vacant properties expecting they will be worth more as the area grows, he said.
Plans also are being finalized for the county to announce new development near the Atrium Health Amphitheater in the coming weeks.
“I think we’ll have some huge news about the Mall, something involving J.C. Penney’s perhaps and maybe some future projects and some monies there,” Miller said. “I’m very excited about the future there. It takes time, right? The building sat there for 10 years, nobody did anything. All of a sudden, we’re doing something and people want us to do more.”
In public submissions for the January program, Bernice Minter said she supports a casino in Macon “because of the new jobs and revenue advantages needed for our city.” (14:08)
“What I would tell her is, stay tuned for February, some things may change that she may be excited about. Certainly, I think a casino is going to come to Georgia sooner or later, right? They’re going to other states. People are already betting.”
Miller, who is on the Legislative Policy Committee of the Georgia Municipal Association, said he sees momentum shifting with multiple gubernatorial candidates supporting legal gambling in Georgia.
“But I think chances are pretty good in the next couple of years, you’re going to have some of that going on in Georgia, like it or not,” he said.
Taxes and term limits
Miller’s local legislative priority is to secure a referendum for the proposed senior citizen property tax exemptions.
Georgia law currently allows for a $7,000 exemption on a primary residence, but Miller’s plan gives an extra $10,000 exemption at age 65, an additional $15,000 exemption at age 75 and no property taxes levied on those at least 85 years old.
Miller is watching to see what happens with a proposed charter change to allow the mayor to serve three terms, the same as commissioners, but District 25’s Sen. David Lucas’s version gives commissioners unlimited terms.
On social media, he has floated the idea of running for higher office as this is a gubernatorial election year with statewide races.
“Certainly I don’t necessarily want to leave in the middle of my term, but at some point in time, when that door closes, I have to make some real decisions,” Miller said. “There’s lots of options. It’s not just governor, but if the door closes on a third term, quite honestly, that means my term as mayor is going to be over, and if I want to continue to serve the people of Macon Bibb County, I may have to do so in another capacity.”
Miller admitted he would be millions of dollars behind in fundraising if he entered the governor’s race and said he wants to serve as mayor as long as he can.
Blight, development, protests
Valerie Sams, who grew up in the Cherokee Heights neighborhood, asked the mayor about the blight in that area along Hillcrest Avenue, Roy and W. Green streets and Hawkins Ave. (27:04)
Miller encouraged Sams to report blight to See, Click, Fix so that Code Enforcement can be aware of the issues. The county has made great strides in neighborhood revitalization in Beall’s Hill, near Houston Avenue and plans 100 new homes around Napier Heights, he said.
The blight list started at 2,400 buildings and 800 have been demolished to date, he noted.
“We continue to work that process, but now we’re more about rebuilding,” Miller said.
The mayor expects the county to soon demolish the old Secretary of State’s building off Coliseum Drive to make way for future East Bank Development, and take down the Higgins Building behind the Bibb County Jail for a new parking lot as construction begins on the maximum security wing. Warren Associates is working on a quote for the jail expansion, which is expected to be about $25 million as a temporary fix before a new $400 million law enforcement center can be built. (8:12)
By the end of the first quarter of 2026, Miller expects to have an estimate on the new Macon Arena project that is set to break ground in the summer. (9:42)
He expects the adjacent Marriott City Center hotel to change ownership, possibly retaining the franchise and allowing the county to control convention center booking. (11:17) The Coliseum is expected to be torn down and the Wilson Convention Center may eventually be razed to make way for new facilities to complement the arena.
Miller said proposed plans for a new V.A. Medical Center along Emery Highway would boost commercial businesses and battle blight in that sector of east Macon.
In light of the national turmoil over Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Miller said Macon is a loving community that will rally for social justice concerns, but does so peacefully. (3:52)
“I want to do everything I can as mayor to make sure that all of our citizens are protected. At the same time, we’re going to follow whatever law is in place and whatever demands are placed upon us by the federal and state governments,” he said.
Some local organizers have complained they cannot secure affordable insurance for rallies in public parks. Insurance is necessary from a county liability standpoint, he said. (5:10)
“If (insurance companies are) charging a lot of money or you can’t afford it, it’s because they’ve had some issues on the national level, for bad things happen at these rallies. So I’d say, take the politics out of it. Take the rally out of it. Just do a pop up protest. You don’t have to draw a lot of attention to yourself and talk on microphones,” Miller said.
Without private insurance, taxpayers would foot the bill for any liability the county would incur if someone was injured or killed, but if the insurance continues to be a hardship, Miller said he would reevaluate the policy.
Although the county saw an uptick in homicides in recent weeks, overall numbers are down and authorities continue to address these sporadic spikes in crime. (6:48)
“We’re still down since 2022 over about 60% in our homicides, our violent crimes are down. Our crime level is down,” he said.
The city’s Macon Violence Prevention program just awarded more than a dozen grants to nonprofit organizations that Miller said are having an impact on reducing crime.
Send questions for the next Ask Mayor Miller to [email protected] and we’ll get some answers in late February.
— Civic Journalism Senior Fellow Liz Fabian covers Macon-Bibb County government entities for The Macon Newsroom and can be reached at [email protected] or by calling 478-301-2976.
