Macon-Bibb County and Barton Malow + Sheridan Construction are inviting subcontractors, vendors, and suppliers interested in working on the new Macon Arena to its second information and pre-qualifying registration session. The event will be held on November 17 from 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. at the Macon Centreplex (200 Coliseum Drive).

They are encouraging all firms and companies interested in being involved in this historic project to attend, including SLBE, MBE, WBE, and DBE. Registration is not required for attendance, but it is encouraged. More information can be found here: https://www.bartonmalow.com/about-us/outreach/the-new-macon-project/.

During the session, vendors will be provided with information regarding specific bid packages (listed below), including when the bids will go out, how to get prequalified, and who the direct contacts are on the project. They will also learn more about other upcoming vendor and supplier opportunities.  

“Meeting in person lets firms talk directly with the project team, ask questions, and understand how their capabilities fit the size and needs of the project,” says Kim Brown, Supplier Engagement Specialist II with Barton Malow. “It’s also a chance to network with other contractors and vendors, which can lead to teaming and second-tier opportunities that a website posting wouldn’t create.”

“This arena won’t be just a venue, it will be a destination and major economic engine that creates opportunities, attracts visitors, and keeps our city competitive for years to come,” said Macon-Bibb Mayor Lester Miller. “Along with the Atrium Health Amphitheater and recently renovated Macon City Auditorium, we are changing the entire entertainment, event, and sports landscape for the region and state.”

Macon-Bibb County’s Office of Small Business Affairs (OSBA) is supporting the program by reaching out to all current Macon-Bibb vendors to make them aware of the event and the upcoming opportunity to be part of the project. It will also provide opportunities at the information session to learn about becoming a vendor with Macon-Bibb County.

“A project of this magnitude is very rare for our entire region, and we want to make sure our local, small, and minority businesses have every chance to make a competitive bid,” says OSBA Director Charise Stephens-Merriweather. “With these sessions, we are engaging with them from the very beginning and along the entire journey to give them a chance to be part of some amazing.”

Current Bid Packages

About the Macon Arena

For nearly 60 years, the Macon Coliseum was where people from Macon, Middle Georgia, and the entire state created memories. Now, it’s time to give the community, the region, and the state a venue that is built for today and for tomorrow…one that will give new generations a place to make those same memories. The new Macon Arena is slated to open in late 2028.

“From visitors to athletes to entertainers to staff…we’ve thought about them all in this design,” says Mayor Lester Miller. “This will be a great experience for any person walking through the doors.”

The Arena includes a seating bowl that has the flexibility to reconfigure for different concert arrangements, sporting events, competitions, family entertainment, community programming, conventions, and other entertainment events. Premium seating — comprised of luxury suites, club suites, and loge boxes — will be provided in addition to the bowl capacity. Capacity will vary based on the event being hosted, with max capacity being realized with a center stage concert and using the flex hall for 12,298 people.

Outdoor plazas and gathering spaces provide additional opportunities for festivals, performances, watch parties, and civic celebrations. An approximately 35,000-square-foot flex hall will be attached to provide ancillary program space, including capacity for an additional ice sheet, tradeshows, conferences, and various high school sporting events.

The flowing lines of the exterior are meant to replicate the flow of the Ocmulgee River, and the alignment of the facility is a direct line to the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park. Along its side, you’ll find lines representing a musical staff, and underneath the lip of the roof are lines representing a record. There will be dedicated space inside the building for the Macon Sports Hall of Fame, recognizing the athletic heroes of our past and providing space for those of our future.

When designing the seating, the ability to see well from every seat was considered. A study was conducted to help ensure maximum visibility from every seat for any type of event being held. Premium clubs, suites, terraces, and city facing gathering spaces create memorable destinations throughout the venue, and a signature spectator bridge offers a one-of-a-kind vantage point for inside the arena and of the city itself.