Sunday marks Savannah’s Enmarket Arena one-year anniversary

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Savannah’s Enmarket Arena is celebrating its one-year anniversary Sunday.

Following years of planning and some delays in opening the venue staff welcomed the public in Sunday to celebrate the milestone.

Now after hosting 325,000 fans and 20 sold out shows, Savannah’s mayor says the venue is bringing a boost in business.

“We’ve already turned, at least, a profit for the first year. We’re waiting to see what those figures look like. More importantly, again, it’s a facility on the westside of Savannah that everyone can be proud of,” Savannah Mayor Van Johnson said.

To celebrate the arena hosted family activities Sunday looking back at some of the shows from the past year.

“And you see me, I’m wet. So, I’m getting dunked. All the proceeds for that going to the Frank Callen Boys & Girls Club as well,” Enmarket Arena G.M. Monty Jones Jr. said.

As arena officials celebrated the first year they also looked ahead.

GM Monty Jones junior says new parking areas are almost complete following delays in spaces when the venue first opened.

“I would say we’re about 70-75%. So, we’re looking to get to that 100%,” Jones said.

Jones also praising the multi-million dollar taxpayer-funded facility for being a public gathering space.

“This is a community building. It’s not my building. It’s not the mayor’s building. It’s not city council’s building. It’s the people of Savannah’s building. So that’s what we have to support,” Jones said.

And while Mayor Johnson says the arena has proven successful he also says development on Savannah’s westside won’t stop here.

“We have only begun what this arena district will mean as we continue to build out the surrounding area,” Mayor Van Johnson said.

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