In a move to compete with larger cities and newer venues, Augusta officials are studying ways to finance a $65 million state-of-the-art regional arena. A CSRA Regional Development Center study released Friday concludes that the area can sustain a 10,000-to 12,000-seat arena to replace the city's aging Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center, which struggles to pull in big-name entertainment.

The James Brown concert held earlier this month at the Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center sold just 1,700 tickets, not the 3,000 previously reported.

The Augusta Richmond County Coliseum Authority has determined the civic center scoreboard used for Augusta Stallions arena football games is too small and it wants a bigger one.Full story

League targeting hockey cities

Just when it looked as though hot urban-music acts might avoid the Augusta area this summer, a package tour of notable rappers, including headliner Juvenile, whirls into Hurricane Central in Aiken tonight.

Although radio talk show host Austin Rhodes is a little too thorny for my taste, he does provide aservice to the community. He makes it possible for citizens to call in and express their views on any subject without screening the calls. He is willing to point out any corruption he comes across in local politics.

When I hear of the big-name performers who have played Augusta in the past, sometimes I find it hard to believe. Eric Clapton, Smashing Pumpkins, Bob Dylan, Diana Ross, Garth Brooks, Rush, Barry Manilow, the Allman Brothers Band ... the list goes on. After a few years of meltdown, the concert scene in the Garden City showed promising signs of life in 1998. There was Fort Gordon's inaugural Summer Music Festival Aug. 1 featuring modern rock radio gods Third Eye Blind, Eve 6 and Our Lady Peace.

Scott Phillips knew he was destined to be a rock 'n' roll drummer. "That's why I never did homework," said Mr. Phillips, time-keeper for the platinum-selling hard-rock band Creed. Creed, which hit the modern rock charts with My Own Prison, What's This Life For and Torn from its debut album, performs Saturday at the Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center. Opening acts are Jimmie's Chicken Shack and Finger Eleven.

Even with fewer clubs offering live music, area fans still have a virtual smorgasbord of bars and lounges to choose from. Gordon Highway was lined with so many honky-tonks and roadhouses 15 years ago, it was known as "Country Music Alley," local musician Bobbi Claxton remembers. "When I first moved here, there were tons of places," said Ms. Claxton, who plays with Borderline Band, the house band at Safari Lounge on Peach Orchard Road. "Now there's just not as many clubs anymore."

Wendy Oglesby has finally settled her differences, at least financially, with the Augusta-Richmond County Coliseum Authority. The coliseum authority will pay Ms. Oglesby $63,000 to settle the lawsuit she filed after she resigned as general manager of the Civic Center complex in October 1995, citing a "hostile work environment."