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126 maconmagazine.com | June/July 2024 ABOVE Band members of Parts & Labor and African Americana. The first musicians to step foot on stage at the brand-new Atrium Health Amphitheater were ones Maconites could call their own. On March 12, the amphitheater was christened with local bands Parts and Labor, African Americana, and Charles Davis and the Macon Music Revue in a soft opening for friends and family of those who had contributed to building the facility. Built by local company Piedmont Construction Group, Atrium Health Amphitheater is officially Macon's largest venue and the second biggest amphitheater in the state. It was intentionally dropped on the Macon Mall property in the Bloomfield neighborhood in order to kickstart revitalization in the Eisenhower Parkway corridor, a dream of Bloomfield-born Mayor Lester Miller. The area was once a busy commercial corridor but has recently experienced major vacancies, a story common to indoor malls across America. Georgia Public Broadcasting called the amphitheater "the most visible new use of the property," though it is meant to work in concert with indoor pickleball courts Rhythm and Rally, new courthouses, and a more convenient home for government offices like Planning and Zoning or the Board of Elections. Private owners Hull Property Group donated much of the mall property to Macon's Urban Development Authority to make it happen, with the bond-financed construction meant to be paid for through concert revenue and mall rents. Veteran international venue group OVG360, which already managed the Macon Coliseum and Macon City Auditorium, was tapped to run the 12,000-capacity facility and created a varied season of rock, R&B, metal, rap, and even stand-up comedy to bring life to the venue. Patrons can choose between fixed seats or general admission lawn seating as well as flexible pit options that vary for each show, or select premium options like VIP loge seating or private party decks. The first official opening act was ZZ Top and Lynyrd Skynyrd with openers Black Stone Cherry on March 23, which drew 6,000 patrons. Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce CEO Jessica Walden reminisced that this choice echoed Macon's legendary music heritage, as Lynyrd Skynyrd originally signed to work with her father Alan Walden with a contract inked in the parking lot of Macon Coliseum, one that led them to "working for MCA," which stands for Music Corporation of America, a record label. "It's over 50 years later in the rebirth of a new chapter for Macon, and what song did they open with? 'Working for MCA.' It was the biggest full circle moment I could have imagined, and seeing the sheer excitement reminded me that anything is possible in Macon," Walden enthused. The results have thus far generated just under 40,000 attendees over six events, with more in the works. In October, multiple GRAMMY-nominated country singer Jason Aldean, a Macon native, will play Atrium Health Amphitheater, a concert which will mark his first return to his hometown since 2016. The show is, at press time, nearly sold out. A T R I U M H E A LT H A M P H I T H E A T E R To purchase Atrium Health Amphitheater tickets or find out more, visit maconcentreplex.org.