Advertisements Questioned Over Georgia Arena Measure

Augusta Entertainment Complex – James Brown Arena

Opponents of building the new James Brown Arena in a new area in Augusta, Ga., are claiming an upcoming ballot measure to decide the issue is receiving support from unregistered actors. 

A new James Brown Arena will be constructed in the namesake artist’s hometown, but the location will be decided May 22. The two options of locations are the current James Brown Arena downtown, or at Augusta’s Regency Mall.

Billboards advocating a vote for Regency Mall location have popped up around town and Friends of the James Brown Arena Downtown have filed an ethics complaint with a local government office that the billboard financers aren’t properly registered, according to WRDW-TV.

The complaint says that the group “Concerned Citizens of Richmond County,” isn’t registered with the County’s Board of Elections, and thus should not be able to spend more than $500 on campaign advertisements, according to the station.

“We really want to know who is paying for all the promotion for the regency mall locations,” an individual told WRDW. “Why would someone who is behind something try to hide from it?”

The current James Brown Arena is set to host Sugarland May 25 and four nights of Disney On Ice in October.