The City of Savannah will host two public community meetings on Tuesday, Oct. 28 and Wednesday, Oct. 29 to gather community input on the future of the Savannah Civic Center site.

The City invites residents, business owners, and community stakeholders to provide input and speak with staff during two open house events that are part of an ongoing economic and land use study. Input gathered from these meetings will help guide the redevelopment of the land around the Civic Center.

In June 2024, Savannah City Council adopted a resolution to preserve and renovate the Johnny Mercer Theater and demolish the MLK Arena. The resolution, informed by multiple community-wide engagement sessions, also directed that the future site preserves the name and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, prioritize housing and prohibit hotels and short-term vacation rentals.

City staff are currently working to complete demolition plans for the MLK Arena. During a regular meeting on Thursday, Oct. 9, City Council approved the execution of a Construction Manager at Risk agreement (CMAR) with Reeves Young, LLC. for preconstruction services, the first step in the demolition process. The strategic demolition plan will allow for the use of the Johnny Mercer Theater, community ballroom and meeting rooms during work, which is tentatively scheduled to begin early 2026.

Currently, staff and consultants are working on a comprehensive economic and land use study to evaluate the real estate market, financial, and economic feasibility of different development options, while also incorporating community goals and priorities for the area around the Civic Center facility. That are also studying market demand, programming analysis and operations study of the Johnny Mercer Theater.

The open house events will focus specifically on the economic and land use study where community members can learn more about what the study has uncovered and explore potential scenarios for future development. Each scenario will include a mix of uses and will vary in aspects like design, timing, and affordability. Attendees are invited to share what matters most to them for the future site development.

Both events will be a drop-in format. There will be a presentation and opportunities to speak with City staff and the consultant team. All sessions will be held in the Civic Center Ballroom.

For more information and to keep updated on the process, visit savannahga.gov/futureofciviccenter.