$50M CCSD events center will host more than graduation ceremonies

Mar. 24—The $50 million multipurpose educational facility that the Cobb Board of Education approved by a 6-1 vote Thursday afternoon will host more than just graduation ceremonies.

Examples of events the 8,000-seat facility might host include science fairs, robotic competitions, fine arts presentations, standardized test administration, band performances, JROTC exercises and college and job fairs, according to Superintendent Chris Ragsdale.

Though the facility will be true to its "multipurpose" billing, Ragsdale told the board Thursday there is a "very pressing" need for the facility as the staging ground for CCSD graduation ceremonies.

He said the district continues to pay a high price to rent Kennesaw State University's Convocation Center for commencement and remains unable to host all graduating students' family members who wish to attend, as there is a ticket limit for the KSU arena.

Despite playing host to commencement ceremonies just one week out of the year, the district has forecasted 362 days of use annually for the facility.

On top of different educational programs, it will also host special events as Cobb Teacher of the Year and Classified Employee of the Year ceremonies and retirement luncheons.

Board member David Banks asked Ragsdale about the potential for hosting sporting events at the facility. Ragsdale said the preliminary design for the building includes "basketball access," and he said the facility could possibly support regional and state basketball tournaments, though that is not a guarantee.

However, for basketball events within the county, the facility could certainly host those events, Ragsdale clarified.

The district does not yet have a location for the building and deck, nor is there a timeline for its construction or opening, though Ragsdale said his staff would immediately begin looking for land in a central location the district can purchase.

Non-SPLOST funding

When Ragsdale proposed the multipurpose facility with a $40 million price tag in 2021, it was as one of the district's special-purpose, local-option sales tax projects.

The one-penny sales tax is approved by voters and can be used by the district for "specific capital improvement projects for educational purposes," to pay bond debts or issue new bonds.

The item was ultimately pulled from the SPLOST list two years ago, and board member Leroy Tre' Hutchins told the MDJ Friday that the funding source was a crucial aspect of the multipurpose facility passing this time around.

He said it is important that the district is putting SPLOST funds toward existing facilities in the district that need improvement, and that the board is accountable to taxpayers when it comes to how SPLOST dollars are spent.

"In regards to additional projects such as this one here, while it supports schools, and it may support some programming for schools, it's well beyond the educational value that the Cobb County School District provides students directly," Hutchins said.

However, because district staff were able to find one-time capital funds from previous sales of district property, as well as non-SPLOST funds designated for capital projects, Hutchins was able to get on board with the facility this time around.

Hutchins also noted that the facility "was never off the table," even when it was removed from the SPLOST list in 2021.

Due to rising rental costs at facilities where the district hosts various special events, he viewed the facility as something worth considering at the time.

"It just was not the time, based on SPLOST, to entertain a project like that," he said.

Similar projects elsewhere

Ragsdale compared the proposal to the Georgia State University Convocation Center, which can host up to 7,300 people for basketball games, 7,500 for graduation ceremonies and 8,000 for concerts, according to the university's website.

The Georgia State Convocation Center is also where Gov. Brian Kemp's inauguration was held earlier this year.

Jeff Hubbard, president of the Cobb County Association of Educators, compared the district's proposed facility with a move by the Clayton Board of Education in late 2021 to purchase a space at Southlake Mall in Morrow for its own convention center and arena.

Clayton Schools purchased what was formerly a Sears store at the mall for $4.4 million in October 2021, and the purchase set up plans for a $50 million construction and renovation project at the site, according to a November 2021 press release from the district.

"The new construction portion of the project will result in a 7,000-plus seat arena while the renovation will result in an area suitable for conventions," the release said.

The Clayton Schools arena, which will also house an 85,000-square-foot college and career academy at the same site, is currently in the design phase.