Greensboro, NC - The Greensboro Coliseum and War Memorial Auditorium were both built in the 1950's, and while they have undergone several renovations, the complex's Managing Director Matt Brown says if the complex is to remain competitive, it needs to undergo a sixty million dollar renovation.
Brown told News 2's Patrick Phillippi that if the Coliseum is not renovated,major events like the NCAA tournament and big name concerts will go to other venues, and if they leave, a major economic engine for Greensboro will come to a halt.
Brown said, "Through all of our difficult times during the recession, the Coliseum was constantly doing business. As we had over 40,000 people attend a variety of events this past weekend. We can never afford what happened in 1988 where the buildings got so deteriorated the ACC found a reason to leave us and go to Charlotte."
And with Charlotte set to host the Democratic National Convention this summer, they are pumping over six million dollars in upgrades into the Charlotte Convention Center, a major competitor of the Greensboro Coliseum.
The building in most need of repair, according to Brown, is the War Memorial Auditorium. Brown says it can't compete with venues in Raleigh, Durham and Charlotte, and must be completely renovated.
The cost for the proposed renovations to the Greensboro Coliseum and War Memorial Auditorium is approximately $60 million.
Half of the costs would come from the Hotel/Motel tax, and the other half would be paid for from a bond measure that voters would have to approve.
The city has tried to improve War Memorial Auditorium in the past. Voters voted down a $36 million bond measure in 2006 and a $50 million referendum in 2008.
VIEW THE COLISEUM IMPROVEMENT PLAN
VIEW THE COLISEUM "WISH LIST"