AUGUSTA, Ga. () – During the monthly meeting of the Coliseum Authority on Tuesday, board members took the opportunity to address what they identify as inaccuracies regarding the name of the new arena.

Deanna Brown, the daughter of James Brown, informed us that Primary Wave, the company to which the name was sold, has granted the authority the free rights to use the arena’s name.   

“This remains Primary Wave’s position,” stated Deanna Brown. “We are disturbed that ARCCA seems to be turning down the continued free license and that its partner is attempting to profit from what has long stood as a tribute to Mr. Brown’s generosity and dedication to his community. We stand behind Deanna and the family of James Brown in preserving his name and the James Brown Arena. Mr. Brown’s name is deeply connected with the wonderful city of Augusta.”   

Chairman Cedric Johnson says he spoke to the company, but they need to have a paid sponsor to keep taxpayers from paying for the maintenance and utilities of the new arena. He told me that sponsors can attach James Brown’s name for free if they wish.   

“During 2021 and up until sometime last month, around May 25th to be exact, I did talk to primary wave to find out what the status was,” said Chairman Cedric Johnson, of the Augusta-Richmond County Coliseum Authority. “We wanted to give them first right of refusal if they wanted to put James Brown’s name on the arena and pay the naming right fee, and they said no, they didn’t want to do that, but if we found a sponsor who was willing to put James Brown name on there, they would be willing to let us do that.”  

The new General Manager of the Augusta Entertainment Complex believes the authority will ensure that James Brown is honored, regardless of the circumstances.   

“I have full faith in the authority and what they are going to do based on the history that there’s something that’s going to be really special and really unique to honor James Brown,” said Todd Mastery, General Manager, Augusta Entertainment Complex.  

For now, authority members say the name ‘new Augusta arena’ is just being used as a placeholder until a sponsor is chosen.