Tourism & Recreation
Downtown Hotels and Conference Space
Business people, conventioneers, trade show attendees, out-of-town tourists, theatre goers, sports fans and cultural devotees all come downtown for a variety of reasons. According to the Georgia Department of Economic Development, approximately 1.5 million people visit Augusta every year. Tourist expenditures are greater than $366 million and generate over $11 million in local taxes. Tourism and hospitality related industries account for 5,000 Augusta jobs, a major portion of which are located downtown. Without visitor spending, state and local resident taxes would increase by an average of $380 per household.
Downtown’s 9 hotels, 1,137 rooms, 35 meeting rooms and 72,820 square feet of conference space support downtown’s capacity for large numbers of visitors. Hotel accommodations range from luxury hotels that cater to conventions to the moderately priced that receive mostly tourist traffic.
The economic impact of downtown’s largest events - the Augusta Futurity, Arts in the Hearts, First Friday, National Barrel Horse Association World Championships and the Southern Nationals Drag boat Races - is enormous. The Futurity’s economic impact alone is estimated to exceed $10 million annually, rivaling the Master’s Golf Tournament.
Downtown Area Hotels and Conference Space |
|||
|
Rooms |
Meeting Rooms |
Meeting Room Sq ft. |
Hotel |
|
|
|
Augusta Civic Center |
N/A |
Variable |
14,500 |
Azalee Inn |
21 |
N/A |
N/A |
Comfort Inn Medical |
100 |
1 |
375 |
Marriott Suites Augusta Riverwalk |
136 |
1 |
375 |
Holiday Inn Express |
42 |
N/A |
N/A |
Medical Center Inn & Suites |
100 |
N/A |
N/A |
Partridge Inn |
156 |
6 |
7,570 |
Marriott Riverfront |
234 |
22 |
45,000 |
Ramada Plaza |
200 |
5 |
5,000 |
Regency Inn Augusta |
148 |
N/A |
N/A |
Total |
1,137 |
35 |
72,820 |
Attractions and Events
Downtown is home to a variety of visitor attractions ranging from museums and cultural centers to festivals and sporting events. Performing arts centers are evenly split between indoor and outdoor venues, providing year-round access to performances. Major attractions have solidified downtown’s place as a recreational and tourism destination. The continued growth of major events such as the Augusta Futurity, Arts in the Hearts and the National Barrel Horse Association World Championships provides downtown Augusta national and international exposure.
Major Downtown Attractions and Events |
|
Attractions |
Annual Attendance |
Augusta Canal Interpretive Center & Petersburg Boats |
30,000 |
Augusta Museum of History |
45,000 |
Georgia Golf Hall of Fame |
150,000 |
Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art |
15,000 |
Fort Discovery/National Science Center |
175,000 |
Lucy Craft Lane Museum of Black History |
8,000 |
Morris Museum of Art |
32,000 |
|
|
Events |
|
Arts in the Hearts |
50,000 |
Augusta Futurity |
50,000 |
First Friday |
120,000 |
National Barrel Horse Association World Championships |
35,000 |
Saturday Market on Broad |
16,000 |
Southern Nationals Drag Boat Races |
25,000 |
Downtown Performing Arts Venues |
||
Location |
Capacity |
Annual Attendance |
|
|
|
Augusta Civic Center – Arena |
8,500 |
Variable |
Augusta Civic Center – Bell Auditorium |
2,690 |
Variable |
Augusta Common |
10,000-15,000 |
N/A |
Imperial Theatre |
534 |
106,935 |
Jessye Norman Amphitheatre |
1,600 |
6,000 |