Grand Opera House in need of new air conditioning

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Some of the most well-known acts have taken stage at the Grand Opera House.

“Houdini in his time,  who was here several times I think,” said Executive Director of The Grand, Gram Slaton. “To Greg Allman who likes to come, the Allman Brothers actually filmed a concert here in 1973.”

The Grand Opera House was built in 1884 and has been one of Macon’s hottest spots since.

“We’re able to draw people from as far away as Atlanta and from Northern Florida,” said Slaton. “People love to come up to Macon and make this a destination because of the shows we have here.”

Hundreds of thousands of people have sat in The Grand’s seats to see shows. With the seats being more 50 years old, they’ve exceeded their life span.

“You can touch the back and the foam has literally deteriorated from it being so old,” said Slaton.

The carpet needs to be replaced and the restrooms need renovations. Slaton, says what they really need is a new air conditioning system. The AC unit is currently shared with two other buildings.

“The way the systems have tied together, it’s not unusual for people to be either way too hot or way too cold, or both at the same time depending on where you’re sitting,” said Slaton.

The Grand may be operated by Mercer University, but Macon-Bibb county owns the building. There is $1.9 million in the 2018 SPLOST for The Grand. But with the year’s hottest days approaching, the Grand is running into a bit of a dilemma.

“In the summer, that sun beats on the North side of the building and turns it into an easy bake oven up here and makes it even harder for the system to catch up,” said Slaton.

Mayor Robert Reichert proposed The Grand Opera House be one of the first three SPLOST projects to be funded with bond money in Tuesday’s committee meeting. The committee decided to table the project.

Until the committee makes a decision, Slaton will have to hope for the best.

“My goal is to get it up and operating as wonderfully as it can,”sad Slaton. “To be the biggest benefit to the community that it possibly can be.”

Slaton says he carved out a 117-day window to get changes done this year.  After that, they go right into production. If they miss that 117-day window, the earliest they can start renovations, is next summer.