The Grand Opera House adds Piedmont to its name

The name change marks the beginning of a multi-year deal between The Grand Opera House and Piedmont, which operates two hospitals in Macon.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — The Grand Opera House in downtown Macon is now the Piedmont Grand Opera House.

The name change marks the beginning of a multi-year deal between Piedmont, which operates two hospitals in Macon, the theatre and Mercer University, which manages the facility.

Piedmont Macon CEO Stephen Daugherty says the name change reflects the historical connection between Piedmont and the Grand Opera House and their impact on Middle Georgia.

“We’re really marrying two iconic names in Middle Georgia,” Daugherty said. “Both of our companies started at about the same time. The opera house opened in 1905, and Piedmont Healthcare started in Atlanta that very same year. Piedmont Healthcare has expanded over much of the state of Georgia, and we want to showcase that here in Macon.”

Daugherty says the arts are an often-overlooked component of overall wellness and the mental health of the community. He hopes the merging of names can help to change that.