Gwinnett County residents could soon enjoy upgraded concerts, shows and events at a revamped Gas South Arena, thanks to a major county investment aimed at keeping the venue competitive. This overhaul promises better security, tech and parking.
🏗️ Project Breakdown: County commissioners greenlit a partnership with the Gwinnett Convention and Visitors Bureau to fund $170 to 176 million in upgrades, including enhanced security, a transformed lobby, premium seating and a new parking deck. Funding mixes reserve cash and bonds to modernize the 20-year-old spot without hiking taxes.
📈 Economic Boost: The arena has already pumped over $1 billion into the local economy through taxes, jobs and events, according to bureau leaders. Upgrades aim to draw even more high-profile acts, strengthening Gwinnett’s spot as a metro Atlanta entertainment hub.
🔍 Quick History: Opened two decades ago, the Gas South District includes a 13,000-seat arena, theater, convention center and a new Westin hotel, hosting everything from concerts to conferences that enrich cultural life.
The Sources: Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners; Chairwoman Nicole Love Hendrickson; District 1 Commissioner Kirkland Carden; Gwinnett Convention and Visitors Bureau President and CEO Stan Hall.
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Before You Dismiss This Article…
We live in a time when information feels overwhelming, but here’s what hasn’t changed: facts exist whether they comfort us or not.
When A&W launched their third-pound burger to compete with McDonald’s Quarter Pounder in the 1980s, it failed spectacularly. Not because it tasted worse, but because customers thought 1/3 was smaller than 1/4. If basic math can trip us up, imagine how easily we can misread complex news.
The press isn’t against you when it reports something you don’t want to hear. Reporters are thermometers, not the fever itself. They’re telling you what verified sources are saying, not taking sides. Good reporting should challenge you — that’s literally the job.
Next time a story makes you angry, pause. Ask yourself: What evidence backs this up? Am I reacting with my brain or my gut? What would actually change my mind? And most importantly, am I assuming bias just because the story doesn’t match what I hoped to hear.
Smart readers choose verified information over their own comfort zone.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
