Columbus Civic Center

What Columbus Civic Center does

Columbus Civic Center is a 10,000-seat multipurpose sports and entertainment arena located at 400 4th Street in Columbus, Georgia, owned and operated by Columbus Consolidated Government and opened in July 1996. Since July 1, 2025, the facility has been governed by the Columbus Sports & Entertainment Authority, a subordinate government authority that also oversees the adjacent Columbus Ice Rink, AJ McClung Stadium, and South Commons Softball Complex. The arena operates over 300 event days per year across concerts, comedy, family shows, indoor football, hockey, basketball, ice shows, conferences, and community events, with first-priority scheduling granted to its two anchor tenants — the Columbus Lions (Southern Indoor Football League) and Columbus River Dragons hockey team. The facility includes 23,000 sq ft of flat floor space, 5,000 sq ft of hospitality suites, six concession stands, an open-air Amphitheatre, a Courtyard for up to 300 guests, and four parking lots.

The venue generates revenue across six streams: ticket sales (via Ticketmaster and on-site box office), food and beverage concessions (operated under Spectra Experiences venue management, with vendors including Bruster's, Nathan's, Chester's, and Grab N Go), hospitality suite rentals, parking ($5 per event, waived for football and hockey), corporate sponsorships (Columbus Consolidated Government, Georgia Power, PepsiCo, iHeart Radio, T-Mobile, KAYAK, and others), and venue rentals for festivals, outdoor concerts, car shows, and drive-in movies. Pricing is promoter-set for ticketed events and varies by seat tier (e.g., Summer Bash ranges $55–$125 plus facility fees), while parking and ice rink admission follow unit pricing ($5 and $8 respectively). As of January 1, 2026, all transactions are cashless and all tickets are mobile-only via the Ticketmaster app.

The customer base is split across general-public event attendees (primary), promoters and tour directors seeking a reliable Southeast venue outside Atlanta (primary), corporate and private event organizers (secondary), and community organizations and nonprofits hosting civic programming (secondary). The venue positions itself as a community pillar under a "Service to Our Community" framework, layering charitable initiatives such as Feeding the Valley food drives, veteran fairs, and youth e-gaming tournaments onto its commercial event calendar. Operational marketing is conducted through the venue's website, Instagram/Facebook/Twitter channels, and a Ticketmaster-integrated newsletter subscription program.

Name

Columbus Civic Center

Legal name

Columbus Civic Center

Website

https://civiccenter.columbusga.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Columbus Civic Center is a government-owned, 10,000-seat multipurpose arena in Columbus, Georgia hosting 300+ event days per year including concerts, sports, and community programming for the Southeast region. It serves as home to the Columbus Lions indoor football team and Columbus River Dragons hockey franchise.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports and Entertainment Venue

NAICS

Spectator Sports (7112), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711), Other Spectator Sports (711219)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Arenas & Indoor Sports Centers (MPAKAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Multipurpose Event Center Operations (Civic Centers, Community Event Complexes) (MPAGALAE), Multi-Sport Complexes & Community Sports Parks (MPAKAEAH)

Keywords

• Multipurpose sports arena
• Event venue rentals
• Live entertainment venue
• Hospitality suite rentals
• Arena concessions services

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Ticket sales and box office revenue: The Columbus Civic Center generates revenue from ticket sales across all hosted events including concerts, sports, comedy, and family shows. Tickets are sold through Ticketmaster and the on-site Box Office. Starting January 1, 2026, all tickets are mobile/digital only.
2. Food and beverage concessions: The venue operates 6 concession stands and various portable outlets throughout the concourse on both floors. Vendors include Bruster's, Nathan's, Chester's, Grab N Go, The Pizza Place, and Grab & Go Stand. Catering services are available through the Food & Beverage Coordinator.
3. Hospitality suites and premium seating rentals: The venue rents out 5,000 square feet of hospitality suites including Oglethorpe (94 guests seated), Coweta (94 guests seated), and Chattahoochee (112 guests seated). Additional hospitality rooms (Coweta Room 1,500 sq ft, Chattahoochee Room 2,000 sq ft, Oglethorpe Room 1,500 sq ft) are also available for private events.
4. Parking fees: The Columbus Civic Center charges a $5.00 parking fee for most events. Parking fees are excluded for football games and hockey games. The venue has four parking lots available, with the most convenient access from Veterans Parkway and Victory Drive on the north side.
5. Sponsorships and advertising: The venue generates sponsorship revenue from corporate sponsors including Columbus Consolidated Government, Georgia Power, Spectra Experiences, Wow! Internet, AmBetter, PepsiCo, iHeart Radio, T-Mobile, BlueFrog Plumbing, and KAYAK. Arena dasher board advertising and tournament/team sponsorships are available. The Columbus Ice Rink also offers dasher board advertising opportunities.
6. Venue rental and event hosting: The venue earns revenue by renting out its Arena (multipurpose with 10,000 seats, 23,000 sq ft flat floor), Amphitheatre (open-air terraced grass lawn adjacent to River Walk), Courtyard (up to 300 people), and Parking Lots for various events including festivals, outdoor concerts, car shows, and drive-in movies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Columbus Civic Center operates a 10,000-seat multipurpose sports and entertainment arena in Columbus, Georgia. The venue hosts concerts, comedy shows, family events, arena football (Columbus Lions), hockey (Columbus River Dragons), basketball, conferences, conventions, and community programming, with over 300 event days per year. It also offers ancillary rentable spaces including an amphitheatre, courtyard, hospitality suites, and parking lots, along with on-site food and beverage concessions and box office services.

Product overview

Columbus Civic Center is a single-venue entertainment complex offering a 10,000-seat multipurpose arena as its core product, augmented by multiple venue spaces (Amphitheatre, Courtyard, Hospitality Suites, Parking Lot), an affiliated Columbus Ice Rink, and food & beverage concessions. The venue serves as home to the Columbus Lions (indoor football) and Columbus River Dragons (hockey), and hosts over 300 event days annually including concerts, comedy shows, family events, and community programming such as the Summer Gaming Tournament and Movies Under the Stars. Since January 2026, operations transitioned to a fully cashless and ticketless model using Ticketmaster for digital ticketing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Columbus Civic Center Arena A 10,000-seat multipurpose arena with configurable seating (end stage up to 9,917 seats, half house up to 6,000 seats, theatre up to 3,500 seats) and 23,000 square feet of flat floor space. Hosts concerts, sporting events, family shows, conferences, and conventions, and serves as the home venue for the Columbus Lions and Columbus River Dragons.
• Columbus Ice Rink An adjacent ice skating facility offering public skating sessions, learn-to-skate programs, club hockey, figure skating, and party rentals. Operates as a related but separately bookable venue under the same government oversight.
• Amphitheatre Rental An open-air amphitheatre with terraced grass lawn situated adjacent to the Columbus River Walk, available for rental for outdoor festivals, concerts, weddings, class reunions, and employee appreciation events.
• Courtyard Rental An outdoor event space nestled between the Columbus Ice Rink and Columbus Civic Center, accommodating gatherings of up to 300 people for private functions and small events.
• Hospitality Suites Premium hospitality suite space totaling 5,000 square feet, including the Oglethorpe (94 guests), Coweta (94 guests), and Chattahoochee (112 guests) suites, available for private events, corporate functions, and premium guest experiences.
• Parking Lot Rental Four parking lots on the Columbus Civic Center grounds available for rental to support festivals, outdoor concerts, car shows, and drive-in movie events.
• Food and Beverage Concessions On-site food and beverage offerings across six concession stands and portable outlets on both the East and West Concourses, including Bruster's, Nathan's, Chester's, Grab N Go, The Pizza Place, and a Grab & Go Stand, with catering coordination available for private events.
• Summer Gaming Tournament A free competitive gaming series for youth ages 12–18 featuring NBA 2K, Madden NFL, Fortnite, EA Sports College Football, and EA Sports FC tournaments, hosted at Columbus Civic Center and Columbus Parks & Recreation centers.
• Movies Under the Stars An outdoor film series held at the Columbus Civic Center Amphitheatre that celebrates independent filmmaking and includes pre-show Q&A sessions with featured directors.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 300 event days per year including basketball, hockey, arena football, concerts, ice shows, conferences, and conventions
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Columbus Consolidated GovernmentcoreOthersThe Columbus Civic Center is a department under the Columbus Consolidated Government. The Columbus Sports & Entertainment Authority, created July 1, 2025, is a subordinate of Columbus Consolidated Government and supervises the management, operations, and governance of the Columbus Civic Center along with Columbus Ice Rink, AJ McClung Stadium, and South Commons Softball Complex.
• TicketmastercoreTechnology or IntegrationTicketmaster serves as the exclusive digital ticketing platform for the Columbus Civic Center. As of January 1, 2026, the venue transitioned to fully mobile/ticketless entry exclusively through Ticketmaster. All ticket purchases (online and box office) are delivered via Ticketmaster's mobile platform.
• Georgia PowerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGeorgia Power is a corporate sponsor of the Columbus Civic Center, featured in the venue's sponsor carousel on the website homepage.
• PepsiCominorGTM or Marketing PartnerPepsiCo is a corporate sponsor of the Columbus Civic Center, featured in the venue's sponsor carousel on the website homepage.
• iHeart RadiominorGTM or Marketing PartneriHeart Radio is a corporate sponsor and media partner of the Columbus Civic Center, featured in the venue's sponsor carousel on the website homepage.
• T-MobileminorGTM or Marketing PartnerT-Mobile is a corporate sponsor of the Columbus Civic Center, featured in the venue's sponsor carousel on the website homepage.
• Spectra ExperiencescoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSpectra Experiences is the venue management company for the Columbus Civic Center. They are featured as a sponsor and provide operational management expertise for the facility. Spectra is responsible for food and beverage operations and overall venue management.
• Feeding The ValleyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerColumbus Civic Center partners with Feeding The Valley for community Thanksgiving food drives. The partnership helped provide food for nearly 1,000 Columbus families during the 2020 Thanksgiving Food Drive. The venue continues to partner with Feeding The Valley for annual food drive events.
• Columbus Parks & RecreationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerColumbus Civic Center partners with Columbus Parks & Recreation to host the Summer Gaming Tournament, a free gaming competition series for youth ages 12–18 held across multiple recreation centers including Frank Chester Recreation Center and Shirley Winston Recreation Center.
• Columbus HospiceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerColumbus Civic Center partners with Columbus Hospice for the annual Denim & Diamonds fundraising event. Columbus Hospice presents the event at the venue, with all proceeds benefiting Columbus Hospice's compassionate care services regardless of patients' ability to pay.
• United Military CareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited Military Care presents the We CARE Vet Fair™: Columbus, hosted at the Columbus Civic Center. The event brings together VA services, healthcare resources, employment opportunities, legal services, and family activities for the military community.
• KAYAKminorGTM or Marketing PartnerKAYAK is a travel partner sponsor of the Columbus Civic Center, featured in the venue's sponsor carousel and providing travel guidance for visitors to Columbus, GA.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Gas South Arena: A 13,000-seat multipurpose arena in Duluth, GA, also operating in the greater Atlanta/Southeast regional market. Directly comparable as a mid-size arena hosting touring concerts, minor-league sports, and family shows, with a similar municipal/private-operator mix.
• James Brown Arena: An approximately 8,000-seat arena in Augusta, GA hosting concerts, family shows, and sporting events. Directly comparable as a similar-sized Georgia regional venue competing for the same touring acts and entertainment content.
• Macon Centreplex: A multipurpose arena and entertainment complex in Macon, GA. Comparable as a Georgia-based regional venue of similar scale hosting concerts, sports, conventions, and community events.
• Crown Coliseum: An arena and entertainment complex in Fayetteville, NC with similar capacity (around 10,000 seats). Comparable as a mid-size Southeast regional arena hosting sports, concerts, and family shows.
• Bon Secours Wellness Arena: A 15,000-seat arena in Greenville, SC hosting minor-league hockey (Greenville Swamp Rabbits), concerts, and family entertainment. Comparable as a Southeastern mid-market arena competing for similar touring content.
• Enmarket Arena: A 9,500-seat arena in Savannah, GA that opened in 2022. Comparable as a newer Georgia-based multipurpose venue targeting concerts, hockey (Savannah Ghost Pirates), and regional entertainment events in a mid-size Southeast market.
• Von Braun Center: A multipurpose entertainment complex in Huntsville, AL featuring an arena, concert hall, and exhibit halls. Comparable as a municipally-affiliated regional entertainment venue of similar scale and event mix.
• VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena: A 15,000-seat multipurpose arena in Jacksonville, FL operated by the city. Comparable as a municipal Southeast arena hosting ECHL hockey, concerts, and touring entertainment with a similar operating structure.

Others

• Ticketmaster: Exclusive digital ticketing platform for the Columbus Civic Center. Adjacent as the technology/infrastructure provider rather than a competitor; relevant as the dominant ticketing platform across comparable regional arenas.
• Spectra Experiences: Venue management partner for the Columbus Civic Center. Adjacent as the third-party operator providing F&B services and venue management; relevant because Spectra's broader portfolio of managed arenas offers scale and capability comparisons.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/columbusgaciviccenter

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Columbus Civic Center