Thomasville GA Market and Business Final Repo.pdf

Thomasville Municipal Auditorium Market Study Report

April 11, 2025

Executive summary

For over 80 years, the Thomasville Municipal Auditorium (Auditorium) has been a vital part of the Thomasville, Georgia community, serving as a hub for cultural events, civic gatherings, and live performances. As part of the larger city-owned Municipal Building, the Auditorium shares space with key city offices and city council chambers, reinforcing its central role in the city's governance and cultural landscape. The City of Thomasville (City) is seeking to transform this historic venue into a premier performance and gathering space, positioning it as a leading destination for South Georgia.

This initiative led the City to engage Theatre Projects in a comprehensive market study and business plan, with a specific focus on community interest, regional demand, and long-term operational sustainability. To achieve this, Theatre Projects paired deep community engagement with data-driven market analysis to evaluate audience demand, venue operations, and programming potential. The findings informed a strategic roadmap for the revitalized Auditorium, positioning it as a financially viable and thriving arts and community hub for South Georgia. Three possible paths forward were identified for the venue’s future operations.

• Community rental focus: builds upon the existing facility rental program by maintaining the Auditorium as a gathering space for local events. This model prioritizes accessibility for community groups, civic organizations, school groups, and private rentals, fostering a sense of local ownership and engagement. This approach requires the smallest amount of renovation and operational shifts but will require a focus on life-safety improvements and dedicated staff to support day-to-day operations and engage with the local groups to increase rental usage across all local demographics.

• Balanced expansion: allows the Auditorium to continue cultivating its current rental use while introducing a small-scale presenting (programming at-risk program. This hybrid approach strategically balances community engagement with a curated selection of smaller-scale performances, gradually expanding programming without overextending resources. This model will require additional renovation especially to front-of-house and audience spaces, ensuring that the Auditorium experience matches the elevated experience of downtown Thomasville. Over time, this phased model could serve as a steppingstone toward a larger presenting st rategy, but it does not necessitate any expansion.

• Presented programming focus: this would be a large shift toward a fully developed presenting model. This strategy prioritizes ticketed performances, allocating resources toward programming, marketing, and significant facility upgrades to attract regional and national touring acts. While this model maximizes revenue potential and cultural impact, it requires significant investment in staffing, infrastructure, and audience development. By de-emphasizing community rentals, this approach positions the Auditorium as a premier arts destination but will necessitate significant funding to support the transition.

Thomasville Municipal Auditorium Market Study Report

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

These recommendations and overall feasibility assessment process were centered on developing answers to the five guiding questions below. Through this report, we will answer these questions in detail to analyze the feasibility and possibilities for the Auditorium:

What is the current demand for cultural and entertainment events in Thomasville, the region, and South Georgia?

How can the renovated venue attract tourists and boost local tourism? How can the venue's programming complement and enhance Thomasville's overall tourism strategy?

What factors will enhance the visitor experience at the venue, encouraging repeat visits and positive word-of-mouth?

What is the optimal management model for the venue once renovated?

What specific renovations are required to bring the building up to modern standards for a premier performance venue, and what design features and amenities are necessary to support a wide range of events, including conferences, meetings, live concerts, and entertainment?

The recommendations in this report result from a carefully tailored bespoke process, designed to address Thomasville’s unique needs. Rather than contributing to ongoing discussions without resolution, this report aims to break the cycle of perpetual study and drive concrete, actionable steps forward.

The following sections outline the methodology, key findings, and analyses that shaped each recommendation. We highlight the requirements, opportunities, and risks of each phase, ensuring that every recommendation is well-supported and clearly illustrates a viable path forward.

A critical piece of this analysis is the market data, including demographic analysis and competitive venue analysis. Given Thomasville’s geographic location and established destination as a regional tourism hub, we have identified three drive time radius areas to capture all of the likely market:

• Primary market (within approximately 15-minutes of drive time)

▪ Secondary market (within approximately 30-minutes of drive time)

▪ Tertiary market (within approximately 60-minutes of drive time)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The market data supports our observations about Thomasville’s unique market characteristics and audience composition. The primary visitor base to downtown is predominantly local, with 46% of attendees residing in Thomasville and most regional visitors traveling from within a 60-minute radius.

This aligns with the community’s strong preference for locally focused programming and community-based events, as reflected in the survey responses. While the audience draw extends regionally, it is clear that maintaining a community-centered approach will best serve the majority of future Auditorium event attendees.

Interestingly, the household income in Thomasville falls below national averages, with a higher-than-average number of low-income residents. This suggests that the market may be more price-sensitive, particularly when it comes to entertainment spending. Community feedback and market research further support the need for accessible, tiered pricing and familiar programming, such as tribute bands and well-known local groups, to encourage attendance among risk-averse audiences.

The population of Thomasville and the surrounding area is projected to remain stable over the next 5 to 10 years, which is notable for a community of this size and location. This stability provides reassurance for long-term planning but also emphasizes the importance of cultivating local audiences, as broader population growth is limited.

The full market analysis can be found in Appendix B and includes additional data on demographic trends and comparable performance venues within the area.

Source: Placer.AI; Dataset STI Popstats July 1 – December 31 2024

The Thomasville community demonstrates a strong and consistent interest in arts, culture, and live entertainment. Community surveys, stakeholder conversations, and market analysis all point to a desire for more local opportunities to engage in performances and cultural gatherings without needing to travel outside the city.

A variety of community and performance spaces already exist in Thomasville, but a clear gap remains that is filled exclusively by the Auditorium: a larger-capacity proscenium venue. Currently, several user groups have no alternative venue in Thomasville other than the Auditorium and would need to rent in neighboring cities or build their own venue if the Auditorium was unavailable.

The Auditorium’s historic charm is valued, but the community has strong consensus around prioritizing modernization and improvements to preserve the Auditorium’s usability as a community arts space over maintaining the facility for historical sake alone. Residents appreciate the nostalgic character of the venue, but many believe it needs updates to remain functional and relevant.

The Auditorium faces challenges and opportunities in attracting touring performances. Due to stage size, lack of fly space, and logistical challenges with loading in/out, the Auditorium is not able to attract many touring shows However, due to Thomasville’s strategic location, it is well suited to be an attractive stop for select touring artists coming through the region as an easy additional stop on their scheduled routing.

Regardless of the type of future use, life-safety and accessibility improvements must be prioritized if the Auditorium remains in use. This includes addressing fire safety concerns, remediation of any identified environmental hazards, and the condition of the current rigging system. The facility also lacks ADA compliance in key key areas, including restrooms, balcony access, and audience seating. Upgrading these elements will enhance safety and inclusivity for all attendees.

Enhancing the audience experience is a major opportunity. Community feedback emphasized the need for a better arrival experience, clearer wayfinding, aesthetic upgrades, and improved concessions. The lack of a designated box office and outdated ticketing systems also impact ease of access for audiences. Given the elevated experience of the Downtown Thomasville, there is consensus around the need for the Auditorium to match that experience expectation.

Given all the community conversations, feedback, and data analysis, the following key takeaways have informed our recommendations:

Facility and technical upgrades are necessary to meet user needs, especially if there is a desire for expanding the rental and/or presenting programs. The building requires key upgrades and modernization of the lighting and sound systems and back-of-house spaces. In addition to the physical improvements, the City needs to consider appropriate staffing to ensure regular maintenance and proper operations of these improved systems.

Financial sustainability will depend on balancing affordable access for the community with revenue-generating strategies. A clear rental program structure, supported by dedicated staff and improved front-of-house services, is key to maximizing usage and ensuring positive experiences for both community groups and commercial clients.

There is an opportunity to reconfigure existing spaces within the Municipal Building to better support the Auditorium and an expanded rental program. Moving the Visitor Center and non-Auditorium operations related staff offices, while adapting the current Council Chambers to serve as a multi-purpose space, would increase the number of flexible spaces for community use, rentals, and events and allow for a more efficient use of space while creating a n improved front-of-house experience for patrons. This is not a year one priority, but should be considered as a phased opportunity to increase the revenue generating spaces in the building.

The current loading dock and load-in process present significant challenges for users. Access is limited, and the existing pathway requires navigating a small elevator and narrow doorways, which restricts the types of equipment and scenery that can be brought in. While it is possible for the loading dock and elevator to be dramatically reimagined, this would require a significant financial investment that would be difficult to recoup via presented programming due to other size limitations in the space. Instead, we recommend making smaller improvements to the loading area, including a clearer separation and re -orientation from the fire department. In addition, the doorway from the elevator to the stage can be widened at minimal expense during the rigging replacement.

A phased approach is recommended to guide the Auditorium’s redevelopment. The first phase focuses on establishing a clear and structured rental program, with dedicated staff, transparent pricing, and operational improvements that support both community and commercial renters. This a pproach allows the facility to build momentum and community trust while addressing immediate life safety and accessibility concerns.

After this is established, there is potential for the City to undertake a small-scale presenting program that focuses on curated events appealing to local audiences. This limited presenting model would complement rental activity and provide opportunities for expanded arts and entertainment opportunities in Thomasville.

Our goal at the outset of this process was to answer the question about the feasibility of expanding programming at the Auditorium and undertaking the necessary scope of facility renovation to meet the goals of the expansion.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Phase two: balanced expansion - continue to cultivate current use while building a small presenting program focused on smaller footprint programming

Path One Phase one: community rental focus - build upon current rental program with a focus on maintaining a community gathering space and cultivating local use.

Path Two Presented programming focus:

go “all in” to a presenting model, de-emphasizing community rentals and prioritizing space and improvements toward ticketed series programming

Thomasville Municipal Auditorium Market Study Report

In answering these questions, two possible paths forward presented as options, which are outlined below. We recommend Path One with a phased approach to achieve a balanced, sustainable, and successful path forward for the Auditorium. While we do not currently recommend Path Two as an immediate an d viable option, we have outlined it here to present the full range of possible ways forward. In the following report sections, we will explore the pros and cons of each path, opportunities, risks, and necessary next steps.

Phase one (years 1 – 2) : community rental focus while planning for facility improvements

Phase two (years 3 – 5): balanced expansion

Recommendation

Given the primary goal of improving the Auditorium facility and enhancing its usage in a financially sustainable manner that drives community vitality, we recommend that the City move forward with path one, divided into two phases:

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Thomasville Municipal Auditorium Market Study Report

This phased approach focuses on addressing immediate life safety concerns first, including implementing essential infrastructure upgrades to ensure the building is safe, compliant, and welcoming for all users. This approach also includes establishing a clear and sustainable rental program with dedicated staffing to support day-to-day operations while expanding rental usage and enhancing the overall experience for renters and patrons.

Phase Two builds on this foundation by introducing targeted renovations that prioritize revenue-generating opportunities, such as adding concessions, a bar, and flexible event spaces. These enhancements are designed to increase rental potential and set the Auditorium up for a successful expansion into a small presenting series.

Path two, which would transition the Auditorium into a full-scale presenting organization following major facility renovation and expansion, is not currently recommended due to concerns about financial sustainability, market limitations, and community readiness. The existing audience base is predominantly local, with a higher-than-average sensitivity to ticket prices, making it challenging to support the increased costs and risks associated with a presenter-driven risk model.

Additionally, without significant renovation/expansion, the size of the Auditorium's stage, its loading logistical challenges, and lack of fly space would limit the amount of profitable touring acts that could realistically be secured for Thomasville. Without a significant and sustained increase in both local demand and financial support, including subsidies and sponsorships, the presenting model presents a level of operational and financial risk that outweighs the potential benefits at this time.

Immediate life safety renovations

On March 13, 2025, the City shared the results of a Mold Assessment report, conducted by Todd Shirey, CIEC, LMA on March 6, 2025. This report provides key insights into some of the life-safety modifications that will need to be completed as part of this plan. While no environmental hazards were found in air samples collected throughout the ceiling, the assessment determined that environmental concerns in the audience chamber ceiling treatment were significant enough that regardless of the renovation path forward selected, “the auditorium ceiling acoustic material must be removed and disposed of by a licensed mold remediation firm. It is also recommended that all carpets be removed by a licensed mold remediation firm.”1

It is our recommendation that a fire safety assessment and acoustical study also be conducted prior to this mold remediation so that any necessary improvements can be made in the ceiling while it is being repaired.

Given the documented Mold Assessment Report and the Rigging Safety Inspection (conducted by Georgia Stage on June 11, 2024), we recommend that the City proceed with these life safety modifications and corrections during Phase One renovations. This will allow for the most immediate response to these life safety concerns and present the least operational disruption – planning for the construction during the earliest stages of phasing while working to increase rentals and programming.

Where possible, construction should be planned for Summer 2026 to minimize disruption to the current rental users, many of whom indicated that loss of their rental dates would make it challenging to return in future years. This assumes that funding for design and construction is available in the budget cycles.

1Shirey, Todd, Mold Assessment Report from Todd Shirey Environmental Consulting (2025)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Photo Source: Theatre Projects

A phased approach would also allow for a phasing of the renovation and construction projects.

Element Timing Recommendation Life safety: audience lighting Complete Install temporary, battery-powered LED lighting strips and/or tap lights along the aisles and under the chairs.

Moisture and mold Year one Per the mold and water study, immediate replacement of the auditorium ceiling and further study into the roof and other points of identified water intrusion

Life safety: fire Year one Further study to identify the specific requirements for bringing the facility up to code and mitigating risk. With required ceiling replacement, consideration of installing sprinkler system at the same time.

Life safety: rigging Year one Complete the necessary upgrades and repairs as outlined in rigging evaluation.

Accessibility Year one Implement clear, easily visible wayfinding signage throughout the facility and developing detailed emergency evacuation instructions.

Loading Year three Reorient the load in areas to run parallel to the fire station to make loading more efficient and clear the fire station. In addition, utilize signage, cones, and other deterrents to ensure load-in vehicles park correctly. While repairing the rigging system, enlarge the side-stage door.

1st floor spaces Year three Relocate the current Visitor Center and municipal offices to create an additional lobby area and entry-point.

Renovate the current Council Chambers and adjacent rooms into a flexible multi-use room.

Lobby and entrance Year three Implement aesthetic improvements to the lobby and front-of-house areas, including adding a permanent concessions area. Consider adding an additional entry point via the outdoor courtyard and through the current Visitor Center. Enhance exterior signage and branding.

Theatre technology Year three Modernizing the theater equipment with a focus on new lightening and sound equipment that is user-friendly for renters and rider-friendly for touring artists.

With these phases in mind, we do not currently recommend a seating replacement, adding additional upstairs restrooms, or creating a new loading dock / adding a freight elevator.

The following report pages detail the feasibility process analysis and explore the pros and cons of each path, opportunities, risks, and necessary next steps. This will allow the City to strategically evaluate and advance the most viable path forward while beginning critical discussions around long-term sustainability and cultural impact. This process provides an opportunity to enhance performance and cultural offerings in Thomasville, furthering the mission to bring the community together, encourage cultural discourse, and drive economic growth.

Photo Source: Visit Columbus

Photo Source: Thomasvillelandmarks .org