Monty Jones: Enmarket Arena: It’s Showtime!

November 22, 2023

Barry Kaufman,

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Photo by D. Paul Graham

It wasn’t that long ago that live music fans in Savannah were, by necessity, well-accustomed to the hotels of Charleston, Atlanta or Jacksonville. Because if your favorite act was launching a national tour, that was as close to Savannah as they were going to get. That’s to say nothing of hockey fans, who would often have to buy plane tickets before they bought tickets to the game.

But that all changed when Enmarket Arena opened its doors. Well, maybe it didn’t change right away, since the arena opened just in time for the pandemic. “We opened in mid-February, and the city shut down shortly after,” said Monty Jones, general manager for the arena. “But looking back, that first year was great for the entertainment industry. It was almost like perfect timing for us, with everyone starving for entertainment.” And Enmarket Arena was happy to feed, drawing in live acts that ranged from legendary musicians to the hottest standup tours in the country, adding an entirely new entertainment dynamic to a city that had been passed over for far too long. “We (parent company Oak View Group) had always looked at Savannah as the next big site in the southeast for entertainment,” added Jones. “Savannah’s charm adds to the appeal. When you can tell an artist that they have the water, they have golf, they have the charm of the city, and they have Gulfstream nearby for maintaining private jets, it adds to that. And you have a brand new building with everything a new arena has to offer.” That’s to say nothing of the Savannah Ghost Pirates, the ECHL team that has sold out 33 of 36 home games. “That has been great, and it adds to the atmosphere to have people supporting their local team.” That stellar lineup of acts has bolstered the reputation of a stunning new facility that is making waves across the world. Looking at attendance and ticket sales, Enmarket Arena was the top building of under 10,000 seats in the southeast last year. That ranked them second nationwide, and fourth globally. That’s worth crowing about, but Jones is quick to share credit with the City of Savannah, Live Nation and Pat Mathis Construction for Enmarket Arena’s success. “The community as a whole has been supportive,” said Jones.

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