Courtesy  Asia Wilson WWW.WSPA.com

A brand new amphitheater is being built now at Green Pond Landing and Event Center.

“The fifth phase is $2 million. It’s a two-part project. Currently we are constructing a 1,300-seat amphitheater for fishing tournament weigh-ins. And we will also build a stage for the weigh-ins. And then in July and August, we will install the second part of this project, which is a 240-foot courtesy dock going out from the amphitheater, into Lake Hartwell. And at the end of the courtesy dock, we will have a 40-foot t-head, as well,” said Glenn Brill, Director of Anderson County Parks, Recreation, Tourism Division.

Brill said this is the only amphitheater on the entire Lake Hartwell.

“This will really help complete Green Pond Landing, cause prior to the amphitheater, the fishing tournament weigh-ins were done in one of our parking lots or down by our launch ramps. This will give a formal setting with a gorgeous back drop for people to weigh-in their Lake Hartwell bass,” Brill said.

Brill said when the seven tier amphitheater is done, the community can also use it.

“That’s the beauty of this amphitheater and it’s gorgeous setting on Lake Hartwell, when we’re not using it for fishing tournament weigh-ins, we will be able to rent it to community groups. We can have concerts out here. Fourth of July fireworks.

“That’s insane and I hope they have some good bands playing out here or something, or some good shows. That’ll be nice,” said Matthew Crawford, a resident.

Crawford said he used to come to the lake as a small child. He said he is glad to see the growth.

“It was small. It just had an old boat dock down here. They didn’t have none of this. And I remember a couple of years ago, they started building it. And it looks nice,” Crawford said.

Brill said within the last seven years, Green Pond Landing has already put big dollars into the economy.

“Last month, the economic impact of the tournaments we’ve hosted at Green Pond topped the $66 million mark. And after next March’s Bassmaster Classic, which will be the third we’ve hosted at Green Pond in seven years, that economic impact will be a little over $93 million.

Now the county believes this $2 million project will help even more.

“If you build it, they will come,” Brill added.

Anderson County officials said this phase should be complete in late August. The State Department of Natural Resources is providing $1 million for the courtesy dock. The rest of the project is being paid for by the county.

Supporters of legalizing casino gambling in Georgia are pushing to pass a House Resolution that would allow a limited number of casino resorts in the State and Lavonia is one of the locations being considered by an Atlanta developer.

Rick Lackey, the founder of Atlanta-based City Commercial Real Estate recently released renderings of three proposed casino resorts around the state, and one of those sites is in Lavonia on Lake Hartwell. Besides casinos, the resorts would include luxury hotels, entertainment venues, and retail shopping.Lackey is pushing to build casinos not only in Lavonia but also in Columbus on the Chattahoochee River and on I-95 in Midway, south of Savannah, according to a report in Capitol Beat News.

In Lavonia, Lackey’s company already has a 500-acre site along Lake Hartwell under a lease agreement.

State Representative Alan Powell is quoted in the Capitol Beat article as saying it would be a perfect place.

State Rep. Ron Stephens, R-Savannah is the chief sponsor of House Resolution 30, which would ask voters to authorize a limited number of casino resorts in Georgia, and Powell is one of the co-sponsors.

If two-thirds of the state House and Senate vote for the constitutional change, it would land on the statewide ballot in November of next year.

Powell said the casino measure should be combined with legislative proposals to legalize sports betting and pari-mutuel betting on horse racing into one giant constitutional amendment.

However, Governor Brian Kemp is not a fan of legalizing gambling in Georgia, according to the report, and could veto anything that comes out of the General Assembly as a standalone bill.

Constitutional amendments, however, bypass the governor and go directly to the voters.

For Stephens and other supporters, the need to prop up the HOPE scholarship program provides a powerful argument for legalizing casinos.

Stephens said another advantage to the legislation is that casinos would not be able to set up shop where they’re not wanted.

However, citizens would have to ask for it before it’s even considered, he said.

If voters statewide approve the constitutional amendment, a second local vote would be required to build a casino in a city or county, the same requirement the General Assembly imposed on Sunday sales of alcohol 10 years ago.

Supporters of legalized gambling have already gotten off to a head start in selling Lavonia, Columbus, and Midway on casinos.

The report says City councils in all three communities have endorsed putting resort casinos in their towns.

Courtesy MJ Kneiser https://921wlhr.com/