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Board hears updates on Southlake arena operations, operator and graduation plans
Summary
District leaders told the board the newly reopened Arena at Southlake (formerly the Convocation Center) will host graduations, concerts and community events under an operator chosen through an RFP; the operator ran a job fair and will submit monthly financial reports to the district.
The Clayton County Board of Education heard detailed briefings on the district‑owned Arena at Southlake and the operator hired to run it, including plans for graduations, a summer concert series and local economic engagement.
Dr. Simpson, who briefed the board, said the venue hosted the Georgia High School Association wrestling championship and related youth events and that organizers expect several thousand attendees at some events. He said the arena will hold a grand opening and a May 1 concert, and that Clayton State University will use the site for commencement ceremonies.
“Thousands, 5, 6,000 at the wrestling event,” Dr. Simpson said, emphasizing the opportunity to capture local spending on lodging and dining. He urged the board and community partners to think of the arena as an economic pipeline for the county and the schools.
Interim Superintendent Douglas Hendricks said the operator, TRP (The Right Productions), won the RFP after the district reviewed bids and visited their venue operations. He said TRP has run a comparable amphitheater in Detroit for more than two decades and that the district vetted the operator’s practices before recommending the contract.
Hendricks told the board TRP organized a recent job fair tied to arena staffing and that the district will receive operator financial reports monthly. “They will be submitting financial records to us on the fifteenth of every month,” he said, and those records will be directed to Ramona Bivens and the superintendent for review.
Board members asked for a vendor list and greater clarity about ticket allocations and logistics for graduation. Ramona Bivens said ticket counts will vary by school because of seating configurations: the district will provide a minimum ticket allotment (11 for larger schools) and up to larger numbers for smaller schools depending on staging. She noted parking at the arena will be free for graduation ceremonies.
Board members also asked whether district employees could work at the venue; Dr. Simpson said positions (largely part‑time) were posted publicly and that follow‑up hiring decisions would be made this week. On the job fair, the superintendent later gave detailed numbers: online applications, job fair registrations and specific daily attendance figures were tracked and will be shared with the board.
The district framed the arena not only as a site for school events but as an enterprise that could host external events and generate revenue to benefit students and community initiatives.
