Hey Augusta.
Welcome back to Augusta Digest. It’s the 4th edition.
What's your Super Bowl plans?
🐸 Frog Hollow Tavern: The Restaurant That Changed Downtown Augusta
Before Broad Street had a real dining scene, there was Chef Sean Wight. In 2010, he opened Frog Hollow Tavern at 1282 Broad Street with a simple idea: source from local farms, rotate the menu with the seasons, and cook with the kind of care that lets the ingredients do the talking. Fifteen years later, it's still Augusta's farm-to-table standard bearer and the anchor of a hospitality group that now includes Craft & Vine, Farmhaus Burger, Tacocat, and 990 Broad Sushi Kitchen.
The winter menu (updated January 21) leans into what you'd want right now: hearty plates built around partnerships with farms like Titan Farms, Anson Mills, Split Creek Farm, and Hickory Hills. The shrimp and grits with Anson Mills organic grits and house-made andouille is a local institution. The smoked gouda mac n' cheese has been featured on the Food Network. And the wine list runs 100+ bottles, all focused on sustainable, organic, or biodynamic producers.
🏙️ Mayor Johnson Delivers State of the City: Recovery, Growth, and a New Arena
The Gist: Mayor Garnett Johnson gave his 3rd annual State of the City address today at First Baptist Church on Walton Way Extension, hosted by the Exchange Club of Augusta. He outlined progress recovering from Hurricane Helene (which claimed seven lives in Augusta), highlighted $43 million in secured FEMA reimbursement funds, and noted nearly one million cubic yards of storm debris cleared by city crews.
Why It Matters: Johnson announced a $25 million sewer expansion for the McCombs Road mega site, unlocking 1,100+ acres for residential development and up to 2,800 new homes. The new 10,000-seat downtown arena is on track to open in 2027 with a hockey team expected to be announced soon. His top 2026 priority: finishing the Charter Review process to restructure city government.
What's Next: The Charter Review Committee recommendations are expected later this year. The arena is currently at the 3rd level pour with an optimistic target of May 2027 for Richmond County high school graduations.
🏗️ $2 Billion Data Center Battle Heats Up: Community Meeting Set for Feb. 11
The Gist: QTS presented its plans for "Project Eisenhower," a $2 billion data center at 2883 Gordon Highway, to the Augusta Commission on Tuesday. The facility could be twice the size of Augusta Mall and create 160-220 jobs. Meanwhile, residents of Haynes Station say they were never properly notified about the project's true scale. A community meeting is scheduled for 6-7:30 PM on Feb. 11 at Bel Air Elementary School.
Why It Matters: Data centers are now the most divisive development issue in the CSRA. Georgia lawmakers are pushing for a statewide pause to reassess tax breaks. Columbia County commissioners also voted this week to approve two separate data centers while denying a third. The state environmental application notes the Augusta project could affect water supply watershed, wetlands, and floodplains.
What's Next: Community meeting Feb. 11 at Bel Air Elementary, 3925 Harper-Franklin Ave., 6-7:30 PM. Residents have requested full Commission attendance.
🏨 Downtown Ramada Becoming "The Conroy," Marriott Tribute Portfolio Hotel Opening Feb. 2027
The Gist: The 50-year-old Ramada by Wyndham at 640 Broad Street is being gutted and transformed into The Conroy, a Marriott Tribute Portfolio property. Interior demolition began in November 2025. The hotel will shrink from 200 to 176 rooms (325-900 sq ft), and include 10,000+ sq ft of meeting space with a 3,000 sq ft ballroom, junior ballroom, four hospitality suites, a game room, and courtyard.
Why It Matters: Downtown Augusta has lacked a quality full-service hotel for years. Breakwater Development, the South Carolina-based firm behind the project, wants The Conroy to function as a community gathering place, not just a tourist stop. The rooftop bar, The Eagle's Nest, is also being considered for renovation.
🌺 Augusta Camellia Day | Reid Memorial Presbyterian Church, 2261 Walton Way | Augusta | 02/07, 9 AM-4 PM | More Due to winter storm damage to blooms, the traditional judged show has been adapted into a "Camellia Day" with a plant sale (9 AM-4 PM), camellia exhibition (1-4 PM), propagation demo, and expert bloom identification. Free admission. Bring mystery blooms from your yard and they'll tell you what you've got.
🏈 Paine College Homecoming Tailgate | Paine College Campus | Augusta | 02/07, 11 AM | More Tailgate festivities kick off at 11 AM. Community event, all welcome.
🎨 Bob Ray Art Exhibition Opening | Location TBD (Augusta area gallery) | Augusta | 02/06, 5-7 PM | More "The Day Smell of Mother's Spring," a new exhibition of paintings and drawings by North Carolina-based artist Bob Ray. Public reception with the artist.
🎸 Marty Stuart & Molly Tuttle: Guitars on Fire | Bell Auditorium | Augusta | 02/06, 8 PM | More Country Music Hall of Famer Marty Stuart co-headlines with Grammy-winning bluegrass visionary Molly Tuttle. Expect honky-tonk, rockabilly, and some of the best flat-picking you'll hear all year.
🎼 Puccini's Turandot | Miller Theater, 708 Broad St. | Augusta | 02/07, 7:30 PM | More A centennial production of Puccini's unfinished final opera in a new multimedia staging developed with Italy's Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory. This is a rare event for Augusta.
🥃 Georgia-South Carolina Whiskey Expo | 5th & Fire, 551 Broad St. | Augusta | 02/07, 4-8 PM | More 10+ distilleries from GA, SC, and TN. Buffet included. First 100 tickets get a Glencairn glass.
🎹 David Nevue: An Evening at the Piano | Turner's Keyboards, 2358 Washington Rd. | Augusta | 02/07, 7-8:45 PM | More Intimate solo piano concert from the award-winning contemporary composer. Small venue, relaxed vibe.
🤠 Doug Stone | Imperial Theatre, 749 Broad St. | Augusta | 02/07, 7:30 PM | More Classic country hitmaker known for "In a Different Light" and "Too Busy Being in Love."
🎸 Muscadine Bloodline | Bell Auditorium | Augusta | 02/07, 8 PM | More Southern rock-country duo bringing their energetic live show to the Bell.
🍺 Brews & Board Games | Savannah River Brewing Co., 813 Fifth St. | Augusta | 02/09, 5-8 PM | More Recurring Monday hangout. Casual, free to play, buy your own beers.
🎤 Augusta Symphony: Broadway Divas | Miller Theater, 708 Broad St. | Augusta | 02/12, 7:30 PM | More The Augusta Symphony performs showstopping numbers from Broadway's biggest musicals.
If you want to read any of our previous issues, check them out HERE on our website.
Thanks for reading Our Newsletter! We’ll have more updates for you next week!
What did you think of this week's newsletter?
Business owners: Want to reach our 2,000+ readers? Reply to this email.