Akins Ford Arena

Akins Ford Arena

Former names	Classic Center Arena (2022–2024)
Location	Athens, Georgia
Coordinates	33°57′40.1″N 83°22′14.9″W / 33.961139°N 83.370806°W / 33.961139; -83.370806
Public transit	Athens Transit at Athens Multimodal Transportation Center
Owner	Unified Government of Athens Clarke County
Operator	Classic Center Authority
Capacity	8,500 (in the round concerts) 7,000 (end-stage concerts) 5,500 (hockey)
Construction
Broke ground	April 28, 2022
Construction cost	$146 million
Architect	Perkins&Will and Smallwood, Reynolds, Stewart, Stewart
Project manager	Impact Construction Management
General contractor	J. E. Dunn Construction Group
Tenants
UGA Ice Dawgs (2024–present) Athens Rock Lobsters (FPHL) (2024–present)

Akins Ford Arena is an indoor arena under-construction in Athens, Georgia.^[1][2] It is part of the Classic Center complex and is intended as an upgrade to the Classic Center Grand Ballroom, which had been configured as a 2,000-seat arena. It will become the new home of the UGA Ice Dawgs of the College Hockey South conference and on March 28, 2024, it was announced it would be home to an FPHL expansion team,^[3] later named the Athens Rock Lobsters. It will have a capacity of 8,500. Opening is planned for Spring 2024. It is owned by the Unified Government of Athens Clarke County.

In January 2019, the Classic Center Authority announced their intent to construct the new Classic Center Arena adjacent to the existing site.^[4] The arena will be connected to the existing Classic Center, the Multimodal Transportation Center and the downtown district via a new elevated walkway.

On August 20, 2024, it was announced that Akins Ford, of Winder, Georgia, had purchased the arena's naming rights for an undisclosed period and sum.^[5]

• Official Site