Facility Services director says PAC Support Facility on track for Thanksgiving completion

Columbia County’s PAC Support Facility is on track to be finished by Thanksgiving, with structural steel complete and interior mechanical, electrical and plumbing work underway, Steven Prather, director of facility services, said during a Building Columbia County update.

Prather said crews are installing interior metal studs and roughing in HVAC, plumbing and electrical systems while exterior work — including roof materials, sheathing and brick — is scheduled in the next few weeks. He added that drywall and interior finishes should follow later in the summer as the building is closed in.

The project was funded by the voter‑approved 2023–2028 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST), and the county awarded the contract after a public bid under Georgia state law to low bidder R.W. Allen Construction, Prather said. "It doesn't have to do with property tax, it's a sales tax," he said, describing how SPLOST revenue is generated.

Prather described the facility's layout and intended uses: a large storage area on the first floor for PAC and visiting productions, and a main event space on the second floor with outdoor terracing that overlooks the market and the Performing Arts Center (PAC). He said there will also be pre‑function space, an outdoor patio and bars on both floors to support events.

The facility will be managed by PAC staff and available as a rental venue to the public; Prather said the county is still finalizing operational funding and rental pricing and expects to publish details after construction is complete. He noted that most site work is finished but that some utility connections to the site remain to be completed.

Officials urged members of the public who visit the adjacent market to refrain from entering the active construction zone because subcontractors will be on site in the coming months. The update closed with an invitation to return for a future walkthrough to view interior finishes and the new event terrace.

Next steps: roofing, exterior sheathing and brick installation in the coming weeks, followed by interior finishes and final utility hookups; the county expects to advertise the space for rental after the project's completion.