VALDOSTA – South Georgia Medical Center will soon own Mathis City Auditorium.

The City of Valdosta and the Hospital Authority of Valdosta and Lowndes County have announced an agreement for the Hospital Authority to acquire Mathis City Auditorium, 2300 N. Ashley St., according to a joint city/hospital statement.

The Hospital Authority is the governing body of SGMC.

The purchase enables the city to “move forward with planning for a new event space that can better meet the needs of its residents,” representatives said.

Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson said, “There’s not a person living here that doesn’t have a ‘favorite Mathis Auditorium’ memory. The facility served us well. By selling Mathis to SGMC, we support the future growth of the health system that is now a $1 billion economic boost to our community in Valdosta and South Georgia. Myself, (Valdosta) City Council and city staff are busy studying the right path for a future facility that will serve our needs just as Mathis City Auditorium did.”

The acquisition enhances SGMC’s site planning and implementation of its long-range master facilities and campus plan approved in August 2021.

The $135 million investment includes a new women and infants tower, new emergency department and redesign for the main campus.

Ronald Dean, SGMC president and chief executive officer, said, “We are very excited about the city’s plans to build new facilities for the performing arts and pleased we can support this plan while further enabling the needed expansion of services at SGMC’s main campus.”

The new women’s tower and emergency department expansion will also reorient the main entrance from Pendleton Drive to Woodrow Wilson Drive to provide ease of access and convenience to expanded services.

The plan includes removing the Mathis facility and former South Georgia Regional Library in order to build a new connector boulevard and create more convenient parking for families and guests.

SGMC recently became Georgia’s newest Level III Trauma Center and the new emergency room will feature more treatment areas in addition to specially designed spaces for expedited care and trauma services, according to the statement.

The multi-phase project is estimated to take several years to complete and all hospital services will remain open and fully operational during the construction.

“We are proud to support the efforts of our local hospital as they expand high-quality services for our citizens,” City Manager Richard Hardy said. SGMC and the city will work together to preserve or relocate McIntosh Memorial Park based on campus needs.

“It is important to us that we honor and respect those who represented and contributed to the City of Valdosta in so many ways and enabled this community we call home to be what it is today,” Dean said.

SGMC will take ownership of the facility Jan. 8, 2024. The purchase price for the property is $2.55 million, officials said.