By Eric Curl
July 11, 2025 – The Savannah City Council approved an intergovernmental agreement with Chatham County on Thursday to disperse SPLOST proceeds, while also approving a contract to provide outreach services to people experiencing homelessness. Meanwhile, the city is continuing to move forward with plans to redevelop the Civic Center site.
RELATED: July 10, 2025 Savannah City Council Meeting Agenda>
Under the terms of the SPLOST agreement, the city is to receive $268 million out of the $700 million the tax is expected to raise over 6-year period. The revenue would go towards the redevelopment of the Civic Center/Johnny Mercer Theater site, Benton Boulevard and Highlands Boulevard widening and related road improvements, the MLK flyover removal, the city hall restoration, along with other street, sidewalk, drainage and recreation improvements.
The extension of the 1% sales tax is scheduled to go before voters on Nov. 4. If approved, collections would begin on Oct. 1, 2026, and continue for six years.
Civic Center redevelopment update
The city has received a cost estimate of about $10 million for the arena demolition, which includes the demolition, construction of a new facade wall, relocation of the kitchen, and necessary mechanical, electrical and plumbing modifications, according to a memo the city manager recently sent to the city council.
During Thursday’s meeting, the city council approved a $70,000 contract for equity-driven public engagement services with Bluknowledge LLC in support of the site’s redevelopment. The consultant will play a “critical role in ensuring that equity is at the core of the project by fostering inclusive public participation throughtout the process and supporting other key aspects of the redevelopment effort with City staff and the associated consultant team,” according to the memo.
The contract comes after the city council approved a contract last month for an economic and land use study for the site. A market demand, programming analysis and operations study is also underway to help inform the future design and renovation of the Johnny Mercer Theatre, meeting rooms, ballroom, lobby and other amenities associated with the space.
Homeless Outreach and Transportation Services
The city council also approved a $273,715 contract with the Chatham Savannah Authority for the Homeless for street outreach and transportation services for people experiencing homelessness.
As approved, the contract covers 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and there was some debate about the lack of coverage on Sunday’s and late-night hours. Alderwoman Linda Wilder Bryan raised concerns that most homeless-related issues occur after 11 p.m. and on weekends when visitors are in town.
“Most of those arrests is going to happen on the weekend,” Wilder-Bryan said. “And so that’s why I’m adamant about us doing something on the weekend, Sunday especially, because it’s a lot of times when people are traveling and they’re complaining.”
Adding Sunday service was estimated to cost an additional $100,693, however, some partner resources are not available during the late evening and weekend hours, and Union Mission’s intake would be limited based on bed availability, said City Manager Jay Melder.
“The issue that we’re finding with the binding constraint here is that even if we were to expand the outreach services under this contract… other partner agencies are not open and so those other resources would not be available,” Melder said.
Both agencies also expressed concerns and did not recommend extending services beyond 9 p.m. due to safety concerns for staff during late night hors, the danger of approaching encampments unannounced, disturbing individuals who are sleeping, the limited availability of shelter space, and lower staffing levels at shelters while people are sleeping, according to the city manager’s memo concerning the matter.
Mayor Van Johnson said that the agreements represents an improvement over previous services.
“I think if we keep the trajectory going, understanding where our gaps and services are, then ultimately I would love to have the service 24 hours a day every day,” Johnson said. “I think we have to get there incrementally.”
Horse Carriage regulations
Proposed changes to horse carriage regulations were under first reading only, and no public comment or actions were taken. The public hearing is expected to be held at the council’s next meeting on August 14.
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