Frequently Asked Questions
Johns Creek has a solid reputation as a community and has been rated as one of the best places to live by numerous publications, including most recently #1 by US News & World Report 2025. Arts, culture and a sense of community are key in any city; the city has no central location to host the many and varied arts performance groups that exist. Many of the groups who are based in Johns Creek do not perform here due the lack of a professional venue, one that is appropriately sized and affordable for their needs.
The future of any city is in its plan to balance many attributes and priorities. For a few years, the City of Johns Creek has had arts & culture as a strategic priority. Without a centralized location many local organizations perform in other cities.
Traffic and proximity are major factors in the Atlanta area. Arts Organizations and residents realize that travelling 15-30 miles to a quality performance hall is not convenient or ideal. The multitude of performance groups within Johns Creek need a quality hall for theatre, music, dance etc., and that would be the primary purpose of the 800 seat Performing Arts Center.
Plus, other regional performing arts venues are regularly booked up. Many Johns Creek performing organizations end up using churches, schools, etc., for their performances instead. Simply put, there is a shortage of performing arts space in the Johns Creek area.
Over many years private organizations and city staff reviewed various performance halls within the region. 800 seat halls are moderate in size and balance the ability to attract larger national/regional groups that would require a larger paid audience, as well as local groups that do not want to perform in a 2000 seat hall/auditorium. A detailed review of various halls over the last 5 years yielded that 800 seats is reasonable to serve both local and other regional needs. This was also done by surveying a multitude of area arts groups.
Design of the Performing Arts Center is comprehensive and includes a detailed review of back of the house operational, audience and stage requirements to accommodate various types of performance groups.
A working group (formed by the City of Johns Creek) in 2022 reviewed multiple sizes from 700-1200 seats. The Legacy Center design of the past is NOT the Performing Arts Center. The Legacy Center was a large complex with multiple buildings, large banquet kitchens and meeting spaces as well as a banquet kitchen, all in a complex connected to an Arts Center home. The cost of that would have easily exceeded $100 Million as it was originally designed to be able to attract very large national groups with a complex facility. Multiple options were presented and reviewed. Many halls are in the range of the 800 seats of the PAC and stay busy with events throughout the year.
The PAC is designed to balance that and serve the needs of both the local community and moderate sized groups that would want to perform.
It’s not just a strategic priority of the city; it’s a foundational issue for any city to balance many elements. Like a community park, a Performing Arts Center allows residents to have a location to gather and to experience events, without having to travel long distances within the metro area. The “heart and soul” of a city is within its arts & culture. Looking at other cities in the United States the arts has been a key driver for both existing and new residents.
Consistent with the strategic priority, the city has placed a focus on artwork throughout the area, including in City Hall. This has been an ongoing focus by the city. As a city with 3 of the top 5 rated high schools in Georgia, Johns Creek needs a venue that supports the cultural development of our youth.
The broader impact of the arts is inherent in the ability to deepen student engagement in school music programs, serving as a location and model for cross-cultural community collaboration, serve to help educate both kids and adults on the importance of the arts and to literally celebrate the power of the arts in supporting the #1 best city in the United States.
The arts bring communities together to celebrate and help our children experience the wonders of creative expression and grow. Whether dance, theater, music, painting, poetry, or the spoken word, arts engage our brains to think and explore.
Repeated studies have shown the value of the arts in a community and on the well-being of individuals. This year, articles in the New York Times and the Atlanta Journal Constitution* show the connection between the arts and curbing health care woes, preventing dementia and depression. McLean Hospital and Dr. Stephanie Collier as well as Dr. Sanjula Singh of the Brain Care Labs at Massachusetts General Hospital, were cited for studies and work around improving brain health and overall wellness, promoted in part by the arts.
Universities have Music Therapy programs teaching students how to employ music to help individuals. The arts promote a sense of community an opportunity for people to come together.
*Atlanta Journal Constitution, 06/16/2025 page A14
The City’s FAQ explains the breakdown of potential costs. The 20-year bond initiative would allow up to $40 million dollars and the rest would come from other sources.
Competitive studies have been done over a number of years by private groups. Designs were created recently for the city of Johns Creek through a competitive bid process in early 2025. A working group (formed by the City of Johns Creek) in 2022 also reviewed the importance and elements of a performance hall and related components such as a multi-purpose space. As stated above, this is not the Legacy Center complex. That complex would have easily exceeded $100 Million and was one option, but not the only option available.
Performance halls are specifically designed to host varied types of performances at a professional level. Acoustics, staging specifications, the ability to load extensive materials or equipment in and out, to host varied groups from dance to theatre to music, to staff and support audience, artist/musician needs are all key distinctions of a quality performance hall.
To host a broad range of performance groups including but not limited to dance, music and theatre, requires specific facilities and fundamentals. While churches and high school auditoriums are suitable for some events, they do not provide comfortable seating, high quality stage lighting, and acoustics which offer an outstanding audience experience for residents.
The bond referendum for $40 million will be to fund most of the Performing Arts Center and will come from property taxes. The annual tax property tax bill (Fulton County Assessors Office) received by residents is multi-faceted and includes components for Johns Creek and Fulton County Schools and Fulton County Government. Only certain line items are specific to Johns Creek.
Approximately 86% of the resident’s property tax bill received from Fulton County is for broader taxes of Fulton County and the school system. A relatively small portion of that bill is for Johns Creek. Johns Creek has the lowest millage (property tax) rate (currently 3.492 per $1,000 and lowered by the City Council as of July 2025 with a roll back rate) in all of Fulton County’s 14 municipalities. All subject to assessed value (not market value) and homestead exemptions the homeowner may have.
The impact of a PAC on resident taxes based on calculations is expected be in the range of $75-$110 per household per year. As an example, a $40 million bond based on a 20-year term and a home with an appraised value of $550,000, would have a current annual tax increase of about $80, based on the city’s current millage rate. Referendum scheduled for the November 4, 2025 ballot.
The Performing Arts Center will be located adjacent to city hall (11315 Lakefield Drive) and convenient to other locations in the immediate area including the new Medley development with its multitude of shops, restaurants and homes (currently under construction). This $550 million development will be a focal point of Johns Creek and easily walkable from the Performing Arts Center for restaurants and shopping.
The City of Johns Creek expects parking available at the Performing Arts Center as well as parking at City Hall (333 spaces). Deeded rights to 200 spaces at the adjacent building as well as joint use parking agreements with other surrounding buildings will be established. Performance hall studies indicate that at least 400 spots are needed (as event goers usually come with a guest): there are 1,700 spots available within an 8- block radius of the planned site.
There are multiple manners in which a Performing Arts Center generates direct revenues.
- Rental of both the performance hall itself (800 seats) as well as the multi-purpose 3,200 square foot space
- Contracted food & Beverage fees from events hosted at the center
- Ticket & Box office fees from performing groups
- Potential naming rights for interior halls as well as the building itself
A detailed listing of almost 50 arts organizations in the immediate area was reviewed by the city. The list encompassed music, theatre and dance organizations and can clearly be expanded to broader regions within the greater Atlanta area. All have expressed an interest in utilizing a new Performing Arts Center and are currently paying comparable rental rates in other venues, just not in Johns Creek.
It has been stated on social media recently that no one will use the Performing Arts Center. That is fundamentally untrue. Research and use of area halls denies that statement. As noted, multiple days are often used for each rental for rehearsals, not just the days listed on a calendar of events. Currently, most organizations are going to area performance venues even outside of Johns Creek, because there is nothing professional in Johns Creek.
Performance space for arts organizations in the area is hard to come by and most other performance venues in the area are booked up heavily.
Various options exist as noted by the City of Johns Creek and based on review of other municipalities. A combination of private/public (City) staffing or management can be set up:
- Public/Insourced – hired by the city and paid by the City of Johns Creek.
- Not-for-Profit – A not for profit entity established with building ownership by the City of Johns Creek but day to day operation handled by others.
- Private/Outsourced - Totally outsourced to a third party to handle on behalf of the city.
Staffing of the Performing Arts Center was estimated based on similar type venues and in conjunction with outside firms that specialize in performance halls. A blended approach of serving local groups as well as the ability to solicit and bring in other national/regional groups determined the staffing model. Staffing levels would be set to handle day to day operations. Some additional positions may be part time and others are brought in on an as-needed basis.
Most performance halls have a need for some ongoing private or public funding to supplement their operational costs. The city has reviewed the potential operational cost considerations based on staffing and ongoing expenses.
An in-depth review of area performance halls was completed which included the performance group types using area facilities. While there are some minor differences, most performance venues serve a combination of local (within the city) and regional/national groups.
Rental rates are typically managed in a revenue management fashion where higher premium dates are more costly than off-season or off-peak dates. This also varies by day of the week. Most groups will require multiple rental days between rehearsals, performances and their specific needs. These elements were factored in and reviewed. Some reduction in pricing can be given to local Johns Creek groups versus regional or nationally based groups to encourage more use locally.
Non-profit organizations in the area will certainly be able to utilize the Performing Arts Center and pricing for those entities will be determined, but as stated above based on competitive review of area facilities. Groups are currently paying the rental fees elsewhere, just not in Johns Creek due to a lack of a professional venue.
Looking at similar cities in the United States who have focused on a fully integrated approach to city development we believe that a Performing Arts Center will have a positive effect. With the construction of Medley near City Hall and its 550 million dollar development over 45 acres, the Performing Arts Center would naturally align, potentially creating additional demand and interest to visit both areas, bringing tourism to Johns Creek as well as supporting local businesses.
It is common for both visitors and residents to look for things to do in a community, arts or performances combined with shopping, restaurants, etc. It’s a belief that this model would work in Johns Creek as it has in other cities. When you look at cities like Greenville, SC, the vibrant restaurant and bar community is strongly linked to the performances and arts venues as well as their parks and trails. As of the 2020 census Greenville has a population of 70,000 versus Johns Creek at 83,000.
Economic studies by Webb Management were done and presented in 2022 indicating a strong impact on business and tax revenues. While the study was done for a slightly larger facility the principles remain the same.
Publicly available studies from similar sizes cities such as Sarasota, FL, Durham, NC, Columbus, GA and Bellevue, WA all of which have built performing arts centers, indicate millions of dollars of positive economic impact after opening. (See the main page to access these studies.)