A new live performance venue plans to infuse funk and soul into the heart of Tucker with its New Year’s Eve opening party.
Londzell Performing Arts Theatre, located at 3993 Lavista Road, has just a few final touches before it opens on New Year’s Eve with a night highlighting soul and music favorites ConFunkShun, Zapp, and local band Soul Cartel. The 30,000-square-foot venue was developed at the site of the former Bally Fitness by Londzell Hardy, an Atlanta entrepreneur and musician.
“This was empty for almost 20 years,” Hardy told Rough Draft Atlanta. “I thought this was just a great area in the center of Georgia, 15 minutes from Gwinnett, 10 minutes from Buckhead. The parking and the space are perfect.”
Hardy, who runs his own commercial maintenance company, designed the space with his own experiences of traveling to some of the country’s best venues in mind. One of his favorite features at those stadiums and theatres are skyboxes, so he added those to Londzell PAT. The theatre features eight skyboxes, which seat 30 people each, with white leather seats, wall fireplaces and flat screens featuring the show from the stage.
The venue also features a lounge and main floor, with combined seating capacity allowing for as many as 1,200 people. Eventually, Hardy plans to utilize golf carts to transport visitors to the front door of the venue from their cars. Hardy said he invested millions into developing and decorating the space, which he hopes invites comedians, musical acts of all genres, and plays.
“We want to give people something different than any other place,” he said. “The experience starts from the parking lot with the golf carts, but when they get here, it’ll be unique from the moment they walk in the door. There’s an attitude to the venue.”
The state-of-the-art features will include green rooms, each boasting a fireplace, jacuzzi, and showers for performers. Tickets are on sale now for a Valentine’s Day show Grammy-nominated R&B artist Stokely.
The City of Tucker has not yet issued the certificate of occupancy for the venue, but Sonja Szubski, City of Tucker communications director, said city officials are looking forward to witnessing the impact Londzell Performing Arts Theatre could have on the arts and nightlife in Tucker.
“Tucker is always excited for any business to choose to open here,” Szubski said. “The city is looking forward to a performance arts center enhancing our economic strength and broadening opportunities to highlight the arts.”
Doors open at 5 p.m. Dec. 31, for the New Year’s Eve celebration. The show begins at 7 p.m. For tickets, visit www.londzellpat.com.