By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
JULY 18, 2025 | It’s good to see tenants and owners work together instead of the squabbling you might see in such arrangements.
Today let’s focus on what is culturally happening in Lawrenceville, as the city has amended its agreement with Aurora Theatre to provide an unusual working arrangement between the two entities that should also result with benefits for both parties.
When Aurora Theatre moved from Duluth into the renovated former First Methodist Church building in Lawrenceville in 2007, it was a major move for the theatre. It happened as Emory Morsberger was redeveloping the downtown area, and searching for a lead tenant around the downtown square.
He purchased the former church building in 2003 and soon worked to land a new entity, the Aurora Theatre, which then was operating out of inadequate quarters in Duluth, into new and better productive operations. Theatre-goers were amazed at the new 250 seat main stage. The complex investment was priced at $7.5 million. Everyone was happy. Overnight, the city of Lawrenceville was boasting of having a professional theatre within its midst.
The city also got a new feature, a parking deck off Crogan Street, which opened up directly into the theatre. It was a tremendous hit and convenient to park for theatre patrons.
Meanwhile, Aurora continued to grow, soon having subscribers to its arts program from 107 counties in Georgia.
As Aurora flourished, the professional company recognized that it needed more facilities, as it was outgrowing its quarters. It was about 2018-19 that both the city and the theatre recognized that they needed to start serious talks about long range plans.
Meanwhile, the city had purchased the key property where a Gwinnett Federal Credit Union bank was located, on the square between the Historic Courthouse and the renovated Aurora Theatre.
What happened next was an original concept, with the city proposing and building the Lawrenceville Arts Center, which opened on October 20, 2021. The entire center consisted of 59,500 square feet, including a 500 seat Grand Stage, a small studio stage, plus cabaret and the original 250 seat main stage. There’s also a grand lobby and art gallery. Meanwhile, the city handed over operations of the entire Arts Center to the Aurora.
Now that has changed. The Aurora will now concentrate on theatre operations, while the City of Lawrenceville will manage the Center and book its space for community engagement, educational performances, public and city-wide celebrations, personal milestones, private events and corporate meetings activity.
Jono Davis, now the executive director of Aurora, is “happy with the new agreement. We’re the anchor tenant, rent the space and provide technical and box office operation for the Arts Center. Meanwhile, the city owns, runs and maintains the building.” The new agreement began July 1.
So here we now have a tenant concentrating on what it does best, and an owner playing a wider role in the building operations.
It appears that it will be a win-win for both. Hurrah, and congratulations to both entities for their new arrangement, done without arguments and squabbling.
Working together like this makes a community even better than it was before.
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