Red Clay Agreement on City Council Agenda Tonight

Adoption of an agreement with legendary music promoter Eddie Owen, founder and former manager of Eddie’s Attic in Decatur, that would allow him to use the Red Clay Theatre in Duluth as a live music venue is listed for consideration on the agenda for a called meeting of the Duluth City Council tonight (Oct. 24).

The agenda for the 7 p.m. special meeting also includes annexation of properties in the Blue Ridge Industrial Park adjacent to the city. The called meeting will occur during a regularly scheduled work session that begins at 5:30 p.m.

Duluth Economic Development Manager Chris McGahee reported at the Oct. 18 Duluth Downtown Development Authority meeting that an agreement between Owen and the city that would allow him to manage the Red Clay Theatre and book musical acts on its stage had been drafted for presentation to the council. Owen has proposed to present live musicians in nighttime concerts at the Red Clay Theatre and offer workshops and classes for singers, songwriters and musicians during the daytime. MaGahee said Owen might later want to purchase property to build an addition to the theatre.

McGahee told DDA members that Owen plans to book acts at 5 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. most nights. Owen informed the council at an appearance Oct. 10 that he had severed ties with Eddie’s Attic and hoped to debut “Eddie Owen Presents” at Red Clay starting in mid-November. Owen and Eddie’s Attic are credited with launching the careers of Sugarland, John Mayer, the Zac Brown Band and others.

During the DDA meeting, McGahee revealed the role played by DDA member Shelly Howard and her husband David Cossette in bringing Owen to Duluth. They attended a concert at Eddie’s Attic, approached Owen, and invited him to visit Duluth. When Owen came, they arranged a meeting between him and McGahee.

DDA unanimously agreed to ask the city to find funds to survey property along the railroad tracks for more parking due to anticipated activity at Red Clay Theatre, the Oct. 8 opening of the popular Pure Taqueria restaurant and other new businesses downtown. The survey is needed to start negotiating with the Norfolk Southern Railroad to lease additional land for parking, McGahee said.

Bill Weaver, a partner in the Duluth Pure Taqueria franchise and a new member of the DDA, reported that the restaurant has gotten off to “a great start.” The first week’s sales were higher than expected, Weaver said. Pure Taqueria has hired 30 employees, 90 percent from the Duluth area, he also said.

DDA Vice President Rob Ponder commented that Steverino’s pizza parlor on Main Street had reported its sales went up after Pure Taqueria opened. “It took only one day for Steverino’s sales to increase,” Ponder said. “I think Pure Taqueria will have a positive impact on other businesses.”

The DDA also voted to pay $17,000 for moving the fire vault that had been located between Pure Taqueria and the Red Clay Theatre to a new site behind the theatre. The vault, which serves Red Clay, had filled up with water in past flooding at the former location. Money for the fire vault relocation came from proceeds of the city’s sale of land at the corner of Main Street and Ga. Hwy. 120 for Pure Taqueria.

McGahee reported that the city is negotiating with Gwinnett County to relocate a 35-year-old 16-inch water line that runs close to Pure Taqueria’s foundation and possibly replace it with an 8-inch line. McGahee said the city has offered to pay for materials and asked the county to provide the labor. Estimated cost without county participation is $44,000, he said. If the line ruptured, McGahee predicted, “the water would create a sink hole that would send down the restaurant.”

DDA members agreed to do a night “lighting walk” downtown to check out “dark spots” that visitors might encounter and to ask the city to keep lights around Duluth City Hall operating later than 10 p.m. due to more late-night activity.

In addition, DDA plans to ask the city to provide electrical power for lights around columns in front of stores on Main Street in the old city hall block. Currently, that part of downtown appears dark at night. ‘The old city hall block looks like it’s in a ‘blackout,’” McGahee said.