With brick siding going up and the roofline taking shape, Mobile’s new $300 million arena is steadily progressing toward an April topping off ceremony and a planned opening in January 2027.
That timeline matters. The arena is expected to play a major role in next year’s Mardi Gras, with mystic societies eyeing it as a potential home for their traditional tableaus and formal balls. But as one Carnival season closes and planning begins for what could be one of the most anticipated in years, concerns about costs are beginning to surface. In less than 11 months, the Conde Cavaliers will roll through downtown Mobile, marking the countdown to a new era for the city.
Mobile Mayor Spiro Cheriogotis, speaking to the media Tuesday, said the city’s goal is not to run up deficits operating the new venue, which replaces the old Civic Center that routinely posted multi-million -dollar losses. He emphasized that the aim is to “soften the blow” and ensure the mystic societies that keep Mardi Gras traditions alive remain financially healthy.
The old arena served as the long-time epicenter for some of Mobile’s most elaborate annual balls hosted by the largest and oldest mystic societies…