Middle Georgia State University (MGA) is celebrating the opening of new competition and event facilities, including a covered pavilion, team locker rooms, public restrooms, and expanded parking, at the Georgia Premier Cross Country Course on the Macon Campus. Georgia Premier is located at 3450 Fulton Mill Road. 

Designed to help the University expand recreational and tourism opportunities in partnership with Macon-Bibb County and Visit Macon, the project includes two climate-controlled buildings joined by an open-air pavilion. The new pavilion offers a covered viewing area, public restrooms, team locker rooms, concessions, and storage space.  

A large, paved parking lot, designed with ample room for team buses, now makes it easier to welcome major gatherings of spectators and athletes. The course itself received a significant refresh, including a new starting line capable of accommodating up to 1,000 competitors. 

The facilities were funded by a $1.24 million federal grant through the Economic Development Administration and nearly $311,000 in SPLOST support from Macon-Bibb.  

The investment is expected to generate nearly $1 million annually in economic activity. With the enhancements, Georgia Premier is positioned as a hub for more high-profile events such as cross-country championships, cyclocross races, and community festivals.  

Georgia Premier is already home to the MGA Knights cross-country and long-distance track teams, offering running loops of two, three, and five kilometers, and farther. The course regularly hosts collegiate, high school, and community races.  

“The recent upgrades to the Georgia Premier Cross Country Course are a tribute to the leaders of our University and to community partners who believe in public-private collaborations that drive local growth,” said Michael Brown, MGA’s athletics director. “Georgia Premier has long been a destination for championship-caliber competition, and these enhanced facilities will allow us to attract even more events that benefit our student-athletes, visitors, and the regional economy.”