The Coweta

County School System's effort to build an arts center is just weeks away

from breaking ground.

That's the

word from School System public information officer Dean Jackson.

Officials with

the system and the city of Newnan are working in tandem on the project,

which will also include a convention center for Newnan. The projects will

be built on Lower Fayetteville Road and share such items as parking.

The School

System's performing arts center features a 999-seat theater, along with

meeting rooms, rehearsal space and set-building areas, Jackson said.

The facility

is based on a recently completed center in Bartow County and will be linked

to the Newnan convention center by an architectural element, such as a

pedestrian bridge, he said.

The performing

arts center is the last item that has not been built that was specified

in the system's special purpose local option sales tax. The system allocated

$5 million for the center.

The city and

School System purchased nearly 40 acres on Lower Fayetteville Road for

the site, and envision having 15 acres for the arts center and 25 acres

for the convention center.

Jackson said

school and city officials are continuing talks on the project and ironing

out the final details. He expects ground to be broken within one month.