Construction is finally set to begin soon on restoring the historic Georgia Theater in downtown Athens, which was gutted by an accidental fire one year ago.

After months of negotiations, Georgia Theater owner Wilmot Greene has secured a bank commitment for the majority of the loan needed to start re-building.

The theater has been a major venue for the Athens music scene since the 1970's. Famous rock bands and jazz musicians like R-E-M, Widespread Panic, and B-B King have played there. Greene says he still needs to raise at least 200-thousand dollars to complete the project.

One fund-raising effort kicks off this weekend – an e-Bay store with theater memorabilia and signed band posters. According to Greene, the restoration should take about 10 months and adds new features to the theater, including a roof-top restaurant.

Tags: Georgia, Athens, Georgia Theater, REM, Widespread Panic