UAB Getting A New Stadium

[ShotgunDawg]

At last & much needed.

I'm sure we'll play here every 4 years or so once it's built.

http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2018/03/birmingham_commits_90_million.html#incart_push

[MetEdDawg]

As a resident of Bham Metro, I understand why they are building this and feel like it could be good and continue some of the progress being seen in certain parts of Bham. As a teacher, I'm stunned they are committing 90 million dollars from the city over the next 30 years as the Bham City school system continues to have the majority of its schools receive D grades or be considered failing. 3 million dollars a year could go a long way in their school system.

Initially, it's expected this renovation will bring in only $500,000 of additional revenue per year. So for a time, you pay $3 million a year to get $500,000 in return. Typical Bham politics. Then the projection gets as large as 9.9 million in added revenue. That's never going to happen. But they need to get at least 5 million additional per year in order to make it happen and I think that's going to be a stretch.

There are other things going on in this project, but the big crux of this is a football stadium that will be used only around 10-12 times per year. They might be able to get in on a rotation to host the high school playoffs and some other local events. Right now only Auburn and Alabama host. Maybe try and bid for a future MLS team? I'm not really sure. But it will be interesting to see how this plays out. Lot of factors involved in this process and as a lifelong resident of Bham Metro, I'm a tad concerned about the politics behind this because there's always politics involved in Bham construction projects. I just hope this works out. The city needs some positive movement in the worst way because they have lost a considerable amount of population and tax base. From 1960 until 2016, they went from 340,000 to 212,000 in population.

If the money can actually legitimately go to revitalization, it would be a huge step towards progress for the city. There are pockets gaining momentum, but this one could go either way in my opinion. Could be huge, or could a huge failure. Really hope for the sake of the city it's the former. Sorry for the political nature of this post, but wanted to put some context behind how it's being perceived by some over here.

[Jack Lambert]

As a resident of Bham Metro, I understand why they are building this and feel like it could be good and continue some of the progress being seen in certain parts of Bham. As a teacher, I'm stunned they are committing 90 million dollars from the city over the next 30 years as the Bham City school system continues to have the majority of its schools receive D grades or be considered failing. 3 million dollars a year could go a long way in their school system.

Initially, it's expected this renovation will bring in only $500,000 of additional revenue per year. So for a time, you pay $3 million a year to get $500,000 in return. Typical Bham politics. Then the projection gets as large as 9.9 million in added revenue. That's never going to happen. But they need to get at least 5 million additional per year in order to make it happen and I think that's going to be a stretch.

There are other things going on in this project, but the big crux of this is a football stadium that will be used only around 10-12 times per year. They might be able to get in on a rotation to host the high school playoffs and some other local events. Right now only Auburn and Alabama host. Maybe try and bid for a future MLS team? I'm not really sure. But it will be interesting to see how this plays out. Lot of factors involved in this process and as a lifelong resident of Bham Metro, I'm a tad concerned about the politics behind this because there's always politics involved in Bham construction projects. I just hope this works out. The city needs some positive movement in the worst way because they have lost a considerable amount of population and tax base. From 1960 until 2016, they went from 340,000 to 212,000 in population.

If the money can actually legitimately go to revitalization, it would be a huge step towards progress for the city. There are pockets gaining momentum, but this one could go either way in my opinion. Could be huge, or could a huge failure. Really hope for the sake of the city it's the former. Sorry for the political nature of this post, but wanted to put some context behind how it's being perceived by some over here.

I am not disagreeing with what you said. I do think the City is thinking of the City and it's growth as far as businesses goes. I suspect they would rather have new businesses move in then to have new people.

Are they trying to get a MLS team to move to the city? To invest that kind of money has to be more then just about UAB football.

[5049]

Hope Jackson follows suit

[Fader21]

Can anyone say XFL!

[5049]

As a resident of Bham Metro, I understand why they are building this and feel like it could be good and continue some of the progress being seen in certain parts of Bham. As a teacher, I'm stunned they are committing 90 million dollars from the city over the next 30 years as the Bham City school system continues to have the majority of its schools receive D grades or be considered failing. 3 million dollars a year could go a long way in their school system.

Initially, it's expected this renovation will bring in only $500,000 of additional revenue per year. So for a time, you pay $3 million a year to get $500,000 in return. Typical Bham politics. Then the projection gets as large as 9.9 million in added revenue. That's never going to happen. But they need to get at least 5 million additional per year in order to make it happen and I think that's going to be a stretch.

There are other things going on in this project, but the big crux of this is a football stadium that will be used only around 10-12 times per year. They might be able to get in on a rotation to host the high school playoffs and some other local events. Right now only Auburn and Alabama host. Maybe try and bid for a future MLS team? I'm not really sure. But it will be interesting to see how this plays out. Lot of factors involved in this process and as a lifelong resident of Bham Metro, I'm a tad concerned about the politics behind this because there's always politics involved in Bham construction projects. I just hope this works out. The city needs some positive movement in the worst way because they have lost a considerable amount of population and tax base. From 1960 until 2016, they went from 340,000 to 212,000 in population.

If the money can actually legitimately go to revitalization, it would be a huge step towards progress for the city. There are pockets gaining momentum, but this one could go either way in my opinion. Could be huge, or could a huge failure. Really hope for the sake of the city it's the former. Sorry for the political nature of this post, but wanted to put some context behind how it's being perceived by some over here.

Businesses and population aren't coming back, not in any significant number. Yes there are apartments and some rising areas but most of that is short term and not a wide scale movement back into urban areas. B'ham should market itself as an entertainment destination for the central Alabama region, which it truly is - a lot of good bars, restaurants, and attractions down there, more than anywhere else in Alabama except maybe the beach.

I hope Jackson gets its act together and starts pushing for the same sort of things downtown, and I honestly believe they have

[Jack Lambert]

Businesses and population aren't coming back, not in any significant number. Yes there are apartments and some rising areas but most of that is short term and not a wide scale movement back into urban areas. B'ham should market itself as an entertainment destination for the central Alabama region, which it truly is - a lot of good bars, restaurants, and attractions down there, more than anywhere else in Alabama except maybe the beach.

I hope Jackson gets its act together and starts pushing for the same sort of things downtown, and I honestly believe they have

JSU pushed for a Dome several years ago that they would play football and to have other events but I think the State had to come up with 50 million to help fund the project and they said no.

[5049]

JSU pushed for a Dome several years ago that they would play football and to have other events but I think the State had to come up with 50 million to help fund the project and they said no.

Birmingham pushed for a dome 15 years ago, and of course it got shot down like any ridiculous idea should. Jackson is about 15-20 years behind

[RocketDawg]

As a resident of Bham Metro, I understand why they are building this and feel like it could be good and continue some of the progress being seen in certain parts of Bham. As a teacher, I'm stunned they are committing 90 million dollars from the city over the next 30 years as the Bham City school system continues to have the majority of its schools receive D grades or be considered failing. 3 million dollars a year could go a long way in their school system.

Initially, it's expected this renovation will bring in only $500,000 of additional revenue per year. So for a time, you pay $3 million a year to get $500,000 in return. Typical Bham politics. Then the projection gets as large as 9.9 million in added revenue. That's never going to happen. But they need to get at least 5 million additional per year in order to make it happen and I think that's going to be a stretch.

There are other things going on in this project, but the big crux of this is a football stadium that will be used only around 10-12 times per year. They might be able to get in on a rotation to host the high school playoffs and some other local events. Right now only Auburn and Alabama host. Maybe try and bid for a future MLS team? I'm not really sure. But it will be interesting to see how this plays out. Lot of factors involved in this process and as a lifelong resident of Bham Metro, I'm a tad concerned about the politics behind this because there's always politics involved in Bham construction projects. I just hope this works out. The city needs some positive movement in the worst way because they have lost a considerable amount of population and tax base. From 1960 until 2016, they went from 340,000 to 212,000 in population.

If the money can actually legitimately go to revitalization, it would be a huge step towards progress for the city. There are pockets gaining momentum, but this one could go either way in my opinion. Could be huge, or could a huge failure. Really hope for the sake of the city it's the former. Sorry for the political nature of this post, but wanted to put some context behind how it's being perceived by some over here.

Would putting the $3M a year to be spent on the stadium into the school system solve anything? Are the problems because of lack of money? I don't really think so. It's something else. Washington, DC has (or had at one time ... don't know about now) had the highest expenditure per student in the country, but also had the worst schools. Now whether the stadium is needed or not, I don't know. Seems like a Legion Field update would make more sense.

Is $90M a lot for Birmingham? My town, Madison, AL (a suburb much smaller than B'ham), just decided to spend $46M on a new baseball stadium for a minor league team. The B'ham project might make more sense. And based on what MSU is spending on the Dudy Noble renovation, and based on what the Madison facility will look like, I'll be the $46M cost is way short of what it will really cost.

If they're hoping to pull in a professional football, or any other, team, I don't think that will work. It's been tried many times and never worked out. Just not that much interest there in pro sports. An entertainment district? Probably a good idea.

[Homedawg]

Hope Jackson follows suit

why, might I ask? So JSU has a better place to play? We won't play there, ever! Total waste of money....

[5049]

why, might I ask? So JSU has a better place to play? We won't play there, ever! Total waste of money....

I am speaking more to the entertainment district. If the stadium means growth, I'm all for it. Or maybe just a really nice arena....but that is in the works

[Todd4State]

I am speaking more to the entertainment district. If the stadium means growth, I'm all for it. Or maybe just a really nice arena....but that is in the works

That's the problem- they would probably put the Tiger Dome or whatever they want to call it on Lynch St.

[5049]

That's the problem- they would probably put the Tiger Dome or whatever they want to call it on Lynch St.

No they wouldn't, that's such a short-sighted view. It takes more than a City Council to make something like this happen. Birmingham had a bunch of big money investors backing this stadium deal

Present day Jackson is Birmingham circa 2005, maybe even further back than that, late 90s maybe

[RocketDawg]

No they wouldn't, that's such a short-sighted view. It takes more than a City Council to make something like this happen. Birmingham had a bunch of big money investors backing this stadium deal

Present day Jackson is Birmingham circa 2005, maybe even further back than that, late 90s maybe

In what respects? Perhaps the decadence of Jackson that's posted frequently on SPS and occasionally on here? I wouldn't know ... haven't been there in many years, so I have to go by what I read. Jackson is much smaller than Birmingham, so presumably has much less money to spend on anything, especially things like football stadiums.

I understand what MetEd mentioned in the original post ... a stadium is a facility that's only going to be used a few times a year so it's hard to for a city to justify spending that sort of money on it. Large colleges (MSU, OM, Alabama, etc.) can afford to do so because it's voluntary donations by fans, but a city pretty much has to rely on taxes, or perhaps some investors. It might not be something a city wants to do. If it's a multi-use entertainment venue (like a civic center, for concerts, plays, conventions, etc.), then that can be a different story but you're not going to need a 50,000 seat stadium for very many concerts. I wonder if UAB will be able to draw such crowds for football.