Birmingham Dome Looking Good (1-22-04)


Deuce

Deuce

Well-Known Member
Last dome parcel in place

BJCC approves $1.72 million purchase of United Cerebral Palsy building, land

01/22/04

ROY L. WILLIAMS
News staff writer


The Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex board on Wednesday approved buying the last piece of property needed to build a $498 million sports and convention dome.

The board approved purchasing the United Cerebral Palsy building on 11th Avenue North between 24th Street and 25th Street and 91,375 square feet of land it owns for $1.72 million.

With the purchase, the BJCC now owns or has under contract all of the 40 pieces of property in the four-block area between 23rd and 24th Streets and 11th and 12th Avenues North targeted for the expansion project, said BJCC Real Estate Director Jack Fields.

The BJCC has spent $14.44 million over the past two years buying land needed for the expansion. Another $8.1 million is under contract and expected to close by March 1. Fields said all of the landowners they've dealt with have owned the land for at least five years, most of them private families who have had it in their possession for at least 15 years.

Fields said the United Cerebral Palsy property is crucial because it would be the main staging area for construction crews.

The BJCC, which would need $35.3 million annually for 30 years to pay off bonds used to finance the expansion, has lined up about $26 million a year in contributions from Birmingham and Jefferson County plus revenue from car rental and lodging taxes passed for the project. The board has asked the state to contribute up to $5 million annually and is seeking another $5 million per year from Birmingham, but has gotten no firm commitments.


Update scheduled:


Next Tuesday, the BJCC is to host Jefferson County legislators at the Summit Club to update them about the expansion plans. The following week, BJCC officials plan to meet with Gov. Bob Riley, who has expressed support for the expansion without guaranteeing any funding.

Expansion committee chairman Lewis King said the dome should qualify for state economic development funding available under the Amendment One proposal Alabama voters approved two years ago.

"The state gave Mobile $10 million of that money (for a new office building) a couple of weeks ago and recently gave UAB $3 million for one of their development projects," King said.

Also Wednesday, the BJCC approved a $166,000 contract for development partners HOK architects of St. Louis, Brasfield & Gorrie of Birmingham and H.J. Russell of Atlanta to proceed with plans to assess parking needs, road improvements and impact the expansion will have on transportation downtown.

HB Brantley, construction manager for the BJCC, said the developers will also look at mass transit needs, including the possibility of light rail and the expansion's impact on upcoming events at the complex.


Breaking ground:


BJCC Board chairman Clyde Echols has said breaking ground in 2004 is crucial because bond interest rates are expected to rise soon as the U.S. economy continues to improve. Rising rates will boost construction costs. Poe has said it will take up to 36 months to build a dome, so a groundbreaking next year would mean a 2007 opening date.

The project would include a 150,000-square-foot stadium for conventions, sporting and entertainment events. The BJCC recently hired Bayer Properties to oversee development of an entertainment district of restaurants, shops and a 500-room hotel adjacent to the dome.

The BJCC says the expansion is designed to allow it to meet needs for more conventions, sports and entertainment events.
 



Originally posted by Deuce

HB Brantley, construction manager for the BJCC . . .
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HB Brantley is a relatively young brother. He graduated from Tuskegee, and is a fraternity brother of mine.

:tup:
 
YEP!!!!

YES! EXCELLENT ARTICLE DEUCE. THIS IS GREAT NEWS. GEE, I GUESS THIS MEANS THE SWAC CG COULD GO INSIDE INTO A BRAND NEW SPARKLING DOME,,,, IN BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA OF ALL PLACES, for an additional 10 years or so!!!!!!

Now this cenario would be an EXCELLENT development for the SWAC patrons. I mean,,, it would give all the SWAC schools and fans a chance to come to the GREAT STATE OF ALABAMA and explore all of the state's wonderful tourist attractions,,, especially the original home of Mardi Gras, Birmingham's OUTSTANDING nightlife, not to mention all the civil rights landmarks and fabulous dining in The Ham. What a great development, GREAT DEVELOPMENT i say. man,,, you SWACers better get your SCG reservations in now,, into the new high-rise hotels that will accompany the OUTSTANDING new gleaming domed stadium in Birmingham.

:)
 
Re: YEP!!!!

Originally posted by Bartram
YES! EXCELLENT ARTICLE DEUCE. THIS IS GREAT NEWS. GEE, I GUESS THIS MEANS THE SWAC CG COULD GO INSIDE INTO A BRAND NEW SPARKLING DOME,,,, IN BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA OF ALL PLACES, for an additional 10 years or so!!!!!!
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Yep. :nod: But I'll bet you my next 3 paychecks, it will not be free.
 
Re: Re: YEP!!!!

Originally posted by TSU/BAMA
Yep. :nod: But I'll bet you my next 3 paychecks, it will not be free.
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:bawling: yep. the dynamics of the SWAC/City of Birmingham relationship could definitely change. as it is now B'ham gotta "give up da booty" free, but the dome could definitely make B'ham a destination in demand with an explosion in convention business, which is the main goal (or should be) of the BJCC expansion anyway. I'd rather have booked conventions year-around with a healthy hotel/motel infrastructure instead of pro sports or sporting events,, but having a place that can accomodate the largest conventions naturally lends itself to pro sports/major sporting events like championship games, bowl games, super bowls, etc, so conventions are the horse and sports are the cart.
 
Even if B-Ham charges once the dome is complete, the SWAC should pay them. There should be some serious loyalty to the city that gave us everything for nothing. Besides, we can't expect them to keep footing our bill.
 



Houston, New Orleans,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Birmingham?

Right now,,, admittedly, N.O. and Houston have HUGE advantages over Birmingham,,, except for hosting for free. With Birmingham coming in with a domed facility,,,,,,, oh my,,, that pretty much log-jams things nicely. Now granted,,, not even I will sit up here and contend that Alabama/Birmingham is a "natural" SWAC fit, but ey,,,, if Bama/B'ham has a dome, that puts B'ham right in there with Houston and N.O. and it then boils down to contacts, clout, SWAC politics, maybe somebody gaining control of SWAC decision making who is partial to N.O./Louisiana, Texas, or maybe even the "poor cousins" Arkansas, Mississippi(actually, if MS come with a facility in now the "Nevada" of the south with the Casinos, they are no poor cousin to N.O. and TX any longer.) and Alabama(clout and all doesn't bode well for Alabama, I will admit.).

This is great stuff. I want to see Birmingham come in with a domed stadium to give the rest of the SWAC outside of SIAC indigeonous newcomers Bama State and AAMU a formitable choice outside of N.O. and Houston (and prolly soon Dallas with their new stadium/dome). Plus too how great of a story would it be to have the SWAC continued to be posted up in BIRMINGHAM of all places what with the storied past and imagery of Birmingham and black America,, while at the same time being synonymous with fanatical college football because of Legion Field and the Magic City Classic and University of Alabama/Iron Bowl being there for decades.
 
Here's an update from today's (1-28-04) Birmingham newspaper.



Jeffco's dome plans gather support from some in delegation


01/28/04

ROY L. WILLIAMS
News staff writer


Several Jefferson County lawmakers expressed support for the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex's proposed $498 million sports and convention dome after getting an update on the expansion plans Tuesday night.

BJCC Executive Director Frank Poe and board members hosted the 18-member delegation at the Summit Club downtown. Complex officials said the project is crucial to bringing more conventions, sports and entertainment events to Birmingham.

State Rep. John Hawkins, R-Vestavia Hills, who chairs the Jefferson County delegation, and fellow Republican, Vestavia Hills Sen. Jabo Waggoner, both said the BJCC expansion would be an economic boon to the Birmingham area.

"The multipurpose facility is something we need to happen," Waggoner said. "I was in the Legislature 30 years ago when some people complained about efforts to expand the Civic Center. We expanded and look at the benefits we got."


Last piece in place:


The BJCC last week approved purchase of the last piece of property needed in the area targeted for the dome and adjacent entertainment district that would include retail shops, restaurants and a 500-room hotel. The complex has spent $14 million buying land on four square blocks adjacent to its complex along Richard Arrington Boulevard and 11th Avenue North, and has another $8 million of land under contract.

On Friday, longtime dome proponent State Rep. John Rogers, D-Birmingham, plans to meet with Gov. Bob Riley seeking $5 million annually in Amendment One money for the expansion effort. Rogers said the state recently gave Mobile $10 million for a new cancer research center and the University of Alabama at Birmingham $5 million for a biomedical research center.

"That same money can be used for the dome," he said. "This is our Mercedes, our Honda, our Hyundai. Jefferson County has no other chance for an economic development project of this magnitude because of our ozone problems."

The expansion would give the BJCC 467,000 square feet of space, enough to accommodate 77 percent of the convention industry vs. only 30 percent now. A 2003 Deloitte & Touche study estimates the dome and district would have an economic impact of over $100 million a year and generate nearly $12 million a year in sales taxes, with half going to the state.
 
Originally posted by Bulldog Fan
With Birmingham getting a new dome, I wonder will the Magic City Classic move to the dome or will it stay at Legion Field?
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Bulldog Fan,

You know black folk would riot if that game wasn't held at the dome, LOL ! ! !

Personally, I love Legion Field, especially on a bright clear Fall afternoon. But the new entertainment district, and all of the other attractions of the dome will make it irresistible. Plus, there is no need in building a dome if one of the primary tennants won't be using it.
 
Originally posted by Deuce
Bulldog Fan,

Personally, I love Legion Field, especially on a bright clear Fall afternoon.
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Me too, Deuce! And for the most part, we've had great weather on Magic City Classic Saturday. Over the last 21 years, only 1991, 1993, and 2001 were colder than a well-digger's _ _ _! I'm looking forward to the dome going up, but I will miss Legion Field. There's so much history in that place.
 
Dome gains momentum despite critics


02/01/04




Like it or not, there's a dome coming your way.

Over the past year or so, the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Authority has been buying up land on four blocks downtown for the $498 million sports and convention dome project that some people love to hate. In January, the BJCC bought the last parcel it needs for the dome project, capping a $21 million land-acquisition campaign.

With all the property secured, dome supporters can concentrate all their energy on clearing the next big hurdle: assembling a financial package that guarantees a stream of annual income needed to make the payments of a monster bond issue.

Stream may be the right word; perhaps geyser is more like it.

The BJCC figures it needs $35.3 million a year to cover those bond payments. To meet that, it's already lined up about $26 million, counting $10 million a year from Jefferson County, $5 million from the City of Birmingham and the rest from various taxes passed for the dome.

Here's where the math gets difficult.

The BJCC wants Birmingham to contribute an additional $5 million a year and is trying to persuade the state to chip in a similar amount each year for 15 years. So far, BJCC officials have been unsuccessful in their efforts to line up this money, but their argument that the sports and convention dome is really an economic development project could end up changing some minds.

State Rep. John Rogers, the Birmingham Democrat, has championed this line. "This is our Mercedes, our Honda, our Hyundai," Rogers said again last week. "Jefferson County has no other chance for an economic development project of this magnitude because of our ozone problem."

Rogers says the dome should qualify for money authorized by Amendment One, a proposal approved by voters a few years ago that allows the state to fund economic development and construction projects. He says $5 million in Amendment One money went to a UAB biomedical research center and $10 million to a Mobile cancer research center.

Even if Rogers' arguments don't make a difference, you better believe there are behind-the-scenes efforts to find the bucks needed for the dome financing plan. The project has won the quiet support of influential people who believe the dome is not only worthy but absolutely needed to raise Birmingham to the next level.

This talk, of course, is going to infuriate those who see the dome as a $500 million boondoggle and feel voters rejected the idea when they turned down the MAPS plan that would have provided the original financing through a sales tax increase.

Despite all that, the BJCC has pushed hard to make the dome project a reality. And now it appears the project is within a whisker of having the kind of momentum it needs to really happen.

Like it or not.
 
Originally posted by AAMU Alum
Me too, Deuce! And for the most part, we've had great weather on Magic City Classic Saturday. Over the last 21 years, only 1991, 1993, and 2001 were colder than a well-digger's _ _ _! I'm looking forward to the dome going up, but I will miss Legion Field. There's so much history in that place.
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Legion Field is hallowed ground, both from the epic ASU-AAMU annual clash and the Bama-aub stuff. We can implode LField and put in more housing for the needy. Meanwhile a first class domed (WITH RETRACTABLE ROOF,,,, this is the latest addition to my "Birmingham needs a domed stadium!" rant. that retractable roof stuff is the wave of the future and a great innovation for domed stadiums in the sunbelt. just outstanding. B'ham gotta mix that into the design.) facility would be a perfect setting for ASU and AAMU. HBCUers wanna be inside anyway. Arkadelphia in Nashville is good stuff,,, but the dome, like Reliant,, that's good stuff. I even believe N.O. has got to be getting ansi about developments like Reliant what with the SDome aging very significantly. I gotta believe N.O. is gonna have to come wit a new facility in the next 5 years to stay competitive,, especially when B'ham joins the frey.
 
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