The unofficial online home for fans of the UAB Blazers. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

https://medium.com/@bhamcitycouncil/a-co...c41cab434d

Q: Does any part of this proposed project preclude UAB from building their own stadium at some point? I hardly think 10 years is really a great commitment. I’d hate for us to build this stadium and for some reason UAB decides they want to build their own stadium on campus as they continue to expand. We need to have a clause in there that precludes them from doing so.

A: [Woodfin] Let me partially answer that and [Tad Snider, executive director of BJCC] can give you way more detail than I can. Let me start by saying I agree with you. Part of this is a contractual relationship. I wouldn’t think that would be smart for them to do, but they are contractually obligated. I’ll let Tad tell you why its structured 10 years, as opposed to 30.

[Snider] To the mayor’s credit this is something we haven’t covered yet. It’s structured as 10 years because that is usually what naming rights and sponsorship agreements are structured as.

But any agreement between the BJCC and UAB is going to be a minimum of 20 years. The Memorandum of Understanding is being drawn up now. That’s a very astute point you’re making Councilor. No one wants to see us go through these exercises and build a new stadium on behalf of the community but obviously with UAB being a primary user, and not have it be used for that purpose. The agreement with UAB will be much longer than 10 years. There’s been no pushback or lack of willingness from UAB to want to participate.

So here is our new home, like it or not.

I'm good with it.

A couple of years ago, when I called and asked the Alumni Society why the NAS was holding their tailgating event at the Alumni Building instead of Legion Field, the lady on the phone explained :

Legion Field forces UaB to buy beer, wine and liquor through the Park and Rec Department. And UaB has to use the Legion Field contracted catering company. (This was 2012,) and the Park & Rec Board was charging our Alumni Society $94 a case, for Bud Light or Miller Lite in a can. And she added pretty bluntly "The LF Caterer is crap" and "for what they want to charge for a 500-750 person event, we could take everyone to dinner and put 'em in a cab to the game"

Meet the new Boss...Same as the Old Boss

New Stadium GOOD ! UaB being Married to it for more that 10 years, BAD !

(02-06-2018 01:32 PM)BlazerPhil Wrote:  A couple of years ago, when I called and asked the Alumni Society why the NAS was holding their tailgating event at the Alumni Building instead of Legion Field, the lady on the phone explained :

Legion Field forces UaB to buy beer, wine and liquor through the Park and Rec Department. And UaB has to use the Legion Field contracted catering company. (This was 2012,) and the Park & Rec Board was charging our Alumni Society $94 a case, for Bud Light or Miller Lite in a can. And she added pretty bluntly "The LF Caterer is crap" and "for what they want to charge for a 500-750 person event, we could take everyone to dinner and put 'em in a cab to the game"

Meet the new Boss...Same as the Old Boss

New Stadium GOOD ! UaB being Married to it for more that 10 years, BAD !

New stadium will be "owned" and operated by the BJCC, not Birmingham...

(02-06-2018 01:39 PM)WesternBlazer Wrote:  

(02-06-2018 01:32 PM)BlazerPhil Wrote:  A couple of years ago, when I called and asked the Alumni Society why the NAS was holding their tailgating event at the Alumni Building instead of Legion Field, the lady on the phone explained :

Legion Field forces UaB to buy beer, wine and liquor through the Park and Rec Department. And UaB has to use the Legion Field contracted catering company. (This was 2012,) and the Park & Rec Board was charging our Alumni Society $94 a case, for Bud Light or Miller Lite in a can. And she added pretty bluntly "The LF Caterer is crap" and "for what they want to charge for a 500-750 person event, we could take everyone to dinner and put 'em in a cab to the game"

Meet the new Boss...Same as the Old Boss

New Stadium GOOD ! UaB being Married to it for more that 10 years, BAD !

New stadium will be "owned" and operated by the BJCC, not Birmingham...

BJCC will have similar, if not more draconian, requirements and pricing. It's important for UAB to get protections for that kind of stuff up front before they're stuck.

Now we have skin in the game.

Also it may take 20 years for the cockroaches to die off.


Then we will have a decision to make. Until then our recruiting and opportunities will be through the roof with this new facility

(02-06-2018 01:39 PM)WesternBlazer Wrote:  

(02-06-2018 01:32 PM)BlazerPhil Wrote:  A couple of years ago, when I called and asked the Alumni Society why the NAS was holding their tailgating event at the Alumni Building instead of Legion Field, the lady on the phone explained :

Legion Field forces UaB to buy beer, wine and liquor through the Park and Rec Department. And UaB has to use the Legion Field contracted catering company. (This was 2012,) and the Park & Rec Board was charging our Alumni Society $94 a case, for Bud Light or Miller Lite in a can. And she added pretty bluntly "The LF Caterer is crap" and "for what they want to charge for a 500-750 person event, we could take everyone to dinner and put 'em in a cab to the game"

Meet the new Boss...Same as the Old Boss

New Stadium GOOD ! UaB being Married to it for more that 10 years, BAD !

New stadium will be "owned" and operated by the BJCC, not Birmingham...

Sorry, I just don't trust anything with the word Birmingham in it when it comes to money. I was in the BJCC Arena last Spring. It looked the exactly same as it did the last time I was in it before; the UaB - Indiana game in 1997.

We're (UaB that is) is giving them 4 million a year for us to play there for 10 years. That's $650,00 (for 6 games) -OR $800,000 (for 5 games) a game. At $20 a head for tickets, that's a minimum of 32,000 people a game just to break even on our stadium lease.

I just believe we (UaB) could have a nice 35,000 seat on campus for less than $100 million. And we could then control all aspects of the venue.

In 25 years, we will have spent a minimum of $100 million to play there and we still won't own crap. And we're going to be in the exact same boat.

UAB is AA. Right now AA bonds are selling for 3%.

The BJCC is light years ahead of the Park & Rec Board, and I don't guess anybody is going to call me for an opinion, so I guess I'll have to go with it.

(02-06-2018 02:05 PM)BlazerPhil Wrote:  

(02-06-2018 01:39 PM)WesternBlazer Wrote:  

(02-06-2018 01:32 PM)BlazerPhil Wrote:  A couple of years ago, when I called and asked the Alumni Society why the NAS was holding their tailgating event at the Alumni Building instead of Legion Field, the lady on the phone explained :

Legion Field forces UaB to buy beer, wine and liquor through the Park and Rec Department. And UaB has to use the Legion Field contracted catering company. (This was 2012,) and the Park & Rec Board was charging our Alumni Society $94 a case, for Bud Light or Miller Lite in a can. And she added pretty bluntly "The LF Caterer is crap" and "for what they want to charge for a 500-750 person event, we could take everyone to dinner and put 'em in a cab to the game"

Meet the new Boss...Same as the Old Boss

New Stadium GOOD ! UaB being Married to it for more that 10 years, BAD !

New stadium will be "owned" and operated by the BJCC, not Birmingham...

Sorry, I just don't trust anything with the word Birmingham in it when it comes to money.

Guess you don't give the University of Alabama at Birmingham your money, then.

(02-06-2018 02:05 PM)BlazerPhil Wrote:  

(02-06-2018 01:39 PM)WesternBlazer Wrote:  

(02-06-2018 01:32 PM)BlazerPhil Wrote:  A couple of years ago, when I called and asked the Alumni Society why the NAS was holding their tailgating event at the Alumni Building instead of Legion Field, the lady on the phone explained :

Legion Field forces UaB to buy beer, wine and liquor through the Park and Rec Department. And UaB has to use the Legion Field contracted catering company. (This was 2012,) and the Park & Rec Board was charging our Alumni Society $94 a case, for Bud Light or Miller Lite in a can. And she added pretty bluntly "The LF Caterer is crap" and "for what they want to charge for a 500-750 person event, we could take everyone to dinner and put 'em in a cab to the game"

Meet the new Boss...Same as the Old Boss

New Stadium GOOD ! UaB being Married to it for more that 10 years, BAD !

New stadium will be "owned" and operated by the BJCC, not Birmingham...

In 25 years, we will have spent a minimum of $100 million to play there

How do you figure that? UAB is on the hook for no more than $40M over a 10 year period. But we can offset that amount by selling naming rights and corporate sponsorships. So if UAB sells the naming rights to Alabama Power for $1M/yr our contribution is now $3M. If we then sell $1M of advertising and $1M of suite rentals, our contribution becomes $1M/yr.

To get a brand new facility in a much more desirable area surrounded by other development, that's a great deal for UAB in my opinion.

(02-06-2018 02:11 PM)demiveeman Wrote:  

(02-06-2018 02:05 PM)BlazerPhil Wrote:  

(02-06-2018 01:39 PM)WesternBlazer Wrote:  

(02-06-2018 01:32 PM)BlazerPhil Wrote:  A couple of years ago, when I called and asked the Alumni Society why the NAS was holding their tailgating event at the Alumni Building instead of Legion Field, the lady on the phone explained :

Legion Field forces UaB to buy beer, wine and liquor through the Park and Rec Department. And UaB has to use the Legion Field contracted catering company. (This was 2012,) and the Park & Rec Board was charging our Alumni Society $94 a case, for Bud Light or Miller Lite in a can. And she added pretty bluntly "The LF Caterer is crap" and "for what they want to charge for a 500-750 person event, we could take everyone to dinner and put 'em in a cab to the game"

Meet the new Boss...Same as the Old Boss

New Stadium GOOD ! UaB being Married to it for more that 10 years, BAD !

New stadium will be "owned" and operated by the BJCC, not Birmingham...

Sorry, I just don't trust anything with the word Birmingham in it when it comes to money.

Guess you don't give the University of Alabama at Birmingham your money, then.

LOLs.

Apparently I shouldn't be trusting them with it.

(02-06-2018 01:20 PM)BlazerPhil Wrote:  Q: Does any part of this proposed project preclude UAB from building their own stadium at some point? I hardly think 10 years is really a great commitment. I’d hate for us to build this stadium and for some reason UAB decides they want to build their own stadium on campus as they continue to expand. We need to have a clause in there that precludes them from doing so.

A: [Woodfin] Let me partially answer that and [Tad Snider, executive director of BJCC] can give you way more detail than I can. Let me start by saying I agree with you. Part of this is a contractual relationship. I wouldn’t think that would be smart for them to do, but they are contractually obligated. I’ll let Tad tell you why its structured 10 years, as opposed to 30.

[Snider] To the mayor’s credit this is something we haven’t covered yet. It’s structured as 10 years because that is usually what naming rights and sponsorship agreements are structured as.

But any agreement between the BJCC and UAB is going to be a minimum of 20 years. The Memorandum of Understanding is being drawn up now. That’s a very astute point you’re making Councilor. No one wants to see us go through these exercises and build a new stadium on behalf of the community but obviously with UAB being a primary user, and not have it be used for that purpose. The agreement with UAB will be much longer than 10 years. There’s been no pushback or lack of willingness from UAB to want to participate.

So here is our new home, like it or not.

(02-06-2018 02:17 PM)hooverblazer Wrote:  

(02-06-2018 02:05 PM)BlazerPhil Wrote:  

(02-06-2018 01:39 PM)WesternBlazer Wrote:  

(02-06-2018 01:32 PM)BlazerPhil Wrote:  A couple of years ago, when I called and asked the Alumni Society why the NAS was holding their tailgating event at the Alumni Building instead of Legion Field, the lady on the phone explained :

Legion Field forces UaB to buy beer, wine and liquor through the Park and Rec Department. And UaB has to use the Legion Field contracted catering company. (This was 2012,) and the Park & Rec Board was charging our Alumni Society $94 a case, for Bud Light or Miller Lite in a can. And she added pretty bluntly "The LF Caterer is crap" and "for what they want to charge for a 500-750 person event, we could take everyone to dinner and put 'em in a cab to the game"

Meet the new Boss...Same as the Old Boss

New Stadium GOOD ! UaB being Married to it for more that 10 years, BAD !

New stadium will be "owned" and operated by the BJCC, not Birmingham...

In 25 years, we will have spent a minimum of $100 million to play there

How do you figure that? UAB is on the hook for no more than $40M over a 10 year period. But we can offset that amount by selling naming rights and corporate sponsorships. So if UAB sells the naming rights to Alabama Power for $1M/yr our contribution is now $3M. If we then sell $1M of advertising and $1M of suite rentals, our contribution becomes $1M/yr.

To get a brand new facility in a much more desirable area surrounded by other development, that's a great deal for UAB in my opinion.

UaB is signing up for a 20 year agreement, per Mayor Woodfin.

I don't see where UaB is getting the naming rights, and if I were the BJCC, I sure wouldn't let the tenant get them.

(02-06-2018 02:05 PM)BlazerPhil Wrote:  I was in the BJCC Arena last Spring. It looked the exactly same as it did the last time I was in it before; the UaB - Indiana game in 1997.

that's kind of the entire point of this project. they are renovating the entire BJCC, including the Arena. This project will increase convention space as well as bring the Arena up to NCAA Tournament standards. It's been implied that Birmingham could see opening rounds return after this is done

Quote:We're (UaB that is) is giving them 4 million a year for us to play there for 10 years. That's $650,00 (for 6 games) -OR $800,000 (for 5 games) a game. At $20 a head for tickets, that's a minimum of 32,000 people a game just to break even on our stadium lease.

I just believe we (UaB) could have a nice 35,000 seat on campus for less than $100 million. And we could then control all aspects of the venue.

In 25 years, we will have spent a minimum of $100 million to play there and we still won't own crap. And we're going to be in the exact same boat.

UAB is AA. Right now AA bonds are selling for 3%.

The BJCC is light years ahead of the Park & Rec Board, and I don't guess anybody is going to call me for an opinion, so I guess I'll have to go with it.

I don't think you will find anyone here who will argue with you on any of those points, but until Finis St. John is cold and in the ground it's not an option. You'd prefer UAB keeps playing in Legion Field until then?

(02-06-2018 02:18 PM)BlazerPhil Wrote:  I don't see where UaB is getting the naming rights, and if I were the BJCC, I sure wouldn't let the tenant get them.

The whole $4m from "UAB" thing has been fuzzy from the beginning. It first started out as $4m from UAB. Then $4m from UAB and naming rights. Then $4m from UAB who is selling or buying the naming rights. Then all of that + part of it is from the corporate community. I wouldn't get too hung up on whether it's UAB selling the rights and getting the money or the BJCC selling the rights, it's all part of that same pool of $4m one way or another

(02-06-2018 01:32 PM)BlazerPhil Wrote:  A couple of years ago, when I called and asked the Alumni Society why the NAS was holding their tailgating event at the Alumni Building instead of Legion Field, the lady on the phone explained :

Legion Field forces UaB to buy beer, wine and liquor through the Park and Rec Department. And UaB has to use the Legion Field contracted catering company. (This was 2012,) and the Park & Rec Board was charging our Alumni Society $94 a case, for Bud Light or Miller Lite in a can. And she added pretty bluntly "The LF Caterer is crap" and "for what they want to charge for a 500-750 person event, we could take everyone to dinner and put 'em in a cab to the game"

Meet the new Boss...Same as the Old Boss

New Stadium GOOD ! UaB being Married to it for more that 10 years, BAD !

This sounds like an opportunity for NAS (and Student Life, and the Hospital system) to get in on the ground floor and negotiate a catering deal. The BJCC would much rather find a mutually beneficial cost arrangement than have to compete and lose customers.

I don't post often, so feel free to ignore me if you like.

Sometimes I don't understand folks... Three years ago, there was an attempt to destroy the program... Almost succeeded, too.

Today, the BJCC and Birmingham City Council have opened an opportunity for the City of Birmingham to take a step forward, using UAB's success as a springboard... and UAB is getting a new stadium, and a great entertainment district/hotel right next door.... And we can't be happy about that?

We have an operating maxim at work... "The enemy of 'good' is 'perfect'"... it means that if we are never satisfied until we get to 'perfect', then we never get aound to doing 'good'.

This new stadium is good... Honestly, it's great... and it builds a better partnership between UAB and Birmingham, instead of always being at odds with each other...

It gives us a nice place to play, where our *current* crowds won't look so tiny. And, a reachable target for 'sold out'.

And honestly, we're not getting an OCS for a *long* time, until the BOT culture and/or structure changes... So, let's be happy that we're getting *this* ... It's a far sight farther than anything we hoped for three years ago.

(02-06-2018 02:28 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote:  

(02-06-2018 02:05 PM)BlazerPhil Wrote:  I was in the BJCC Arena last Spring. It looked the exactly same as it did the last time I was in it before; the UaB - Indiana game in 1997.

that's kind of the entire point of this project. they are renovating the entire BJCC, including the Arena. This project will increase convention space as well as bring the Arena up to NCAA Tournament standards. It's been implied that Birmingham could see opening rounds return after this is done

Quote:We're (UaB that is) is giving them 4 million a year for us to play there for 10 years. That's $650,00 (for 6 games) -OR $800,000 (for 5 games) a game. At $20 a head for tickets, that's a minimum of 32,000 people a game just to break even on our stadium lease.

I just believe we (UaB) could have a nice 35,000 seat on campus for less than $100 million. And we could then control all aspects of the venue.

In 25 years, we will have spent a minimum of $100 million to play there and we still won't own crap. And we're going to be in the exact same boat.

UAB is AA. Right now AA bonds are selling for 3%.

The BJCC is light years ahead of the Park & Rec Board, and I don't guess anybody is going to call me for an opinion, so I guess I'll have to go with it.

I don't think you will find anyone here who will argue with you on any of those points, but until Finis St. John is cold and in the ground it's not an option. You'd prefer UAB keeps playing in Legion Field until then?

(02-06-2018 02:18 PM)BlazerPhil Wrote:  I don't see where UaB is getting the naming rights, and if I were the BJCC, I sure wouldn't let the tenant get them.

The whole $4m from "UAB" thing has been fuzzy from the beginning. It first started out as $4m from UAB. Then $4m from UAB and naming rights. Then $4m from UAB who is selling or buying the naming rights. Then all of that + part of it is from the corporate community. I wouldn't get too hung up on whether it's UAB selling the rights and getting the money or the BJCC selling the rights, it's all part of that same pool of $4m one way or another

Can this please be an option ? I'd like to watch !

Birmingham needs a new stadium with or without UaB.

And UaB needs a stadium that UaB controls.

(02-06-2018 02:39 PM)OldBlazer Wrote:  I don't post often, so feel free to ignore me if you like.

Sometimes I don't understand folks... Three years ago, there was an attempt to destroy the program... Almost succeeded, too.

Today, the BJCC and Birmingham City Council have opened an opportunity for the City of Birmingham to take a step forward, using UAB's success as a springboard... and UAB is getting a new stadium, and a great entertainment district/hotel right next door.... And we can't be happy about that?

We have an operating maxim at work... "The enemy of 'good' is 'perfect'"... it means that if we are never satisfied until we get to 'perfect', then we never get aound to doing 'good'.

This new stadium is good... Honestly, it's great... and it builds a better partnership between UAB and Birmingham, instead of always being at odds with each other...

It gives us a nice place to play, where our *current* crowds won't look so tiny. And, a reachable target for 'sold out'.

And honestly, we're not getting an OCS for a *long* time, until the BOT culture and/or structure changes... So, let's be happy that we're getting *this* ... It's a far sight farther than anything we hoped for three years ago.

From your keyboard to God's ears. Amen.

(02-06-2018 02:39 PM)OldBlazer Wrote:  I don't post often, so feel free to ignore me if you like.

Sometimes I don't understand folks... Three years ago, there was an attempt to destroy the program... Almost succeeded, too.

Today, the BJCC and Birmingham City Council have opened an opportunity for the City of Birmingham to take a step forward, using UAB's success as a springboard... and UAB is getting a new stadium, and a great entertainment district/hotel right next door.... And we can't be happy about that?

We have an operating maxim at work... "The enemy of 'good' is 'perfect'"... it means that if we are never satisfied until we get to 'perfect', then we never get aound to doing 'good'.

This new stadium is good... Honestly, it's great... and it builds a better partnership between UAB and Birmingham, instead of always being at odds with each other...

It gives us a nice place to play, where our *current* crowds won't look so tiny. And, a reachable target for 'sold out'.

And honestly, we're not getting an OCS for a *long* time, until the BOT culture and/or structure changes... So, let's be happy that we're getting *this* ... It's a far sight farther than anything we hoped for three years ago.

(02-06-2018 02:39 PM)BlazerPhil Wrote:  Birmingham needs a new stadium with or without UaB.

And UaB needs a stadium that UaB controls.

I don't see how a new stadium without UAB makes sense for the city (whether the City or the BJCC)

UAB being a tenant makes the BJCC project possible.

I agree UAB needs a stadium that they control, but that's *not possible*. You're approaching seat license-level repetition and insanity here.

(02-06-2018 02:39 PM)OldBlazer Wrote:  I don't post often, so feel free to ignore me if you like.

Sometimes I don't understand folks... Three years ago, there was an attempt to destroy the program... Almost succeeded, too.

Today, the BJCC and Birmingham City Council have opened an opportunity for the City of Birmingham to take a step forward, using UAB's success as a springboard... and UAB is getting a new stadium, and a great entertainment district/hotel right next door.... And we can't be happy about that?

We have an operating maxim at work... "The enemy of 'good' is 'perfect'"... it means that if we are never satisfied until we get to 'perfect', then we never get aound to doing 'good'.

This new stadium is good... Honestly, it's great... and it builds a better partnership between UAB and Birmingham, instead of always being at odds with each other...

It gives us a nice place to play, where our *current* crowds won't look so tiny. And, a reachable target for 'sold out'.

And honestly, we're not getting an OCS for a *long* time, until the BOT culture and/or structure changes... So, let's be happy that we're getting *this* ... It's a far sight farther than anything we hoped for three years ago.

I have zero disagreement for anything you've said.

My fear is that we've just signed up to replace our old chains with shiny new ones.

Football has the carry the debt burden for the rest of athletics, or else the same Axeman that came for us before will be back again.