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Full Version: BJCC Stadium project put "on hold"
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until after the mayoral election next month...

Commissioner Jimmie Stephens thinks it will happen, though.



http://www.wvtm13.com/article/bjcc-offic...d/10335088
SMH, they are moving at a snail/sick turtle pace!
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truth
Of course, it is.

I'll be happy to be wrong, but I'm still a firm believer that UAB is in Legion Field until we are allowed to build our own.
Glad to have the team back. I'm not really worried about this.
Will never be built.
For what it's worth this means the BJCC doesn't have the money and are depending on the city to pay for it. The city doesn't really have the money either so they'll get bogged down in a fight over whether it should be an open air stadium or a dome and nothing will happen. Hope you guys like Legion Field because that's where UAB will be until Paul Bryant and Finis St John are cold and in the ground
(07-20-2017 09:27 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote: [ -> ]For what it's worth this means the BJCC doesn't have the money and are depending on the city to pay for it. The city doesn't really have the money either so they'll get bogged down in a fight over whether it should be an open air stadium or a dome and nothing will happen. Hope you guys like Legion Field because that's where UAB will be until Paul Bryant and Finis St John are cold and in the ground

Or maybe the BJCC does have the money. And since Birmingham has major pull/representation on BJCC, and the Council still wants the dome, maybe the BJCC doesn't have the support to move fwd. Maybe the council doesn't want the building of stadium to become a political issue during the election.
(07-20-2017 10:27 PM)ICB Wrote: [ -> ]
(07-20-2017 09:27 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote: [ -> ]For what it's worth this means the BJCC doesn't have the money and are depending on the city to pay for it. The city doesn't really have the money either so they'll get bogged down in a fight over whether it should be an open air stadium or a dome and nothing will happen. Hope you guys like Legion Field because that's where UAB will be until Paul Bryant and Finis St John are cold and in the ground

Or maybe the BJCC does have the money. And since Birmingham has major pull/representation on BJCC, and the Council still wants the dome, maybe the BJCC doesn't have the support to move fwd. Maybe the council doesn't want the building of stadium to become a political issue during the election.

Kinda my thoughts except I think there is a real concern that Bell might lose, specifically to Woodfin who said last night he's not opposed to the stadium but doesn't want to use public funds to do it(anyone will take something thats given to them for free). That and the chance that the council makeup could also change creates a whole new dynamic and causes hesitation. The BJCC board's primary concern is renovating the BJCC. That will get done. Its the stadium and/or it's configuration that's in question. If its not done in conjunction with the BJCC renovation all bets are off. I tend to think they will figure something out, but it will be more years down the road than people want. Also, consider the I20/59 highway shutdown that would be happening at the same time.
One potential benefit is that we have more time to build on the momentum going through UAB football right now to make a play again for an on campus stadium. Not immediately of course but maybe in a year or two at the rate this momentum is growing. If we jump right into a new BJCC stadium, we would be there for the foreseeable future. Not all bad. But not as good as an on campus stadium.
(07-20-2017 11:04 PM)Blazer85 Wrote: [ -> ]One potential benefit is that we have more time to build on the momentum going through UAB football right now to make a play again for an on campus stadium. Not immediately of course but maybe in a year or two at the rate this momentum is growing. If we jump right into a new BJCC stadium, we would be there for the foreseeable future. Not all bad. But not as good as an on campus stadium.

This.

And a basketball practice facility/ medical operations center.
Mayor Bell getting re-elected is critical to the project. Randall Woodfin has said he's opposed to using any city money to build the stadium.
(07-20-2017 09:27 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote: [ -> ]For what it's worth this means the BJCC doesn't have the money and are depending on the city to pay for it. The city doesn't really have the money either so they'll get bogged down in a fight over whether it should be an open air stadium or a dome and nothing will happen. Hope you guys like Legion Field because that's where UAB will be until Paul Bryant and Finis St John are cold and in the ground

or a new governor ,,,,,who have authority over the board ,,,,,
(07-21-2017 08:45 AM)UABFRENCHY Wrote: [ -> ]or a new governor ,,,,,who have authority over the board ,,,,,

Walt Maddox will not be the savior in this saga. 1) he's not going to win (I'd love to see it, I'm a Democrat, but it won't happen) and 2) the Governor has almost no power at the Board of Trustees. The maximum power is he or she can submit items to the agenda.
Just my thoughts here, take them for what you will.

I want our own OCS. If not, I hope the city will build a new stadium (MPF, etc.). I will believe it when I am sitting in my season ticket seats watching a UAB football game at either one. For the OCS to happen, the makeup of the BOT is going to need to radically change. I suspect that it could get done relatively quickly if the BOT would clear it.

For a new city field to happen, many pieces and parts will need to fall into place along with countywide support.
The BJCC stadium project has two critical questions to answer to get built. Where is the funding coming from and where - on what land - is it to be built. If the city is to provide the funds, it would mean scrapping all hope for a MPF for decades, and the city REALLY needs that MPF for larger convention competitions. (Will the announced $85 million enlargement of Huntsville's VBC make them more competitive?)

If the BJCC wants to build the stadium on land set aside for that MPF, then the city has another reason to resist being involved.

All the recent "adjustments" to seating at Legion Field are proof that it has outlived its time and UAB is correct to pursue another alternative site. An OCS could end the BJCC stadium plans - building both is highly unlikely, but if UAB wants a new stadium - build it.
Simple reason for the delay, IMO:

Most citizens of Birmingham are tired of seeing money poured into downtown while their neighborhoods and communities continue to decline. Bell has a real chance of losing to someone like Woodfin who wants to pump more money into neighborhoods. A few months ago, Bell promised an announcement on the stadium, and it was scheduled to come out around right now, right before the election. Coincidence? No. I believe Bell was hoping to use the announcement to help him get reelected, by following through on his promise to turn Birmingham into a major sports city (of course, we all know the BJCC would be mostly funding it, but Bell would try to take credit). Now, things have turned. He realizes that strategy could do much more harm than good for his reelection campaign. If an announcement comes out now, it confirms the idea that Bell only cares about downtown.

I for one, as a Birmingham resident, will not be voting for Bell for a number of reasons. I would really like to have a stadium at the BJCC, but that's not enough to win my vote.
(07-21-2017 01:27 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote: [ -> ]The BJCC stadium project has two critical questions to answer to get built. Where is the funding coming from and where - on what land - is it to be built. If the city is to provide the funds, it would mean scrapping all hope for a MPF for decades, and the city REALLY needs that MPF for larger convention competitions. If the BJCC wants to build the stadium on land set aside for that MPF, then the city has another reason to resist being involved.

All the recent "adjustments" to seating at Legion Field are proof that it has outlived its time and UAB is correct to pursue another alternative site. An OCS could end the BJCC stadium plans - building both is highly unlikely, but if UAB wants a new stadium - build it.

If, indeed, the powers that be have decreed that no stadium will be built on campus and a downtown stadium continues to get resistance UAB stakeholders may have to start thinking about sites just off campus. Of course, land that was unwanted a few years ago is now some of the most valuable property in Alabama now...
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