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

Alan Collins ‏@fox6alancollins
...Populous out of Kansas City presenting 20 yr master plan for BJCC to consider
...#UAB The stadium will have 45k fixed seats and expand to 55k
...The big question will be funding Jefferson Co 1cent sales tax on hold due to court ruling. Bham may have to chip in
...Funding and cost not expected to be part of presentation but will be multi-million dollar Project
...The sizing BJCC taking about today is flexible for expansion both arena and stadium
...Project expected to draw more retail and restaurants to UpTown area
...Parking one issue that will still have to be worked out as plan proceeds
...Talking stadium now open air 45k fixed seats expand 55k discussed allowing convert to dome
...A new hotel could be a part of project
...24 suites will be a part of stadium 650k sq foot
...A club will be a part of stadium to use before and after game events used year round
...UAB has been informed of the Populous plan
...Stadium will be for football soccer and concerts
...Stadium cost $174 million
...Entire project rough estimate $299,200,000
...A dome could add $100 million
...BJCC member Billy Marsh says "let's go big time" add roof
...Parking will have to be worked out if proceed with plan
...No vote in presentation



With Expanded Seating


Club Entrance


Renovated BJCC
...Legacy Arena will be renovated to add new suites which will open BJCC for more sporting and other events
...A renovated Plaza will be more fab friendly
...Arena plans are not just transformation but let people think it's a new building
...Arena adding 90k sq feet and 20 suites
...Arena with suites sacrificed 500 seats but still in window of SEC and NCAA
...Arena cost $123 million

All of that looks awesome and would be a huge boost for downtown. Hopefully the funding comes through!

This is a game changer for the City of Birmingham and UAB.

Question for those in the know. Would the Foundation be able to donate or is that money specifically for UAB, i.e. are there NCAA rules against it or anything like that?

(08-17-2016 01:14 PM)ATTALLABLAZE Wrote:  This is a game changer for the City of Birmingham and UAB.

No doubt. Is the Legacy Arena piece trying to attract an NBA or NHL team or just focused on getting more/better concerts and one off sporting events? Any renovation of exhibition hall space too or just the arena?

If this goes through, I could also see another hotel being added to the area as well more restaurants. You'd probably need another parking deck too.

Added more twitter detail to original post. Will add more as tweets continue...

It was my understanding that the idea of this project would be in the $200M range (stadium & arena). Is the Jeffco one cent sales tax money still enough to cover the bond payments at $300M? I know we have historically low interest rates right now so it's possible.

(08-17-2016 01:42 PM)hooverblazer Wrote:  

(08-17-2016 01:14 PM)ATTALLABLAZE Wrote:  This is a game changer for the City of Birmingham and UAB.

No doubt. Is the Legacy Arena piece trying to attract an NBA or NHL team or just focused on getting more/better concerts and one off sporting events? Any renovation of exhibition hall space too or just the arena?

If this goes through, I could also see another hotel being added to the area as well more restaurants. You'd probably need another parking deck too.

more/better concerts and one off sporting events

(08-17-2016 01:42 PM)hooverblazer Wrote:  

(08-17-2016 01:14 PM)ATTALLABLAZE Wrote:  This is a game changer for the City of Birmingham and UAB.

No doubt. Is the Legacy Arena piece trying to attract an NBA or NHL team or just focused on getting more/better concerts and one off sporting events?

One of the major goals I believe is to get back to NCAA tournament standards

ABC33/40 - BJCC Master Plan
http://abc3340.com/news/local/photos-ren...am#photo-3

BBJ
http://www.bizjournals.com/birmingham/ne...adium.html
(just in case there's a pay wall for some)

The Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center Authority Board of Directors has received an updated master plan for BJCC, and it includes some huge developments that will transform the metro area.

The new master plan, developed by Kansas City-based Populous, includes a proposed open-air stadium, a major renovation and expansion of Legacy Arena and upgrades to the convention center's exterior aesthetics and entrances.

The plan was commissioned by the authority's board with a goal of enhancing the regional competitiveness of the complex over the next two decades.

Although the board received the presentation today, the board did not vote on its approval. The authority's board is awaiting an Alabama Supreme Court ruling on legal issues surrounding Jefferson County sales taxes. As we've previously reported, that ruling will be critical for funding the project. Because of the uncertainty over the court ruling, there is not a timetable for the project, according to Cindy Fisher Crawford, director of communications and brand strategy for the BJCC.

The estimated cost for the stadium is $174 million, while Legacy Arena renovations would cost $123 million.

The city of Birmingham and Jefferson County will be asked to help fund the project, but amounts have not been determined at this time, Crawford said.

If all of the elements come to fruition, they would address several of the challenges experts discussed in BBJ Cover Story, which noted that Birmingham's existing facilities aren't on par with those in competing metro areas.

“The process of assessing key enhancement and expansion opportunities based on the underlying goal of creating a flexible framework to meet the future vision and needs of the BJCC has been extremely rewarding," said Tad Snider, executive director of the BJCC.

The plan includes a proposed stadium north of the Uptown entertainment district with 45,000 fixed seats that would be expandable to 55,000 seats with a pre-designed temporary seating plan.

Interviews with the University of Alabama at Birmingham and ESPN – two potential users of the stadium – were conducted as part of the process. The stadium would serve as a home for the new UAB football program, as well as the ESPN-owned Birmingham Bowl.

Legacy Arena would also receive an updated exterior facade, new entrances, an added suite level and premium club space. The suite level and club space are two elements that sports organizers have said could even the playing field with other facilities in the region.

The exterior plaza would also receive a major renovation to include a more open plan.

ABC 33/40 article with embedded Populous proposal:

http://abc3340.com/news/local/photos-ren...birmingham

Not bad

In regards to parking, how about shuttles to & from various spots - UAB/Southside, Fultondale, etc.?

Parking in that area is always a pain, would be good to think about it now along with this potential project.

(08-17-2016 04:26 PM)the_blazerman Wrote:  In regards to parking, how about shuttles to & from various spots - UAB/Southside, Fultondale, etc.?

Parking in that area is always a pain, would be good to think about it now along with this potential project.

Or shuttles to city area parking decks (McWane, Boutwell, 4th ave N, etc) -- should be plenty of room in them on Saturdays I would think.

(08-17-2016 04:26 PM)the_blazerman Wrote:  In regards to parking, how about shuttles to & from various spots - UAB/Southside, Fultondale, etc.?

Parking in that area is always a pain, would be good to think about it now along with this potential project.

Page 4 of the Master Plan details some parking areas (grey colored areas)

Quote:Funding and cost not expected to be part of presentation but will be multi-million dollar Project

No way! Never would have guessed.

(08-17-2016 04:33 PM)BlazerHam Wrote:  

(08-17-2016 04:26 PM)the_blazerman Wrote:  In regards to parking, how about shuttles to & from various spots - UAB/Southside, Fultondale, etc.?

Parking in that area is always a pain, would be good to think about it now along with this potential project.

Or shuttles to city area parking decks (McWane, Boutwell, 4th ave N, etc) -- should be plenty of room in them on Saturdays I would think.

The BJCTA is working on redoing the downtown circulator. Birmingham needs ways to get around downtown in general without having to drive. Shouldn't be BJCC centered.

(08-17-2016 04:26 PM)the_blazerman Wrote:  In regards to parking, how about shuttles to & from various spots - UAB/Southside, Fultondale, etc.?

Parking in that area is always a pain, would be good to think about it now along with this potential project.

Fultondale?

Now that will help with recruiting and fan appeal.

This would be great for you guys and the city of Birmingham. I always thought people were exaggerating with their stories of how bad Legion Field was. I learned last December that their stories were pretty damn accurate.