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

Nothing really but they are saying that it is a great location for travelers. It's not bad like Miami (geographic location) but it's not great like a more central city.

well since the invention of the airplane, its been a lot easier to get around to other parts of the country, no matter the location.

Yes, thank God for airplanes.

It's not fair, in my opinion, to socialize the risk and privatize the gain*. Which, though can be debated, is what I feel like is happening here. There's a lot of money to be made in construction and development on this project, and if it fails, will be a great financial burden for years to come.


*Phrase borrowed from "What's the Matter with Kansas", a great book to read if you haven't already.

Sarahbelle18 Wrote:It's not fair, in my opinion, to socialize the risk and privatize the gain*. Which, though can be debated, is what I feel like is happening here. There's a lot of money to be made in construction and development on this project, and if it fails, will be a great financial burden for years to come.


*Phrase borrowed from "What's the Matter with Kansas", a great book to read if you haven't already.

Good point, Sarah.

There is lots of money to be made by some, but how will joe blow's livelihood be affected? He'll pay to build the dome and not be able to afford any of the events held there. That's if it's a successful venture.

If it's a white elephant, you can bet your house and lot that joe blow will pay for it then, too.

HiddenDragon Wrote:St. Louis you really need to let this subject die. No matter how much you are against the project it's probably going to happen.

You viewpoints about what Birmingham is or isn't will eventually fall on deaf ears. It is tiring just to see you carry on like this. Especially when you don't even live in the city.

It's one thing to have the best interest for UAB in regards to a dome facility but this is much bigger than UAB.

How many more times are you going to continue to tell us how Birmingham isn't capable of growing or why is the city trying to become like St. Louis or Atlanta when it's not possible? When are you going to stop the bitching man?

No one has to give you any reasons to justify what this city is doing. Whether it makes sense to you or not really doesn't matter now.

You seen these three letters before "LIG". Just do it! It's over.

Actually, there is a very well organized resistance to the dome scheme, and getting funding is only the first hurdle to the dome, not the last. There are going to be lawsuits every step of the way, and a very good chance that the dome will never be built.

Lawsuits from who? :rofl:

Quote: Actually, there is a very well organized resistance to the dome scheme, and getting funding is only the first hurdle to the dome, not the last. There are going to be lawsuits every step of the way, and a very good chance that the dome will never be built.

well good i hope that anyone with any sense leaves birmingham after this happens because evidently the people of this city do not want to ever begin to move forward. can someone please come up with a better plan with the dome since it is such an awful idea?

^ Nope, they can only beat down proposals for new economic development.

Smaug Wrote:There is lots of money to be made by some, but how will joe blow's livelihood be affected? He'll pay to build the dome and not be able to afford any of the events held there. That's if it's a successful venture.

If it's a white elephant, you can bet your house and lot that joe blow will pay for it then, too.

Well, one thing I noticed yesterday is an alcoholic beverage tax that will be apparently be used to help fund it.

One way Joe Blow will pay is every time he gets a 12 pack of Bud Light after a week of hard work, going into his weekend.

3 cents more for a pack of Bud Light? Heaven forbid!

Sure better plan:
Build a world class convention center.
Build an outrdoor 40,000 seat stadium to replace legion field.
Cost of all of this?

about 650 million in real dollars.
Cost of the domed stadium?
1.25 billion in real dollars.



So, for the love of god, please tell me, what about a domed stadium is worth paying nearly twice as much money it would take to meet every goal that the dome idiots have for birmingham for this project?

Even if they DID go for that, it would not be a little 40,000 seat outdoor stadium... theyre not building to accomodate UAB and you must realize that. Theyre doing what they think is best for the city, not UAB football. If they built an outdoor stadium, it would likely be 65,000+ at least just as the current dome plans. There's no question work needs to be done around the BJCC. The increased revenue brought in from the added convention space, hotel, and entertainment district will also help pay for the dome. There's NO way that the added convention space, hotel, and entertainment district wont make a profit. The dome is arguable, but the rest is not really arguable. I cant tell you how many times I've heard people wishing there were some bars or restaurants around the BJCC.

i've got a question

are they supposed to tear down the bjcc when the dome and convention center is built? it seems like they would do away with it since it is old and it could provide good parking space.

BamaHas12 Wrote:i've got a question

are they supposed to tear down the bjcc when the dome and convention center is built? it seems like they would do away with it since it is old and it could provide good parking space.

No... it would remain... the new parking, dome, and entertainment district will be north and east of the current BJCC and Sheraton.

but why will it still be needed?

Blazer85 Wrote:3 cents more for a pack of Bud Light? Heaven forbid!

I'm sure it will be more than that - and I never said the cost would be significant - just that it would exist.

Quote:There's no question work needs to be done around the BJCC. The increased revenue brought in from the added convention space, hotel, and entertainment district will also help pay for the dome. There's NO way that the added convention space, hotel, and entertainment district wont make a profit.

It will help pay for the dome but alone it won't keep it afloat.

One other thing to consider, Birmingham already has two "entertainment districts" downtown. Five Points has really gone downhill over the past 3 years and is in desperate need of help. That place has so much potential if the right businesses come in there.

The second is the Lakeview District. That's primarily where I go when I visit because well, it's really the only place to go where things are bundled together. That place has a lot of potential as well and it would be best if some of the buildings on the south side of it were bought out, torn down, and row housing/townhomes/condos were built in it's place.

One thing that might happen though is that the entertainment district could possibly suck the life out of Five Points and Lakeview. Go down to Lakeview a few weekends in a row and you will pretty much see the same crowd and same people. That tells you there's not much variety. When something new opens up, most of those people will flock to the new entertainment district thus possibly hurting the business of the already established businesses in Lakeview/5 points.

Right on target with that SLB, their has been talk of Dreamland moving from Southside to be a part of the entertainment district, which is great for Dreamland, but is no net gain for the city.

Dreamland's business would probably increase dramatically. And what's more, SOMETHING would likely move into the old Dreamland site on the southside, so it wouldnt be a net gain of a Dreamland, but it would be a net gain of something more than likely.