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

Now that Protective Stadium is virtually complete, let's take a look at the stadium proposals towards a new stadium over the last 36 years.

Southwest Jefferson County Stadium (1985)
Proposal to replace both Legion Field and Bryant-Denny Stadium with a domed or partially domed stadium as well as Birmingham's then new Horse Racing Track just south west of the I-459/I-59/20 interchange. If this had come to fruition would UAB football have gained traction without Legion Field nearby?

Alabaster Quarry Dome (The Hole Bowl) (1995)

https://www.shelbycountyreporter.com/201...d-stadium/

Yes, this was an actual proposal. To build a stadium in a hole in the ground and put a roof over the top of the hole. Included in the proposal was high speed trains to transport fans from across the state to games.


Roof Legion Field Proposal (1995)
Various ideas were floated from building a mega-structure over the existing stadium to simply rigging a cloth tarp roof above the stadium

Megaplex Dome (2007)

Quote:The money for the "Birmingham Megaplex" would come from an unnamed private hedge-fund group made up mostly of institutional investors, said officials with Waymaker Enterprises of Duluth, Ga., which proposed it.

The centerpiece would be a $600 million, 72,000-seat domed stadium and a separate 25,000-seat arena, officials said. It would be built outside downtown Birmingham at one of two sites Waymaker declined to name.

The plan also included three hotels and a casino (upon approval of the state).

Blazer Stadium (2007-2011)




A lot of credit should be given to former President Carol Garrison. When she commissioned us to begin working towards an on-campus football stadium (without athletic department knowledge, I might add) in the fall/winter of 2007-2008 the very idea of a upgraded football facility seemed like an impossibility. Without the hard (and it was hard) work we put into that project, we wouldn't be where we are today. We all know how this worked out, but without the glaring, damning evidence of Trustee interference and incompetence regarding the financial responsibility of the stadium proposal to reinforce the light shining on those roaches, UAB football may have well never have come back. Just before dark announcement in the fall of 2014, some were missioned to get the back story out to the media about what was coming. When I contacted a media member, who is still active in this area today, he replied "Oh my God, everything you guys had been saying about the Trustees for years is true, isn't it."

BJCC Dome (2009)



BJCC Dome (2010)



BJCC Dome (2014)


BJCC Stadium (2016)




Still looks like a middle school art class designed it!

Protective Stadium Renderings (2019)




Protective Stadium (2021)

The quarry dome and the '85 SW Jefferson proposals

The 2016 one was close

We won’t ever know, but if the on-campus stadium gets built I don’t think Bill Clark is ever our coach but we might be in the American already. Protective is a lot nicer and I think we are probably better overall with better support and facilities as a result.

(08-06-2021 05:45 PM)DuelingDragon Wrote:  We won’t ever know, but if the on-campus stadium gets built I don’t think Bill Clark is ever our coach but we might be in the American already. Protective is a lot nicer and I think we are probably better overall with better support and facilities as a result.