Budget and Finance Committee receives update on outdoor amphitheater project
Birmingham will soon have a state-of-the-art outdoor amphitheater, one that will attract some of the biggest acts in music and cement the City’s standing as the cultural “Star” of Alabama.
The City has allocated $5 million towards the construction of the 9,384-seat amphitheater that will be owned by the Birmingham Jefferson County Civic Center. It will be located north of the BJCC within the footprint of the former Carraway Hospital site that is currently being razed to make way for the mixed-use development known as “The Star.”
Jefferson County, Live Nation and the BJCC have also pledged $5 million towards the construction, the remaining $30 million will be paid with bonds that will be serviced by excess revenue generated by the civic center’s facilities.
Councilor Clinton Woods requested that the contracts include language to maximize the number of minority-owned firms that would be involved in the project. According to the agreement, the BJCC has a goal of 30 percent minority-owned firm participation. Councilor Woods also requested to have meeting with the Birmingham Construction Industry Authority on the front end of the project to ensure these goals are reached.
Final designs of the stadium such as color scheme and seating have yet to be finalized, however BJCC Director Tad Snider said there would not be bench seating, but rather chairs with backs to make for a more comfortable experience for visitors. The city will see an indirect impact of revenue generation from the amphitheater through lodging taxes.
“The biggest hurdle that the Birmingham metro region faces is brain drain,” said Councilor Hunter Williams, chair of the Economic Development and Tourism Committee. “Over the last few decades we have been losing too many of our young people to Nashville, Atlanta, Charlotte, and Chattanooga. Investing in world-class art and entertainment venues is paramount to ensuring that Birmingham can compete with other Southern cities and remain the cultural heartbeat of Alabama. There is no question that Birmingham will be able to attract major talents. Just look at last year’s Garth Brooks concert that brought 70,000 people downtown if you have any doubts about that.”
Here is a timeline of the noteworthy amphitheater developments:
10.24.22: The Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau board of directors approved an agreement to allow the BJCC to retain a portion of the lodging taxes from the Sheraton and Westin hotels to satisfy the debt service of the amphitheater construction.
10.31.22: The BJCC board approved $5 million payment for the upfront costs of the amphitheater.
1.31.23: The Birmingham City Council unanimously approves $5 million in funding for the amphitheater.
6.21.23: The BJCC board approves financing plan and operating agreement with Live Nation.
The amphitheater is expected to be completed in time for the 2025 outdoor concert season — bidding for the project is expected to occur in fall of 2023.
Stay tuned to the Birmingham City Council’s social media platforms for periodic updates on this exciting new development.
