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re: Birmingham is the coolest city in the South on the move
Posted on 6/15/15 at 9:58 am to yellowhammer2098
Posted on 6/15/15 at 9:58 am to yellowhammer2098
quote:
Eh.. Birmingham is a tertiary market. I don't want Birmingham to be a "major" city and I don't think many of the citizens do either. I just want Birmingham to be as nice of a tertiary city as possible i.e. Chattanooga.
Agree. Birmingham will never be a Nashville or Atlanta or any major city, primarily due to size.
But it can establish/improve itself as a top mid-major city, like a Charleston, Savannah, etc.
Being so close to Nashbille and Atlanta, Bham can poach some from those cities while maintaining the smaller niche of the mid-major city. The food and brewery scene are exploding now. There's like 4 breweries here now and a few more on the way
Regarding the pro sport team, I think a MLS team can actually do decent here. Maybe. Maybe not
This post was edited on 6/15/15 at 10:00 am
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Posted on 6/15/15 at 10:00 am to TheDude321
The problem is Birmingham proper doesn't have 1.2 million people, the area does. Birmingham city population is only around 220,000. Getting Mt Brook, Homewood, Hoover, Vestavia, etc. to the same table to work together to make the entire area better is futile. So Birmingham proper has to manage itself as a mid-sized city, because it is.
Posted on 6/15/15 at 10:00 am to The Spleen
quote:
That leaves NBA and NHL. NHL isn't happening. So we're left with NBA. I actually think an NBA team would do really well here. Just don't think a domed stadium to replace Legion Field is the way to land one.
I've said this multiple times, Birmingham is only a few years away from being an "NBA-Caliber" city if things continue. I certainly think Birmingham could eventually support an NBA franchise. That's why I think the next major project needs to be a first class basketball arena. Get the SEC basketball tourney. Get the NCAA tourney back here. The Dome is a pipe dream and I don't think it'll be necessary.
Posted on 6/15/15 at 10:05 am to The Spleen
quote:
The problem is Birmingham proper doesn't have 1.2 million people, the area does. Birmingham city population is only around 220,000. Getting Mt Brook, Homewood, Hoover, Vestavia, etc. to the same table to work together to make the entire area better is futile. So Birmingham proper has to manage itself as a mid-sized city, because it is.
That's been the major holdback for years. Birmingham metro has more municipalities than almost anywhere else and there is no metro government. Cities like Mtn Brook can do whatever they want. Its part of the reason 280 is such a mess.
Posted on 6/15/15 at 10:05 am to The Spleen
quote:
Getting Mt Brook, Homewood, Hoover, Vestavia, etc. to the same table to work together to make the entire area better is futile. So Birmingham proper has to manage itself as a mid-sized city, because it is.
One of the things I've noticed about people that have lived in the Birmingham area for a long period of time is they are all extremely pessimistic about Birmingham. They still talk about how dangerous it is downtown (many suggesting it is a requirement that I purchase a gun while living downtown), they suggest Regions Field will be a flop next year when the corporate ticket contracts end (most are 3 year deals that some think won't be renewed), think most of the new apartment projects downtown will be busts, etc. These people are just stuck in their old ways/mindsets. Birmingham needs optimistic people to come in and bring this city to a level it is capable of reaching.
This post was edited on 6/15/15 at 10:07 am
Posted on 6/15/15 at 10:08 am to FairhopeTider
I agree, but reading the replies to this thread shows how much of a minority you and I are, and how much of a battle we face. The small-minded, let's-keep-Birmingham-a-small-sleepy-little-southern-town lobby is running the show and fighting progress.
Posted on 6/15/15 at 10:09 am to yellowhammer2098
That's very true about the old-Bham mindset. I think the influx of new blood is helping, and the trend of revitalizing 5Points-Downtown is key.
If Memphis can support a thriving nba team, there's no reason Bham couldn't
If Memphis can support a thriving nba team, there's no reason Bham couldn't
This post was edited on 6/15/15 at 10:10 am
Posted on 6/15/15 at 10:11 am to yellowhammer2098
Yep. I live out in the Shelby County burbs and the way some people out here talk about downtown suggests some haven't been down there in over 10 years.
I will say the attitude has gotten a lot better since we moved out here 13 years ago though. It's not nearly as pessimistic as it once was.
I will say the attitude has gotten a lot better since we moved out here 13 years ago though. It's not nearly as pessimistic as it once was.
Posted on 6/15/15 at 10:12 am to TheDude321
quote:
The small-minded, let's-keep-Birmingham-a-small-sleepy-little-southern-town lobby is running the show and fighting progress.
At the moment, yes. But that mindset is fading each time a new brewery opens or an old building is town down to build condos/shops downtown
Posted on 6/15/15 at 10:13 am to TheDude321
I think the mentality is really changing. There's been a lot of optimism over the past two years about the direction of the city.
The success of Regions Field really help bust a lot of the negative thinking. So many simpletons thought it was stupid to build a park downtown. Now people see the everything that has resulted from that development and understand that things are possible.
The success of Regions Field really help bust a lot of the negative thinking. So many simpletons thought it was stupid to build a park downtown. Now people see the everything that has resulted from that development and understand that things are possible.
Posted on 6/15/15 at 10:15 am to fillmoregandt
quote:
That's very true about the old-Bham mindset. I think the influx of new blood is helping, and the trend of revitalizing 5Points-Downtown is key.
If Memphis can support a thriving nba team, there's no reason Bham couldn't
The problem is so many of the people with the old-Bham mindset are the wealthy people we need to attract a team to come here. I definitely think we could support an NBA team in terms of people buying tickets but it is going to take some of these larger businesses supporting it to make it happen (Regions, Protective Life, Vulcan).
Posted on 6/15/15 at 10:19 am to yellowhammer2098
I thoroughly enjoy my time in BHam. But they could absolutely not support an NBA team at the moment and to compare BHam to Memphis is asinine. Memphis has roughly 400k more residents.
Posted on 6/15/15 at 10:26 am to cas4t
Here is the problem.. Metropolitan Statistical Areas:
Nashville, pop. 1,792,649, est growth rate since 2010 7.29%
Oklahoma City, pop. 1,336,767, est. GR since 2010 6.69%
New Orleans, pop. 1,251,849, GR 5.21%
Salt Lake City, pop. 1,153,340, GR 6.02%
Birmingham, pop. 1,143,772, GR 1.39%
The MSA added an estimated whopping 16k people between 2010 and 2014. The growth downtown is being fueled by people moving from suburbs to the city more than people moving in from Nashville, Atlanta, etc.
ETA: I agree with you cas4t. Memphis has about 300k based on the wiki article I got ^^^ those numbers. It has the same growth rate as Birmingham but at Bhams growth rate it will take a LONG time to get to Memphis population numbers.
Nashville, pop. 1,792,649, est growth rate since 2010 7.29%
Oklahoma City, pop. 1,336,767, est. GR since 2010 6.69%
New Orleans, pop. 1,251,849, GR 5.21%
Salt Lake City, pop. 1,153,340, GR 6.02%
Birmingham, pop. 1,143,772, GR 1.39%
The MSA added an estimated whopping 16k people between 2010 and 2014. The growth downtown is being fueled by people moving from suburbs to the city more than people moving in from Nashville, Atlanta, etc.
ETA: I agree with you cas4t. Memphis has about 300k based on the wiki article I got ^^^ those numbers. It has the same growth rate as Birmingham but at Bhams growth rate it will take a LONG time to get to Memphis population numbers.
This post was edited on 6/15/15 at 10:28 am
Posted on 6/15/15 at 10:27 am to cas4t
quote:
Memphis has roughly 400k more residents.
Also has a real airport, serves as a 3 state junction / major hub with a much higher Interstate volume.
River, Beale, Elvis, 3 6 Mafia.. It ain't close
Posted on 6/15/15 at 10:28 am to cas4t
quote:
I thoroughly enjoy my time in BHam. But they could absolutely not support an NBA team at the moment and to compare BHam to Memphis is asinine. Memphis has roughly 400k more residents.
I don't think we could at this very moment, but I think we are only a few years away from being there. Right now, I think priority 1 should be a PGA event. We would knock that out of the park and it would get our foot in the "Professional Sports" door.
Downtown Birmingham is exploding and with the addition of Publix, its only going to get better.
This post was edited on 6/15/15 at 10:29 am
Posted on 6/15/15 at 10:29 am to yellowhammer2098
quote:
The problem is so many of the people with the old-Bham mindset are the wealthy people we need to attract a team to come here. I definitely think we could support an NBA team in terms of people buying tickets but it is going to take some of these larger businesses supporting it to make it happen (Regions, Protective Life, Vulcan).
The old mindset has defineletly held Birmingham back. As late as the 1960's Birmingham was bigger than Atlanta. It's been an appaling lack of vision from the monied interests and corporations domiciled there that has held Birmingham back relative to other nrew South cities like Charlotte or Nashville.
Posted on 6/15/15 at 10:36 am to FairhopeTider
quote:
Right now, I think priority 1 should be a PGA event.
I was told the PGA wanted an annual tourney here, but the only course they deemed worthy(Shoal Creek) didn't want an annual PGA event. I know they host the Regions, but they projected double the spectators for a PGA event compared to the Seniors.
Posted on 6/15/15 at 10:42 am to Landmass
Birmingham has its issues but it's 10 times better than any city in Mississippi will ever be. Much prettier too.
Posted on 6/15/15 at 10:46 am to yellowhammer2098
quote:
The problem is so many of the people with the old-Bham mindset are the wealthy people we need to attract a team to come here. I definitely think we could support an NBA team in terms of people buying tickets but it is going to take some of these larger businesses supporting it to make it happen (Regions, Protective Life, Vulcan).
The problem isn't the people, or the corporations. The problem is the government of Birmingham and the surrounding communities. The entire area is in desperate need of a visionary leader that can sell to every citizen the idea of a consortium of some type where leaders of each municipality work together for the overall good of the area. Combine police forces, pool resources, etc. Let each one maintain some autonomy.
That'll never happen though, and all sides share blame in that.
Posted on 6/15/15 at 10:54 am to The Spleen
I don't credit William Bell with everything but unlike past mayors, he's not sitting on his hands (Kincaid) or making things into a circus (Langford). He's going to step down in a few years and I'll bet good money that Jonathan Austin will replace him. I'm not too confident that he's the guy we need.
One thing is for sure, whoever runs against Kim Rafferty won't have a problem raising money. People all over the state will donate to that campaign.
One thing is for sure, whoever runs against Kim Rafferty won't have a problem raising money. People all over the state will donate to that campaign.
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