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re: Birmingham is the coolest city in the South on the move
Posted on 6/15/15 at 10:58 am to FairhopeTider
Posted on 6/15/15 at 10:58 am to FairhopeTider
quote:
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.
I will be one of them.
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Posted on 6/15/15 at 11:04 am to yellowhammer2098
I don't even live in Bham proper and her opponent will get money from me.
Posted on 6/15/15 at 11:06 am to Hardy_Har
The downtowns of the the two cities "ain't close" (Memphis much larger) but the metro areas aren't that far off. More importantly the buying power of the two metro are very similar according to a 2010 study that looked at cities and what major league pro sports leagues they could support. In fact, Birmingham was one of only 9 metros in the entire country without a pro franchise in one of the big 4 leagues (NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL) that could support ONE team in either the NFL, NBA, or NHL. MLB couldn't be supported by most of these 8 cities but one of the other 3 leagues could be. The cities without a franchise that according to the study could support NFL, NBA, or NHL (and not MLB) were Austin, Birmingham, Las Vegas, Louisville, Greensboro/Winston Salem, Richmond, Virginia Beach area, and Hartford.
Posted on 6/15/15 at 11:07 am to 14&Counting
quote:
As late as the 1960's Birmingham was bigger than Atlanta.
You've touched on the root of the problem. In the 1960s, progressive Deep South states like Florida, Georgia, and Louisiana accepted the reality that the civil rights movement would prevail and were each rewarded with both NFL/AFL and NBA/ABA teams before that decade was over. Alabama and Mississippi chose to oppose the movement and to this day aren't taken as seriously. Birmingham was even saddled with the unfortunate nickname of "Bombingham" due to the church bombings.
But this is 2015, not the 1960s any more. Birmingham needs people to step up and ask why it can't reach for the stars like other southern cities did. Aging eyesores like Legion Field need to be replaced with state-of-the-art facilities. While most in Birmingham just seem resigned that the funding just isn't there, other major southern cities find ways to replace their aging infrastructure. Time for Birmingham to give up this mentality and just do it!
Posted on 6/15/15 at 11:12 am to TheDude321
That's what was so frustrating about the no vote on MAPS in Birmingham in 1998. Oklahoma City approved an almost identical MAPS project the same year which led to them building the Ford Center and Bricktown which eventually landed then the OKC Thunder and the Women's College World Series.
Posted on 6/15/15 at 11:15 am to Fishwater
Tourism, industry, and a core urban population of about a million make it work for Memphis. It was also an airline hub for many years and still has FedEx..which is huge, e.g. FedEx Forum. Salt Lake City is an airline hub and has winter tourism. Oklahoma City is growing energy town.
New Orleans is New Orleans.
Birmingham would definitely have a lot of local interest, but would need to grow its urban core population significantly. One of the biggest problems with Bham getting an NBA franchise is being too close to Atlanta and Memphis. I would think that Bham would have to have a very large metro population before the NBA would locate there. Especially given its close proximity.
New Orleans is New Orleans.
Birmingham would definitely have a lot of local interest, but would need to grow its urban core population significantly. One of the biggest problems with Bham getting an NBA franchise is being too close to Atlanta and Memphis. I would think that Bham would have to have a very large metro population before the NBA would locate there. Especially given its close proximity.
Posted on 6/15/15 at 11:16 am to fillmoregandt
quote:
Regarding the pro sport team, I think a MLS team can actually do decent here.
I agree. The Birmingham Hammers (a semi-pro team) is drawing decent crowds for their games out at Sicard Hollow Sports Complex. I'd love to see a 20-30K seat stadium somewhere downtown for them to play. Bham has a dedicated soccer base that would support an MLS team.
And I was one of those old mentality Bham types. I didn't think there was any way moving the Barons back to downtown would work. I grew up going to Rickwood and hated seeing what happened to the area. I was wrong. Now that my kids are getting gone, downsizing to downtown is an option that me and some of my neighbors are considering.
Posted on 6/15/15 at 11:20 am to Govt Tide
Birmingham won't get an NFL team at this point...not with Los Angeles having no franchise. San Antonio would likely be a better candidate right now as well. Birmingham could have landed an NFL team as recently as the 1990's had the city stepped up on replacing Legion Field but that ship has sailed and those clubs were located in Charlotte, N'vlle, and J'vlle.
MLB is tough...you really have to be located in a mjor metro area to get the sort of attendance numbers to make it work given the number of games they play. Even then, most MLB franchisses aren't doing well.
MLB is tough...you really have to be located in a mjor metro area to get the sort of attendance numbers to make it work given the number of games they play. Even then, most MLB franchisses aren't doing well.
Posted on 6/15/15 at 11:26 am to TheDude321
quote:
Birmingham to give up this mentality and just do it!
The Civil Rights issues had a really bad legacy and not just in national perception of the city. the monied interests in Birmingham just gave up on the city and there was a lot of animosity on both sides that really held back any sort of progressive vision. It didn't help that when the blacks obtained power their leaders were more venal and corrupt than anything that came before. Add to the fact the city really took it on the chin in the 1970's and 1980's economically. Birmingham has less in common with Atlanta and Nashville and more in common with cities like Detroit, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh. Birmingham is more like a northern rustbelt city than a progressive New South city.
Posted on 6/15/15 at 11:28 am to 14&Counting
MLS and NBA are the two avenues the city should be perusing. Honestly, MLS should be the top priority. Bham did well when we had Olympic Soccer here back when Atlanta hosted.
Posted on 6/15/15 at 11:29 am to Reservoir dawg
Those are good points but one thing overlooked about Birmingham is that it has (or at least had) a very impressive roster of Fortune 500 headquarters for a metro of just over 1 million. Don't know where that stands at the moment but as recently as the early 2000s Bham had 7 Fortune 500 headquarters with a couple other headquarters (like Vulcan Materials) just outside the 500. In other words, there is or was a strong corporate presence in the area.
As for the NBA (or NFL or NHL for that matter), the leagues don't look at only population as the main factor. A metro's buying power and TV market is far more important to the league decision makers. Bham's TV market ranked 40th in size in the country is larger than some that currently have a pro franchise. Bham is the same size as Buffalo for example.
As for the NBA (or NFL or NHL for that matter), the leagues don't look at only population as the main factor. A metro's buying power and TV market is far more important to the league decision makers. Bham's TV market ranked 40th in size in the country is larger than some that currently have a pro franchise. Bham is the same size as Buffalo for example.
Posted on 6/15/15 at 11:30 am to Govt Tide
quote:
That's what was so frustrating about the no vote on MAPS in Birmingham in 1998. Oklahoma City approved an almost identical MAPS project the same year which led to them building the Ford Center and Bricktown which eventually landed then the OKC Thunder and the Women's College World Series.
Stuff like this absolutely infuriates me. Atlanta built a subway system, an entire Olympic park. The Atlanta Falcons are about to switch to a second state-of-the-art home field in just 25 years. Meanwhile Birmingham couldn't even find funding to save one of the upper decks at Legion Field--speaking of which the stadium was built almost 90 years ago and badly needs complete replacement itself. All cities could claim to have cash-flow problems to some extent, but other cities find a way to build things while Birmingham just sits and waits for its infrastructure to crumble.
This post was edited on 6/15/15 at 11:36 am
Posted on 6/15/15 at 11:31 am to Aubie Spr96
quote:
And I was one of those old mentality Bham types. I didn't think there was any way moving the Barons back to downtown would work. I grew up going to Rickwood and hated seeing what happened to the area. I was wrong. Now that my kids are getting gone, downsizing to downtown is an option that me and some of my neighbors are considering.
I grew up in Montgomery. Downtown Montgomery and Downtown Birmingham were very similar in that everyone worked down there, but it was a ghost town at nights and on the weekends. The crime wasn't an issue, there was just nothing to do. Tumbleweeds. Around 2000, Montgomery made the commitment to building a first class stadium downtown and promoting development around it. It was a success relative to what a success is for Montgomery. However I knew that if Montgomery could do it, Bham could do the same thing. People were getting tired of going to West Hoover and a central stadium downtown just opened up so many more possibilities.
Regions Field was an easy decision though. We already had a tenant in town for it. The next step should be an arena but it won't be as easy to accomplish. Do we wait to get an NBA team or take the gamble of building one before that happens? Do you just bulldoze Legacy Arena and restructure the BJCC to where a new arena opens up into Uptown like The FedEx Forum does on Beale Street? One of Bell's chief aides told me that a new arena is what the city would like to do next, so it'll be interesting to see what they do.
This post was edited on 6/15/15 at 11:34 am
Posted on 6/15/15 at 11:34 am to TheDude321
I get your frustration, but I really wouldn't call Legion Field part of Bham's infrastructure. While I do think Bham needs a new facility downtown that can host football games and other sporting events, study after study shows a lot of these domes/stadiums are drains on the city's budget.
A far better infrastructure investment at this point would be getting light rail in the city. Even better would be getting it out to the suburbs.
A far better infrastructure investment at this point would be getting light rail in the city. Even better would be getting it out to the suburbs.
Posted on 6/15/15 at 11:38 am to yellowhammer2098
Don't get me wrong, as a Nashville resident I'd LOVE to see an NBA team in BHam. Or any sports team. I wish Nashville had an NBA team instead of the Titans. Many more games to attend and cheaper tickets.
Posted on 6/15/15 at 11:44 am to The Spleen
Nashville and Raleigh-Durham don't even have light rail systems. Birmingham is light years away from that.
This post was edited on 6/15/15 at 11:49 am
Posted on 6/15/15 at 11:55 am to Reservoir dawg
quote:
Nashville and Raleigh-Durham don't even have light rail systems. Birmingham is light years away from that.
Agreed. We're in the beginning stages of a new rapid bus system. $100 mil per mile for light rail is not a realistic plan for Birmingham.
Posted on 6/15/15 at 12:03 pm to yellowhammer2098
Give me Uber and a downtown trolley-like system that connects the major entertainment districts and I'll be happy for now.
Posted on 6/15/15 at 12:17 pm to FairhopeTider
I'd love to have a downtown trolley service. We go to Chattanooga every summer and use theirs. It's simple and free.
Also, Vestavia hired the former Montgomery city mgr (Jeff Downs). There's big things coming for my neighborhood, Cahaba Heights!
Also, Vestavia hired the former Montgomery city mgr (Jeff Downs). There's big things coming for my neighborhood, Cahaba Heights!
Posted on 6/15/15 at 12:22 pm to FairhopeTider
LINK
We have it in place already. This is what we are replacing with the new bus system. The problem is it is inefficient, not up to date in terms of technology, and people don't think it is safe.
We have it in place already. This is what we are replacing with the new bus system. The problem is it is inefficient, not up to date in terms of technology, and people don't think it is safe.
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