BJCC Expansion plans

[Alabadrock]

Hmmm...hopefully his announcements will be more exciting than Ruben Club 205.

Haha, I know what you mean. Cause, when I saw it, it didn't really scream....."fun". But, you never know, I'm hoping for the best. Taylor Hicks is also rumored to be going to Memphis soon to negotiate a club deal. These things could be successful, but, I guess we'll have to wait until they open to see.

[kayman]

Well, I'm not too impressed by Ruben or Taylor trying to open a club/bar/restaurant either. It is good to see them trying to reinvest in this area, but I know the track history with entertainer's and their establishments and Isaac Haye's club in Memphis is one that comes to mind that how to fail.

Meanwhile, I want to hear more about this District and the one in Downtown around 20th Street.

[where_am_I]

I think it is good to see anyone from Birmingham try to do anything in the city. A lot of people from the area tend to go on to other places and forget where they came from. Ruben put Birmingham on the map with his "205" theme, so I think that him wanting to make an establishment in the city is a great thing. I don't see it expanding to other places like the BB Kings clubs, but I think Ruben's Club 205 is fitting. If it allows amateur and "underground" local musicians to showcase their stuff on the stage, then this could be a great thing for the city, also with Taylor Hicks doing the same.

Edited August 17, 2007 by where_am_I

[where_am_I]

Has anyone heard anything lately on this project? I remember hearing that they (the developer) would possibly reveal more detail about this project in about a month or so from the announcement that they gave there in B'ham.

[Southron]

Has anyone heard anything lately on this project?

Rep. Rogers and Mayor Langford are together on this project now, and the mayor seems to be really committed to it. Now that Langford is pushing it too, I'd give this thing an excellent chance to finally get built.

Thoughts?

[kayman]

It is good idea (that is expanding the BJCC), but bad timing considering there are more imperative initatives such as education, mass transit, and crime.

[Alabadrock]

It is good idea (that is expanding the BJCC), but bad timing considering there are more imperative initatives such as education, mass transit, and crime.

I agree 100%. No one wants the dome to get built more than I do, arguable I know. But this has come at a horrible time. I'm proud that Langford is putting so much effort towards a cause that should benefit the city. But, that being said, I think it's being focused on the wrong cause.

The dome is not a lost cause, Legion Field is old and crumbling, I'm sad to say. I wish there were some way to renovate it and make it a viable economic sports venue. If there were some plan out there that would overhaul Legion Field and the surrounding land I would put forth every bit of my energy to support it instead of the dome. I'm sure we all feel this way.

Not to be repetitive, but, that being said. Yes, build the dome, by all means, but, please, put some kind of means in the works to help improve the education. An odd example this is I know, but, look at the Civil Rights Movement. They went to the major cities first, and expected that after the larger cities like Birmingham and Jackson were desegretated, other cities would follow suit, and it was pretty effective. We can put that same plan in place here with education, crime prevention, and mass transit. It's hard, but, what isn't?

[woob]

I'd rather improve crime fighting myself.. maybe enlarging the force and better training? getting the police involved in the areas that they work in... I dunno

A dome can be positive.. I just wish the dome would be built further away from the city center or improve the infrastructure surrounding the proposed dome.. I went to a steeledawgs vs battlewings game... 1,200 people there and it was still a pain to park and get out of there.. that's really bad! maybe something else was going on down there?? I hate merging over across 3 lanes of traffic in 50 yards to get back on I-65.. I don't understand why you have to get on the interstate on the inside of the lanes and not the outside.. sorry for ranting!

anways..

[Alabadrock]

Well, in all of the articles that I've read, Langford has a plan in the tax increases and all to help improve the infrastructure around the area in downtown where the dome would be built. But, it's still not apparent whether or not that amount of money will be anywhere near enough to get the area around it where it needs to be.

[kayman]

Comedy Club owner and O'Henry Coffee have been tapped for the District @ the BJCC

The Comedy Club at the Stardome owner, Bruce Ayers and local O'Henry's Coffee franchiser, Randy Adamy has been contacted by Performa Entertainment. Ayers has been contacted about opening and operating a nightclub in the district and Adamy has been about another coffee shop locale. Also been mentioned is Ona's Music Room owner, Ona Watson, about relocating from the Southside to the District. Performa has also made the pledge to have 60% of the District leased out by January 1.

[kayman]

Could the BJCC survive without Birmingham and Jeffco funding?

Well, apparently with all the confusion involving Mayor Langford's indecision and apprehension to the 25-acre site adjacent to the BJCC with the multipurpose domed facility, the City of Birmingham withdrawing its $3M annual funding, and the Jeffco Commission also proposing to withdraw the $10M annually, the BJCC board has already anticipated for the worst. BJCC Exec, Jack Fields, confirmed this week that the BJCC can survive and would have the capability to expand on their own. However, he argues if the new facility is built elsewhere that it may force the BJCC to compete with it for some major events, but the majority of the current events would stay as is. He also pointed out that BJCC could access car, lodging, alcohol taxes, and BJCC facility user fees to fund the construction of an additonal 200,000 square-foot exhibition hall and improvement of the existing 220,000 square-foot facilities.

Which in IMO, I think they should do anyways rather than anticipating a facility by the City of Birmingham. A standalone exhibition hall that size would bring the BJCC to the total square footage to 420,000 square foot of exhibition space, and something is way better than nothing.

[HSVTiger]

Is Birmingham the only city in the United States considering building a dome? Others (Indy, Dallas) are building

new stadiums for their NFL teams but I believe they are either open air, retractable roof or some variation.

Just seems odd to push an idea that isn't desired by bigger city's anymore. Even the proposed new stadium for the Minnesota

Vikings (which is on hold at the moment) would have a retractable roof. Birmingham may get their desired dome but why not lead

with new ideas instead of chasing 20 year old ones?

[zen509]

Because it would be too un-Birmingham to break the trend of being 20 years behind everyone else.

[kayman]

Is Birmingham the only city in the United States considering building a dome? Others (Indy, Dallas) are building

new stadiums for their NFL teams but I believe they are either open air, retractable roof or some variation.

Just seems odd to push an idea that isn't desired by bigger city's anymore. Even the proposed new stadium for the Minnesota

Vikings (which is on hold at the moment) would have a retractable roof. Birmingham may get their desired dome but why not lead

with new ideas instead of chasing 20 year old ones?

That's Mayor Langford and John Rogers for ya! The hair brain idea of building something 20 years too late is much better than having nothing at all. I've advocated for awhile now that the BJCC just needs 2-3 new exhibition halls that are 200,000-300,000 square feet each in size along with a rebuilt BJCC Arena with more luxury boxes than a lone multipurpose domed facility. The last major multipurpose facility of that type built was at least 10 years ago and that was the infamous Alamodome in San Antonio. I agree we are way behind on this trend, but apparently Langford, Rogers, and their flock doesn't want to listen. They would rather build a facility just to accomodate the Magic City Classic (hence the reason why Langford reneged on the idea of a downsizing of the project from last spring). I say this because UAB already have said they are planning on building their own on-campus facility in the future.

[The Memphian]

I was researching and found this article

http://www.memphisflyer.com/memphis/Content?oid=oid%3A38326

We certainly welcome officials from Bham to visit World Famous Beale ST. I read that they are using Beale as a model for their plans in Bham that's great. What I would like to know is why the criticism by some officials of John Elkington and Performa. Is it the so called slow pace? or is it more to do with the politics of your city? I know that John has signed several tenants to occupy space and is updating officials each month on progress made. A major project like this has to go through due diligence and from what I have heard here in M-Town there seems to be some reluctance from potential local tenants to sign because of the possibility of a Dome being built and there seems to be a problem with some potential tenants line of credit. Is that John Elkingtons fault? Please enlighten me on the feeling of the citizens about this project.

[kayman]

I was researching and found this article

http://www.memphisflyer.com/memphis/Content?oid=oid%3A38326

We certainly welcome officials from Bham to visit World Famous Beale ST. I read that they are using Beale as a model for their plans in Bham that's great. What I would like to know is why the criticism by some officials of John Elkington and Performa. Is it the so called slow pace? or is it more to do with the politics of your city? I know that John has signed several tenants to occupy space and is updating officials each month on progress made. A major project like this has to go through due diligence and from what I have heard here in M-Town there seems to be some reluctance from potential local tenants to sign because of the possibility of a Dome being built and there seems to be a problem with some potential tenants line of credit. Is that John Elkingtons fault? Please enlighten me on the feeling of the citizens about this project.

Generally, speaking the reception of the District @ the BJCC is mixed. This area is some cynical individuals that don't want to see anything progressive with Birmingham because of the leadership in the city doesn't share their same ideology. The multipurpose domed facility is be "shopped" around the region for it actual location, but the main criticism you've probably heard is the from the certain members of the BJCC board themselves due to the delays of the project.

[Dystopos]

I was researching and found this article

http://www.memphisflyer.com/memphis/Content?oid=oid%3A38326

We certainly welcome officials from Bham to visit World Famous Beale ST. I read that they are using Beale as a model for their plans in Bham that's great. What I would like to know is why the criticism by some officials of John Elkington and Performa. Is it the so called slow pace? or is it more to do with the politics of your city? I know that John has signed several tenants to occupy space and is updating officials each month on progress made. A major project like this has to go through due diligence and from what I have heard here in M-Town there seems to be some reluctance from potential local tenants to sign because of the possibility of a Dome being built and there seems to be a problem with some potential tenants line of credit. Is that John Elkingtons fault? Please enlighten me on the feeling of the citizens about this project.

When the contract with Performa was announced the press here solicited comments from other metros where Performa had been contracted as a developer. The reports were mixed (some very unhappy at lack of performance and some happy overall despite certain failings). I don't believe I heard much criticism from anywhere else until recently, when the BJCC board expressed some frustration at the apparent lack of progress in securing tenants. It is not unusual for a developer to promise more than can be immediately delivered. It is equally common for the developer to be criticized for it.

cf: http://bwcitypaper.com/1editorialbody.lass...ken.subpub=#123

[Blazer85]

Here's the developer's website for "The Forge"

http://www.performaentertainment.com/birmingham.htm

[Southron]

Here's the developer's website for "The Forge"

http://www.performaentertainment.com/birmingham.htm

Thanks for the link, Blazer85. Here's a rendering from the site, in addition to the one in Post #164.

[kayman]

This past week, John Elkington, CEO of Performa Entertainment, confirmed that the construction on the Forge is set to begin in June. The development is 82% committed by tenants. Also there are talks of having AEG, the operators of the Staples Center and the Nokia Theater Times Square, to operate the 2,500-seat entertainment facility set to be constructed at the Forge. Red Rooster Bar and Music Hall, The Capitol Grille, an SEC retail store, and remote production facilities taping live events for Food Network, ABC 33/40, and the Cox Broadcasting Birmingham radio stations.

[Southron]

^ Sounds like it's really going to happen.

More related news... Developer John Elkington of Performa said he hopes to reach a deal soon with comedian Jeff Foxworthy to open a venue in The Forge entertainment district.

Jeff Foxworthy in talks for entertainment district venue

[Alabadrock]

This past week, John Elkington, CEO of Performa Entertainment, confirmed that the construction on the Forge is set to begin in June. The development is 82% committed by tenants. Also there are talks of having AEG, the operators of the Staples Center and the Nokia Theater Times Square, to operate the 2,500-seat entertainment facility set to be constructed at the Forge. Red Rooster Bar and Music Hall, The Capitol Grille, an SEC retail store, and remote production facilities taping live events for Food Network, ABC 33/40, and the Cox Broadcasting Birmingham radio stations.

Oooooooooo, that all sounds sweet and juicy!!!!!!!

[kayman]

On an interesting related but kind of unrelated note: the Schaeffer's Crawfish Boil this past weekend should be a good preview of some of the larger events such as concerts and other events at the Forge's amphitheater. It was exciting to see this portion of the City Center very vibrant at night. One can only hope that it continues to be this way more often.

[woob]

On an interesting related but kind of unrelated note: the Schaeffer's Crawfish Boil this past weekend should be a good preview of some of the larger events such as concerts and other events at the Forge's amphitheater. It was exciting to see this portion of the City Center very vibrant at night. One can only hope that it continues to be this way more often.

an entertainment district is badly needed! I missed the crawfish boil.. wish I hadn't... I'm one of those crawfish eaters from Louisiana! back home Shreveport has an awesome festival pavilion... B'ham could use one about 5 times larger just like it! we need something like this I believe!

Edited May 6, 2008 by woob

[kayman]

To my surprise apparently Performa Entertainment was eyeing the Crawfish Boil and its way of doing things as a catalyst for the Forge district. Performa also said they plan on having regular outdoor concerts in the Forge's ampitheater.