By Mary Colurso
Music lovers in Birmingham could have a brand-new concert venue right in their backyard, if plans continue to move forward for a $50 million amphitheater on the city’s Northside.
The 9,000-seat amphitheater isn’t a done deal, but early steps have been taken to get the funding in place. The proposed amphitheater would anchor the $300 million Star at Uptown development on the former campus of the shuttered Carraway Methodist Medical Center.
The former medical center site, which closed in 2008, is a 52-acre tract in the Norwood neighborhood, near the downtown nexus of Top Golf, the BJCC, Protective Stadium and the Uptown entertainment district.
On Oct. 31, the board of directors for the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex voted to approve a funding agreement between the Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center Authority to support the amphitheater’s construction.
It’s the same agreement approved by the convention bureau’s board about a week earlier, making a portion of lodging taxes from the BJCC’s Sheraton and Westin hotels available to pay debt service for the amphitheater.
The amphitheater would be owned by the BJCC and managed by concert giant Live Nation, which currently owns and operates Oak Mountain Amphitheatre in Pelham. The Star at Uptown amphitheater proposal says Live Nation would shut down Oak Mountain Amphitheatre if the Birmingham amphitheater is completed as planned.
The funding proposal calls for the City of Birmingham, the Jefferson County Commission, the BJCC and Live Nation to each make a one-time contribution of $5 million for a $20 million paydown on construction costs.
The BJCC Board of Directors has voted to approve a resolution in support of an upfront $5 million contribution for the amphitheater, to lessen the amount that would have to be financed. The BJCC would borrow $30 million over 30 years to fund the remaining construction costs.
Several more hurdles remain for the amphitheater — the Jefferson County Commission and the Birmingham City Council have to sign off on financial support, for example — but the project has received a thumb’s up from Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin and county commission President Jimmie Stephens. Neighborhood associations in the area, which includes Norwood and Druid Hills, also appear to be on board.
The amphitheater proposal has generated a great deal of chatter, both pro and con, from folks who care about music in Alabama — and certainly from concertgoers in the Birmingham metro area. Share your opinion on the proposed amphitheater in the poll below and read on to hear what other music lovers think about the project.
Do you support the new amphitheater proposed for Birmingham?Love the ideaHate the ideaUndecidedDon’t careVote
As you might expect, AL.com readers have plenty to say about the amphitheater proposal, and the possible closing of Oak Mountain. (The amphitheater in Pelham opened in 1986, and has been a popular fixture on the concert scene ever since.) When asked to share their thoughts via Facebook, here’s how readers responded.
BRING IT ON! (AND ADDRESS SOME ISSUES IN THE MEANTIME)
“I think it is a great idea. All types of entertainment in one area. Close to restaurants. Also the parking deck is slated to stay so parking may be better. More centrally located too! … Just remember for the right performers people will come regardless. Look at Garth Brooks sold out. People who knock downtown Birmingham have not been downtown in the last year or two, it’s not like it used to be. Lots of people have moved there and love it. New restaurants, stores, bars, and other attractions.” — Frank A. Ranelli
“That area seems to be about to become the ‘new’ Avondale area. Civic Center Complex, Protective Stadium, Top Golf and the Uptown Food and Entertainment District growing bigger, it seems like it would work. Maybe turn the old Social Security Building into a giant parking deck with shuttles to run customers here to there. Hope it happens, for Birmingham’s sake.” — Randy Mize
“As a Birmingham resident I hate having to drive to Pelham for concerts. The traffic is awful and the facility is dated. Plus, I’d rather the tax revenue go to the city that technically attracted the act to begin with…. but, they do need to figure out parking in the entire Uptown area before they add more strain to it.” — Kyle Pugh
“Fabulous! We LOVE Uptown. We love the bars and the restaurants. We love TopGolf. We loved the Birmingham Bowl (we purchased 14 tickets). We were there for the World Games and many Broadway shows. We thought the parking deck should have been open for the Birmingham Bowl, but it was not. I believe the deck is five or six stories high. So, yes, we will attend.” — Ed Cater
“The word I keep using is game-changer. It’s another piece of the puzzle that will continue the growth of downtown Birmingham. It’s another opportunity for to give people a reason to come downtown. … It’s an idea that’s been popping up for years: Wouldn’t it be great to have an amphitheater in downtown Birmingham? As a pro-Birmingham person, I think it’s an excellent idea.” — Scott Register
“As a Birmingham resident, the proposed plan would certainly add to the Uptown venues. However parking would continue to be an issue. New construction would be a huge improvement over what is currently there.” — Alice CT Moore
“I went to concerts at Oak Mountain Amphitheatre 40 years ago. I just attended the Stevie Nicks show at Orion Amphitheater in Huntsville and that venue puts Oak Mountain Amphitheatre to shame in every area. It’s time for something similar in Birmingham.” — Russ Kincaid
“I remember when Oak Mountain [Amphitheatre] opened, some people said, ‘It’s too far away from Birmingham. No one wants to go that far to see a concert.’ Now the proposed amphitheater is too CLOSE to downtown for some. I haven’t lived in Birmingham in quite a long time, but is crime keeping the BJCC from filling shows? What about the Alabama and Lyric theaters? They’re downtown, too. Seems to me the downtown area isn’t exactly a ghost town these days.” — Shawn Ryan
“I hope that it revitalizes the area. Scenically it should be much nicer than Oak Mountain. Safe parking and walking needs to be a focus of development.” — Robert de Buys
“I never say ‘no’ to expanding music venues. I understand people expressing concerns about parking based on my playing in Uptown quite frequently during events and it very often being an absolute nightmare. But that doesn’t need to be a deal breaker. I’m hoping they continue to work out those issues and Birmingham keeps progressing.” — Alice Bargerpn
“We proved in 1989 that downtown can be a destination for family fun and entertainment. We called it City Stages and we never had an incident that amounted to much. If Birmingham wants to be a city of the first order it must embrace opportunities.” — Guy McCullough
“Give adequate parking (and let’s talk not walking a mile …looking at many newer great amphitheaters) to what we already have and then how to do it right. I gave up on Oak Mountain a while back after paying ridiculous prices for everything and hobbling to and from the venue. And there is being in the middle of a neighborhood. Even Avondale Brewing which is a lot smaller but putting on bigger shows and making many efforts to alleviate volume, still gets neighbors riled up.” — Shannon E. Johnson
“There would have to be attention to parking, but I would be happy to see that happen in downtown. I have not been to Oak Mountain in years, so there you go …” — Wendy Bishop Walters
“That would be great for the city of Birmingham!” — Jesse Suttle
“I would like to see the amphitheater build downtown.” — Jeff Wilkes
“I think it’s a great idea!! Bringing more people to downtown Birmingham!” — Tom Williams
“I’m all for it being in Birmingham.” — Don Albrets
“It’s right down the street from Top Golf. Lots of folks go there.” — Douglas Lee
“Love this idea” — Stacy Randle Murdoch
“I love having a downtown amphitheater. I’m more likely to go there than Oak Mountain.” — Jean Bouler
“Carraway is a much better location. … Small town Luddites hate Birmingham. I don’t know why they can’t accept the fact that Birmingham is making so much progress. This isn’t Bull Connor’s town now. Maybe that’s the problem.” — Ellis Ell
WHOA! DON’T CLOSE OAK MOUNTAIN
“I believe the Oak Mountain [Amphitheatre] is an important part of the Pelham community. It gives an option for concerts to those in Shelby and other surrounding counties. There are many businesses around it that count on the business produced on concert nights. It gives school and community groups a needed fundraising opportunity through the concession stands. Birmingham already has several concert venues. It’s important to other communities to have the opportunity as well.” — Heidi Ramey
“I have attended dozens of concerts at Oak Mountain Amphitheatre. About a third were sold out. The overwhelming majority of the rest were at better than 90% capacity. I do not understand building a venue with approximately 2,000 less seats. This says nothing of the fact Oak Mountain Amphitheatre is not an ancient relic like Legion Field. It is still a fairly modern facility in good shape. I do not understand fixing what is not broke.” — Joe Foster
“We live in Alabaster, and are very upset about the idea of Oak Mountain Amphitheatre closing. If a concert is during the week, I’d much rather be close to home. We also feel far safer in Pelham with its low crime rate.” — Beth Branch Thompson
“I’ve been a Live Nation employee at Oak Mountain Amphitheatre for four years. I’ve also been to a lot of shows there since 1986. I would certainly hate to see it close.” — Jakie Lee
“Unless it is a massive improvement over Oak Mountain, it’s a waste.” — Robbie Hassell
“I don’t think Oak Mountain should close theirs! Let Birmingham do what they want. It leave Oak Mountain alone!” — Sherri Goolsby
“Nope, no Bueno. The Carraway site is weird. I’m not feeling it as a possible music venue.” — Todd Troulias
“Oak Mountain is a much better site.” — Greg Clardy
“No! Leave Oak Mountain alone.” — Darren Haynes
“I prefer the location in Pelham.” — Lori Ray Bostick
“Not AT ALL happy. Oak Mountain is a special venue!” — Sandy Danette Morrison
“Keep Oak Mountain and move this to Cullman, Alabama, and a botanical garden!” — Courtni Hall
CONCERNS ABOUT LOCATION, SAFETY, PARKING, TRAFFIC
“It would be the end of my outdoor concert-going days, I suppose. As it is now, people from Birmingham can drive to Pelham for a show, and have safe places to eat, drink, and stay overnight nearby. I don’t think the people in the North Shelby area will feel that way about the Carraway area. … I’ve spent my life in cities, and I’m not scared. I just think there’ll be a lot of people who will opt to stay home if the only other option is Carraway. You might build it, but I don’t believe they will come. I’m not strongly ‘against’ it. I’m more skeptical than against. My (opinion) is that it will be less than successful.” — Joe Lee
“Not thrilled about the proposed new location — ingress/egress is going to be a mess, and that area isn’t my favorite place to be after sundown.” — Martin J. Reed
“Norwood? No. Planes take off and land very low there. So that would not be musically good. What about the former racetrack?” — Carolyn Collier
“I will go to Oak Mountain, I feel safe there, before I go to Birmingham, B’ham crime rate is out of control!!!!” — Leigh Whitaker Collins
“Oak mountain is great. Don’t need one downtown where people get shot.” — Sandy Horn Rogers
“I see no reason to close the Pelham facility. If they want to put one in Birmingham, go ahead. But, there are a lot of people who will not go to that part of Birmingham because they won’t feel safe. The City of Birmingham ought to invest in the police department to work on the crime issues.” — Kathy Green
“I will happily go to Pelham. Birmingham has a high crime rate and the new facility is in the middle of a crime-ridden area. You can put lipstick on a pig but it’s still a pig!!! I have a better chance of not being a victim in Pelham!! Facts are facts!!” — Daun Lacey
“I really don’t have a problem with Birmingham building something but I hope they keep Oak Mountain open. I definitely won’t be going downtown for concerts. I don’t feel safe there and the parking situation is terrible.” — Jacklyn Hobson Greenhill
“Stupid idea. You can’t make a silk purse out of a pigs ear. Hope it works better they than the World Games did.” — David Stewart
“Why not Ensley as long as you have lost your minds?” — Jim Collins
“It would be a traffic nightmare … with parking and navigation around that area. Been to the new stadium? Same situation.” — Peter A. O’Hare
WHAT ABOUT THE NEIGHBORS?
“I see a lot of posts about the location, convenience of getting to this proposed location, etc. — not much about how putting a venue like this so close to a residential area. An event like City Stages (in the heart of downtown) is different than putting an amphitheater this close to a residential area. I will look at the Oak Mountain geography but this seems like a poor location choice to me.” — Felyicia Jerald
“I feel bad for the residents. Loud music in the neighborhood.” — Val Walton Cornner
“I’m curious how easy it will be for the neighborhood folks to get into or out the area when there is an event.” — Renee Gainer
WHY NOT HAVE BOTH AMPHITHEATERS?
“I guess I just reject the premise … the false binary choice that this is a zero-sum calculation, that in order for Pelham to win in the Battle of the Venues, Birmingham has to lose, etc. If you want to succeed regionally (Don’t we?) you have to think regionally. Grok that each venue might have enough of a niche to succeed together, and actually enhance the other. If the approach is done right, there might be every chance of that happening.” — Wade Anderson
“Sell the Oak Mountain venue and do shows relevant to that area. (Which is where I live and grew up. ) Build this new amphitheater for Birmingham. I’m sick of Huntsville getting all the credit for our creativity. Sorry Huntsville, but your state-of-the-art beautiful venue has Birmingham’s fingerprints all over it from top to bottom. Which really is tiring to me (my wife’s from Huntsville) Why is our money delegated so poorly while Huntsville seems to know what they are doing and why? Safety is going to be the issue here. Call it what you want but the reality is people don’t come to Birmingham from rural areas because the misconception of the crime and where it happens.” — Jason Marchant
“I would hate to lose the Pelham amphitheater. Like to think there’s enough music to go around for every venue.” — Peter Bergeron
“I haven’t lived in Birmingham for a long time, but if it is financially viable it would make sense to me for Oak Mountain to be a great spot for bands that attract and older suburban crowd and for a new downtown amphitheater to be a spot for music that would be enjoyed by the hipster folks in the downtown neighborhoods and/or attract people from out of state.” — Robin Clemow Oliver
“Why can’t we have both? Shelby County can’t support it without Birmingham?” — Bhavesh Patel
“I don’t enjoy driving out to Pelham at all. Maybe keep it open for smaller or lesser known acts.” — Mary Carlisle
“Why does one have to close to make way for the other?” — Mike Baswell
“My question is will an amphitheater and the stadium in the same general area take business away not only from Oak Mountain, but also Legacy Arena? All can be music venues. I like Oak Mountain being away from downtown.” — Teresa Haynes Mitchell
“Birmingham needs it tremendously. Leave Oak Mountain open which makes everybody happy. Wait … is that possible?” — Wayne S. Davis
“I prefer them to leave Oak Mountain alone! I think these cities can afford both. I think Alabaster is doing something similar. At down scale you have Tuscaloosa; they have one!” — Dowvan Perry
USE THE MONEY FOR SOMETHING ELSE
“Student housing is probably a better use or a gated assisted living with security guards and drug-sniffing dogs so the elderly have a safe place to live close to their UAB doctors, the Uptown restaurants, BJCC, Protective Stadium and other entertainment on Southside. Maybe even a shuttle service that goes from Carraway to Southside. … Amphitheater not needed.” — Gina Wiley Heaton
“They need to pave the … streets and fix the water works before they spend that money on that. … This city needs infrastructure, not more entertainment.” — Michael Moore
“Spend the money on improving North Birmingham neighborhoods. Clean it up!” — Patty Graves
MORE ON PLANS FOR NEW AMPHITHEATER IN BIRMINGHAM:
- BJCC agrees to fund Birmingham amphitheater, moving plan closer to goal
- Proposed $50 million Carraway amphitheater would replace Oak Mountain’s: What it might look like
- Proposed $50 million amphitheater at Carraway tests regional cooperation for economic development
- CVB approves lodging tax agreement with BJCC, first step in plans for $50 million amphitheater
- $50 million Carraway amphitheater is ‘going to transform’ Birmingham’s Northside, Norwood residents say
- State tourism to give CVB $3 million to support $50 million amphitheater at Carraway
