The unofficial online home for fans of the UAB Blazers. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

(01-14-2014 06:11 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  I believe that B'ham needs a MPF that can be a large football stadium AND a great modern convention facility.

Great for Birmingham and the convention business, but if the roof doesn't move, I'll most likely decline the 3 hour drive and travel to away games that are outside.

Re: the Georgia Dome example ... Atlanta is tearing down their 20 year old dome to build one that has a roof that opens, and in doing so they spent themselves out of the ability to retain the Braves.

(01-14-2014 07:25 PM)BlazerPhil Wrote:  If the demand is there, then maybe we need to build the Blazertalk.com MPF and fill it up with annual events.

The demand is there but the conventions/special events industry is one where only municipalities can be the players. The cost of entry is prohibitive (obviously) and it requires behind the scenes coordination of a lot of ancillary industries whose only point of connection would be the city itself. Birmingham has business willing to be handed to it due to location, low cost of travel, and other factors that are pretty constant. But the metro cooperation and vision is no closer to coming together than it was 30 years ago.

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If the open air football only market was all that viable, more cities would build them. We don't have any Jerry Jones financial clones running around to build it for B'ham so it has to build what the market WILL support - just like Atlanta has found out. They are building a much more modern MPF than what was proposed for "MAPS" back in the 1990s. Right now the NFL is praying that a "noreaster" like the two recent ones doesn't drop three+ feet of snow in NJ for the Super Bowl.

The technology of retractable roof actuation is much advanced since the early domes, even since the Lucas Oil facility in Indianapolis. Our MPF should reflect that whenever it is built. With the limited land space of the UAB campus, it may prove to be a very useful alternative to play in a MPF to save space that could be better utilized for academic purposes.

If UAB chooses to build its OCS on what it can afford and in a design not useful for city needs, then it can do so - on its own dime. Like the Braves in Atlanta, they can do as they please with their own money.

(01-14-2014 08:00 PM)blazr Wrote:  But the metro cooperation and vision is no closer to coming together than it was 30 years ago.

Which is why the City and UAB should partner up on a much cheaper open air football stadium that is appropriately sized for UAB, the Classic, and the bowl game and that could also possibly be used for soccer and that could definitely be used for the high school championships and concerts.

It's cheaper, doable, and doesn't require herding the cats that is the Jefferson County Mayor's Association. It also has the unique advantage that it would be better for UAB football than a domed stadium.

Speaking of conventions, how many conventions happen on the field of the Georgia Dome? Couldn't we expand the convention space at the BJCC without building a 70,000 seat football stadium that would never get used to capacity? Why does this "floor space" have to be in that format?

What is an appropriate size for UAB is going to be too small for the Magic City Classic and BBVA Compass Bowl.

(01-15-2014 06:48 AM)BamaScorpio69 Wrote:  What is an appropriate size for UAB is going to be too small for the Magic City Classic and BBVA Compass Bowl.

If Bham wanted a MPF, they should build on smaller scale so it could be used more easily for other events. The alamodome, Lucas in Indy and St. Louis are all mid 60 capacity. I think a facility with 50-55k would be enough. Sure, one game might need more than that (magic City Classic) but that revenue easily made up with higher ticket prices. Bbva bowl could be a sellout and it would create a ticket demand for UAB. It would also put is in the running again for NCAA basketball 1st round and regionals which we are currently not considered for with the BJCC. Personally when they convert these gigantic indoor arenas (ed jones dome in St Louis or Georgia dome) for basketball, it is terrible.

(01-14-2014 04:54 PM)UABslant Wrote:  Ultimately, it's the location that kills Legion Field. The place is in bad shape, but even if you dress it up: install chair backs, LED ribbon boards, new jumbotron, new paint... you don't get a financial return on your investment because there is no way to draw new restaurants, bars, etc to the area.

Save your money for a new stadium.

This! Somewhere downtown or as close to the southside or Regions Park as they can get. The sooner, the better...6 months, eh? Are these 6 "regular" months, or "Birmingham" months?

(01-14-2014 07:00 PM)ATTALLABLAZE Wrote:  If we had the MPS and a bowl win or two we would be sitting in the AAC right now.

Agreed! They would at least tender the invite. But, "the syndicate" will try to roadblock that, too.

(01-14-2014 07:38 PM)GaBlazer Wrote:  

(01-14-2014 06:21 PM)ATTALLABLAZE Wrote:  I will take a MPS over Legion in a heart beat and we can recruit to it. Just look at UTSA!

Exactly Correct!!

Build a MPS And Birmingham and everyone in the area wins!! Let's See Birmingham thrive with opportunity, if you don't build it you keep getting what you get. Bring Birmingham up to an equal playing field with other cities in attracting opportunity! Just Build It Already!!!

It's just taking so (bleeping) long that it's becoming somewhat of a mirage/urban legend with many. I would definitely love to have it as a glaring alternative to that disgusting place we're forced to play in now, but if anything, the has finally come on in Mayor's Bell's head , or someone at City Hall, at least, that the longer they continue to try to pass Legion Field off as a "historic football icon" attraction, the further the city is going to fall behind others that have better venues/facilities to showcase their football events. 6 Months...Can't wait for the "big announcement"...

(01-14-2014 05:21 PM)legalblazer Wrote:  Birmingham doesn't need a dome, it needs a football stadium.

You think it's bad going to an empty Legion Field? Try out a Georgia State game at the Georgia Dome... bring your library book because that is where you feel like you are hanging out.

Yeah - monsoon games are bad for attendance, but so are perfect fall days that no one wants to ruin by going inside to watch football.

Monsoons don't bother me at football games, it's the possibility of lightning that scares the **** out of me, that's the only legitimate excuse to stay away, IMHO. Other than that, rain and snow is football weather, and I revel in it.

(01-14-2014 04:37 PM)BeliefBlazer Wrote:  A couple of BlazerTalkers have said that talk of the dome (sigh) have been revived again behind the scenes. I'll be dead and gone before the City of Birmingham replaces Legion Field.

I'm not very confident that this dome is going to get constructed, it's been way too long, Atlanta's getting ready to raze 2 stadiums that aren't even 25 years old yet, and we're still stuck with "Lesion" Field. "sigh"...6 months...I'm with the poster that expressed hope that this has everything to do with a new venue elsewhere and zero to do with trying to dress that garbage scow up. #WeWantOuttaThere!

We can't worry about what Atlanta is doing. We can look at what other municipalities that are similar in scale as B'ham are doing to stay competitive and fill the needs of conventions, sports & entertainment events... a MPS fills many needs, including UAB's.

B'ham built Regions Field and consulted UAB. We now have one of the nicest home fields in all of college baseball and we didn't have to pay for it (outside of a land-swap that essentially keeps it on our campus).

Weather has dessimated many crowds for us and we can't afford to lose attendance numbers right now. An MPS helps us out there as well.

(01-15-2014 01:55 AM)mixduptransistor Wrote:  Speaking of conventions, how many conventions happen on the field of the Georgia Dome? Couldn't we expand the convention space at the BJCC without building a 70,000 seat football stadium that would never get used to capacity? Why does this "floor space" have to be in that format?

Is the Metro Crossplex being used for anything other than athletic events ? For the next 2 months it does appear to be full up on track and field & wrestling activities.

(01-14-2014 05:21 PM)legalblazer Wrote:  Birmingham doesn't need a dome, it needs a football stadium.

You think it's bad going to an empty Legion Field? Try out a Georgia State game at the Georgia Dome... bring your library book because that is where you feel like you are hanging out.

Yeah - monsoon games are bad for attendance, but so are perfect fall days that no one wants to ruin by going inside to watch football.

+1.

I don't want to play in a dome. Autumn in Birmingham is generally a pretty agreeable time of year.

@Slant: I mentioned Atlanta because that's where it started, that's where/who Birmingham lost its' most lucrative post-season sports events to first and foremost. Which cities do you have in mind, if I may ask, to compare with Birmingham that we should be trying to be on par with, if not surpass? Just asking...;-)

(01-15-2014 09:43 AM)Smaug Wrote:  

(01-14-2014 05:21 PM)legalblazer Wrote:  Birmingham doesn't need a dome, it needs a football stadium.

You think it's bad going to an empty Legion Field? Try out a Georgia State game at the Georgia Dome... bring your library book because that is where you feel like you are hanging out.

Yeah - monsoon games are bad for attendance, but so are perfect fall days that no one wants to ruin by going inside to watch football.

+1.

I don't want to play in a dome. Autumn in Birmingham is generally a pretty agreeable time of year.

I've only set foot in a dome stadium, maybe 5 times in my entire life, all of them at the Georgia Dome. Love the experience, but, if they were going to actually build the damn thing here, I'd prefer a retractable roof like they have in Toronto (doesn't the one in Indianapolis retract, too? I know there's one in the US somewhere), so that we could let the sunshine in on days like you described. Other than that, I like the open air experience much better.

I really don't I've a damn as long as it's a new facility.

(01-15-2014 09:38 AM)BlazerPhil Wrote:  

(01-15-2014 01:55 AM)mixduptransistor Wrote:  Speaking of conventions, how many conventions happen on the field of the Georgia Dome? Couldn't we expand the convention space at the BJCC without building a 70,000 seat football stadium that would never get used to capacity? Why does this "floor space" have to be in that format?

Is the Metro Crossplex being used for anything other than athletic events ? For the next 2 months it does appear to be full up on track and field & wrestling activities.

That's about it, Phil. Those events of which you speak are what it is specifically designed for...It's an impressive facility, & if you've not been to an event hosted there yet, do so as soon as you can and prepare to be amazed.

(01-15-2014 09:52 AM)ATTALLABLAZE Wrote:  I really don't I've a damn as long as it's a new facility.

Emphasis on "new", not "renovated"...