A $50 million, 8,500-seat amphitheater to be built on the former Carraway hospital complex has received endorsements from Birmingham and Jefferson County leaders.
Both Birmingham Mayor Randall L. Woodfin and Jefferson County Commission President Jimmie Stephens say the amphitheater, which would be near the BJCC’s Legacy Arena and the new Protective Stadium, is a good move.
“This is a great opportunity to bring a new entertainment asset that will serve our residents and bring visitors to Birmingham to support our local businesses,” Woodfin said. “This will also be important to the overall revitalization of the Carraway property, which is a key priority for neighborhoods in north Birmingham.”
Stephens said the project would further the area’s “position as a world-class destination.”
“Just as we have seen with Protective Stadium, an amphitheater has the potential to provide us with benefits we can’t even envision at this point,” he said.
Their comments came as the Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau agreed that a portion of the lodging taxes collected from the BJCC’s Sheraton and Westin hotels would be available to help pay the debt for the amphitheater.
“Bringing this new asset to our community will be a big win, and having a full range of stages and venues will allow us to bring more visitors from outside of Jefferson County to experience our great amenities in our city and county,” said John Oros, president and CEO of the Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We are happy that we were able to reach this agreement and move this project forward.”
The proposed amphitheater is part of The Star at Uptown, a mixed-use development being built by Corporate Realty.
“Today is about community and leadership coming together with a common voice,” said Robert Simon, CEO of Corporate Realty. “A project of the size, scope and scale has every element: Quality and attainable housing, retail, hospitality, medical services and parking assets. With the urban anchor now in a position to move forward, this marque entertainment facility will draw people from all over our region and showcase the City of Birmingham and Jefferson County, enhancing the quality of life for our residents, reviving a once-thriving area and creating a destination people will want to visit.”
