Birmingham Business Alliance President Hilson to leave in March
The president and CEO of the Birmingham Business Alliance is stepping down from his post effective March 29 to take another economic development position in the state, the organization announced Thursday. Brian Hilson had been with the BBA since 2011. The organization noted Hilson will be leaving the alliance in good hands after 4,500 jobs and $1 billion in capital investment was secured in Birmingham last year. – AL.com
Turner Construction completes $32 million JSU Fitness Center
Despite the intervention of an EF-3 tornado during construction, Jacksonville State University has a new Recreation and Fitness Center. Turner Construction Company’s Huntsville office announced the completion of the 102,000-square-foot, $32 million facility, located on the southeast corner of campus. Turner collaborated on the project with architect Moody Nolan and civil engineer 4Site. – AL.com
Tuscaloosa jumps into summer music business
Winter’s nearly over, and that means summer music festival lineups are starting to circle the internet. In Alabama, country fans will be planning to head to Cullman for Rock the South and most everybody else will be looking toward Hangout Fest in Gulf Shores. But this year, Tuscaloosa is throwing its hat in the music festival ring for the first time in over a decade. Atlanta-based rapper Big Boi might be trying on the script A of the Alabama Crimson Tide as he heads to Tuscaloosa to headline the inaugural Druid City Music Festival Aug. 23 and 24. – APR
Gas tax first priority for League of Municipalities
The Alabama League of Municipalities presented their 2019 legislative agenda recently to the state press corps in Montgomery. Ken Smith has been the Executive Director of the League of Municipalities since 2006. Smith said that the League has been in existence for 84 years. Their first priority is passage of the motor fuel tax. – Alabama Political Reporter
Alabama gets $1.4 million grant for job training in coal counties
Alabama is one of nine states to receive grant money through the Appalachian Regional Commission for economic development and other initiatives in coal-industry impacted areas. The state will received $1.45 million through the Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization Initiative. In all, the program is pumping $21.8 million into 33 programs geared toward investment, manufacturing, technology and other outreaches. – AL.com
As Kia electric car suggests, LED grills are getting menacing
The upcoming Geneva Motor Show is going to be packed with new electric vehicles, and among them will be this: A Kia electric concept car, whose face the brand just teased on its media site. It looks fantastic, but also mean. Styled at Kia’s European design center in Frankfurt, Germany, the new Kia—set to be unveiled on March 5 at the Geneva Motor Show—includes an awesome front-end LED lighting treatment whose outline mimics that of Kia’s versatile “Tiger Nose” grille. – Jalopnik
BMW, Daimler team up to go after Uber
BMW and Daimler are putting more than $1 billion into a joint venture that will develop ride-sharing, charging and parking services. The rival German carmakers announced the investment on Friday in Berlin, describing their mobility business as a “global game changer” that could help fend off challenges from upstarts including Uber. – CNN
