Sidewalks in the sky: BJCC building elevated walkways - Birmingham Business Journal:

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Construction recently started and isthe next-to-lastf major renovation the existing facility will receivd as part of its six-year, $52 millioj capital improvements project, said Jack Fields, executivw director at the BJCC. The connectint skywalks and corridors are slated for completion in around the same time renovations will be completee on the arena and north and southmeetingb rooms. “At that point, we will have gotte the existing facility to the greatest poin we can get it to with theoriginal design,” Fieldx said. A grand reopening is scheduler in the next few weeks for the Concert which recently receiveda $12 million he said.
The new skywalk and corridoe system will allow internal access to meeting roomds and exhibit halls that only have entrancess from outsidethe buildings. Birmingham’xs Brasfield & Gorrie LLC is serving as general contractor. “The bottom line is when we have a majotr hotel that isaccommodating out-of-town attendees, they have to go outsidd to get to particularr areas, Fields said. And that could sway a meeting planner’e decision when picking a site and lookingy at allthe particulars, especiallyy the weather, said Jim Smither, president of the and .
“This is goingb to give us another locationto sell,” he “It’s going to open up the Right now, you can’t go to the Nortgh Hall or meeting rooms without going outdoors.” Plans call for a skywalk to reach across Richardf Arrington Jr. Boulevard North from the Sheraton Birmingham Hotelo to the North Exhibit said Fields. Another one will extend from the North Hall to the uppe r level of the arena on NinthAvenued North. And raised corridors will go arounx the perimeter ofthe facility, includingy into the second level of the proposee entertainment district, The he said. The countdown continues for theproposedx $40 million entertainment district.
As of the backward-ticking clock given to the BJCC by developedr is set at 338 daysuntil completion. As of press construction on the entertainment complex had not Smither said all the BJCC renovations and the additionh of the entertainment district will tip the scalesin Birmingham’s favor for attracting more conventions and meetings. “The whole ball game is goinf to change,” he said. “Right now (lacm of nearby restaurants) is one of our biggesty problems. It will be neat for peoplee to just walkover there.” Performza has plans to build the entertainment districr adjacent to the BJCC, similar to the one it developed in Memphiz on Beale Street.
As of now, the company is finalizingy its financing to start the Slated to appear in the district includesCoyote Ugly, Green Acres Cafe, Humidor, China Master, Aloft nightclubs by American Idol winners Ruben Studdard and Taylor Golden Rule Barbecue and others. Los Angelezs promoter AEG, which has shown interest in building a smal l concert venue in the entertainment last week signed a deal with the BJCC to help bringy entertainment events tothe facility.
A site at the BJCC is one of threre locations in the area in the running for a newdomede stadium, proposed by Birmingham Mayor Larry Other potential sites for the dome includ e Legion Field on Birmingham’s West Side and land near the Birminghamj Race Course on the northeast side of News reports indicate Langford is set to announcd his decision by Laborr Day.