Birmingham domed stadium project advancing

09/22/2009

By Dan Carsen

The design phase of Birmingham’s $530 million, 65,000-seat domed stadium project could soon begin in earnest after getting two key nudges forward last week.

The Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex board hired engineers to conduct land feasibility studies of the proposed site, which is adjacent to the current convention complex on Richard Arrington Jr. Boulevard downtown.

Saber Engineering and Schoel Engineering will team up to examine the site’s topography and drainage, splitting a contract not to exceed $270,200. For $16,000, Bhate Geosciences Corp. will perform an initial geotechnical study to determine whether the site can physically support the 160,000-square-foot facility and a proposed entertainment district.

“The information is very critical to the time element,” said BJCC board executive director Jack Fields. “They should be out there (working) now so the design team can start moving ahead.”

Populous, an international design firm formerly known as HOK Sport Venue Event, is the lead architect. The other three firms are based in Birmingham. Saber and Bhate are minority-owned. The BJCC board intends to secure 30 percent minority participation on the project.

The BJCC board last week also hired Birmingham-based Formation Methods, another minority-owned firm, as local liaison and project coordinator for the 16-month design and pre-construction phase. For a maximum of $160,000, Formation will coordinate between architects, engineers and local governments to move the work along.

The project, which has been discussed and debated for two decades, could provide a significant boost to the area’s construction industry as early as 2011, when building is expected to begin. The Birmingham City Council first appropriated funds – $8 million – in mid July of this year. 

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