It seems a little hurried to us, but Birmingham Barons (Class AA; Southern League) management says they’ll be ready to play at a new downtown ballpark next season. It’s an issue constantly being addressed by GM Jonathan Nelson: whether Regions Field will be open for play next April. The answer is yes. “There’s still an […]
Tag Archives | railroad park
One benefit of new Birmingham ballpark: driving down open industrial space
Here’s one benefit to a new Birmingham Barons (Class AA; Southern League) ballpark no one saw coming: the downtown industrial real-estate occupancy rate went way up. In fact, the vacancy rate is down to a current 11.9 percent from 16.5 percent in the fourth quarter of 2011, reports the Birmingham Business Journal. Causing the huge […]
After kerfuffle, Birmingham ballpark design team unchanged
After an apparent move to change the lineup of the design team for a new downtown Birmingham Barons (Class AA; Southern League) ballpark, nothing will actually change — for now. No one is really talking about why Mayor William Bell and his staff decided to remove Giattina Aycock Architecture Studio and Hoskins Architecture from the […]
Birmingham: Design of new ballpark still evolving
Though final demolition plans for a new Birmingham Barons (Class AA; Southern League) ballpark site are now set, the final design of Regions Field won’t be presented for approval until April. This means the pretty renderings we’ve been showing from HKS are conceptual at this point. But that’s OK: readers of this site seem to […]
New for 2013: Regions Field
Regions Bank will keep its naming-rights deal with the Birmingham Barons (Class AA; Southern League), as the team’s new downtown ballpark will be known as Regions Field when it opens in 2013. The Barons had a naming-rights/branding deal with Regions Bank at their current home, Regions Park in suburban Hoover. That relationship will continue at […]
Birmingham ballpark groundbreaking set for Feb. 2
The groundbreaking for a new $64-million Birmingham Barons (Class AA; Southern League) ballpark has been set for Feb. 2, according to Mayor William Bell. The city is ready to move on construction of the ballpark now that financing is in place. The new ballpark, located near Railroad Park in downtown Birmingham, could be ready in […]
Birmingham: We’re close to finalizing Barons ballpark plans
With 80 percent of the land needed for a new Birmingham Barons (Class AA; Southern League) ballpark already acquired, the city of Birmingham says it’s on the verge of moving ahead with a new downtown facility. The site, across from Railroad Park, will feature a new $50-million ballpark with 8,500 seats, 26 suites (20 sold […]
Birmingham reviewing alternate ballpark sites
Though Mayor William Bell says a proposed downtown Birmingham ballpark site is still in Railroad Park, city officials will begin reviewing other potential ballpark sites, including some city-owned parcels that could bring down the cost of the project. One such parcel is land near the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex. Indeed, city officials have already asked […]
Birmingham ballpark situation more complicated than anticipated
The Birmingham City Council has agreed on a funding plan for a new downtown ballpark to house the Birmingham Barons (Class AA; Southern League), but they can’t agree on the location — a situation complicated by balky ballpark-area landowners. Mayor William Bell has been upfront about where he wanted to see a new downtown ballpark: […]
Birmingham: We want Hoover to keep SEC tourney
Birmingham (Al.) officials say they will support nearby Hoover’s bid to keep the Southeastern Conference baseball tourney in Regions Park, avoiding an intraregional spat for the rights to the well-attended event. Things are already tense between Birmingham and Hoover officials over Birmingham’s plans to build a new downtown ballpark and the subsequent agreement by the […]
Barons reach deal to play at new ballpark
The last piece in a new downtown Birmingham ballpark is in place, as the owners of the Birmingham Barons (Class AA; Southern League) confirm they’ve reached initial agreement with the city on a lease, clearing the way for construction to begin. A letter of intent was signed yesterday. The participation of the Barons was key: […]
Birmingham formally approves downtown ballpark; next up, the Barons
A vote by the Birmingham City Council approving a new downtown ballpark may have been an important step in the process, but the real work is just beginning: finalizing the financials and coming to a lease agreement with the Birmingham Barons (Class AA; Southern League). The Barons are key to the ballpark actually being built; […]
Birmingham approves new downtown ballpark, but second vote needed
The Birmingham City Council gave preliminary approval to a proposed downtown ballpark funded by a hike in hotel taxes, but because the vote was not unanimous, the measure must again be approved by the council next week. The plan calls for the city to raise the hotel tax rate by 3.5 percentage points, with the […]