Medical Center Inn

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The Medical Center Inn was a 65,000 square-foot, 190-room motel located at 800 11th Street South near I-65 Exit 259 at University Boulevard in Southside.

The motel was constructed as a Carri-Don Passport Inn in 1974. It was developed for $2 million by Don Marshall on land leased from the University. It originally offered rooms from $9-14 per night with a restuarant, swimming pool and other guest facilities. Under the lease agreement, a portion of motel revenues were funneled to the UAB School of Business, which was given access to the motel as a "laboratory resource" for its programs in hotel management.

A Waffle House restaurant was located in the motel adjacent to the lobby on the east end of the building.

In November 2008 UAB announced plans to purchase the motel for $3.2 million and demolish it for possible expansion of its athletic fields. The proposal was withdrawn before the November 13 University of Alabama Board of Trustees meeting. Purchase of the hotel finally went ahead for $2 million in June 2011. All buildings on the site were subsequently demolished, although the hotel's sign remained, advertising the non-existent hotel for a while. By 2014, the sign was converted into a sign for the university.

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