Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex
The Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex (formerly Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center) is a sports, convention and entertainment complex located just north of I-20/59 downtown. It consists of a 17,000 seat arena, a 3,000 seat concert hall, a 220,000 square foot exhibition hall, a 1,000 seat theater and various banquet and meeting rooms and other facilities.
Design
The Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center was designed by Geddes Brecher Qualls Cunningham, the winner of what was, at the time, the largest open architectural competition ever organized by the American Institute of Architects. The original facility was built between 1974 and 1976 for approximately $104 million.
A critical component of the competition program was making a viable connection across the elevated Interstate highway from the Civic Center facility to the existing administrative and cultural facilities surrounding Linn Park to the south. No satisfactory solution to that problem has ever been carried out.
Part of Birmingham's "City Center Master Plan" envisions replacing the existing elevated highway with a below-grade corridor which would simplify interstate access to the downtown area, mitigate the noise and visual effects of highway traffic, and allow for a landscaped plaza to bridge over the highway. If carried out, this plan would finally create the connection between the BJCC and Linn Park.
There are also current plans for a major expansion of the BJCC itself to increase and upgrade the exhibition facilities and construct a new covered multi-use stadium. Commitments to fund these plans are incomplete and the status of the expansion is uncertain. A private developer has announced plans to build a major new luxury hotel adjacent to the BJCC regardless of the outcome of the expansion plans for the public facility.
Arena
The arena, which seats 17,000 for sporting events and up to 19,000 for concerts, was the home of the Birmingham Bulls of the World Hockey Association from 1976-1979. It was also the home of the basketball program of the University of Alabama at Birmingham before Bartow Arena was completed in the early 1990s, and today is home to the Birmingham Steeldogs arena football team. Although the arena stands ten stories tall, it actually measures only 75 feet from floor to ceiling. It is also the site of major concert tours, Disney on Ice, the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus, and other events, including trade shows, and contains an oval-shaped 24,200-square-foot (110' by 220') arena floor. The arena also contains several luxury suites and a press box. Backstage there are 2 locker rooms and 6 dressing rooms as well as a press room and a VIP Reception area. The arena can accommodate 8 trucks backstage--3 on truck docks and room for 5 more. The arena's center-hung four-sided center-hung scoreboard, designed by Daktronics, measures 18' by 18' on each side. Also on each side is a 7.5'-by-8'8" ProStar 16.5mm video display.
The BJCC has hosted four Southeastern Conference men's basketball tournaments between 1979 and 1992 and the 1999 Conference USA men's basketball tournament. It has also hosted the NCAA college basketball tournament serving as first and second round host in 1984, 1987, and 2000. The BJCC has been a regional site six times - 1982, 1985, 1988, 1995, and 1997. It was also the site of WWE Armageddon 2000.
Concert Hall
The 3,000-seat Concert Hall is the home of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra. Concerts and touring Broadway and family shows are also held here. It features a 84-foot-by-88-foot stage with a 24-foot-tall proscenium. Its grid height of 105 feet makes the concert hall the tallest building in the complex. There is also a pipe organ at the Concert Hall, and backstage there are 2 chorus rooms and 12 dressing rooms, as well as two rehearsal areas and a VIP Reception Room.
Exhibition Hall
The 220,000-square-foot Exhibition Hall is used for Birmingham's largest trade shows and conventions. It is divisible into three smaller halls and can accommodate 1100 exhibit booths.
Theater
The 1,000-seat Theater is used for operas, ballets, and smaller concerts and stage shows, and is also home to the Birmingham Children's Theatre, the nation's largest children's theater. The theater contains a 46-by-70-foot stage and a grid height of 58 feet. There are 2 rehearsal areas, 2 chorus dressing rooms and 6 dressing rooms, including a star's dressing room.
Other facilities
The complex contains 64 meeting rooms totaling 100,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 16,000-square-foot ballroom that can seat up to 1,200 for banquets.
The ten-story Medical Forum, with meeting space, a 275-seat auditorium, classrooms, conference space, and offices, is also located here.
The adjacent 838-room Sheraton Civic Center Hotel provides a large ballroom and other convention and meeting facilities nearby.
References
- Adams, Les, editor (1969) Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center National Architectural Competition. Birmingham, Alabama: Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Authority.
- Geddes, Robert L. (1986) Principles and Precedents: Geddes Brecher Qualls Cunningham. Process Architecture No. 62. Tokyo: Books Nippan. ISBN 4-89331-062-3