Mayor and City Council talking about a dome again...... (Birmingham: 2013, neighborhood)

[Tourian]

Originally Posted by sleepless in Bham

Simply put I would be more motivated to see players who are one step from playing in the big show, against teams from cities who are around the same size as this one.

Would more people come out to see the Barons play Nashville or Pensacola?

Oh yeah, I totally get that and that's exactly what I felt was yours or anyone's motivation in wanting to see the change, but as I started reading more into it, I just became more indifferent. It would take a new MLB franchise to show up and the Barons to be kicked out as they are tied to the White Sox, along with an existing AAA's desire to move, because there are no "extra" AAA teams just laying around. They have a 1:1 relationship with their MLB counterpart. And beyond that, something I read about the dynamic of AA/AAA teams is that new young talent SOMETIMES/OCCASIONALLY gets sent to AA to get developed whereas AAA can SOMETIMES be where has beens go to die, or guys that have peaked and won't ever reach MLB caliber of play end up. So it isn't always necessarily that AAA play is better or the teams are that much better. All of them are a hodgepodge of players for different reasons and I'm not as convinced that it will mean more attendance, better baseball and anything much more than we already have. I got all that just from reading the Wiki page on AA, so take it for what it is worth, I am no expert on baseball which I'm sure plenty of you all reading this are.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double-A_(baseball)

Players often advance directly to the majors from this level, as the level of competition is higher. Because they are still advancing in their careers, the average talent level of Double-A may be higher than in Triple-A, which has minor and major league veterans who have been in the minor league system for a longer period of time and may have stagnated. A small handful of players might be placed in Double-A to start, usually veterans from foreign leagues or top prospects out of college. The step up to the Double-A level can be one of the hardest promotions for such players because it is the level at which pitchers need to have a good off-speed pitch in their repertoire. In addition, it is the level where fastball-only hitters need to learn how to hit off-speed pitches, or their hopes of advancing to the majors will diminish. Major League teams sometimes send players to play at the Double-A level to rehabilitate from injuries.

I mean it COULD BE, it could be all of the above. Regions Field might start averaging sellouts with a AAA squad and immediately look to adding more seats, I dunno. - I just don't think it is worth the effort to try to make it happen or if it is even a possibility until MLB expands. And I just don't know if having the New Orleans Baby Cakes as opposed to the Biloxi Shuckers coming to town makes that much of a difference.

[Justin Scott]

I also feel like the new stadium/dome should be no less than 60,000 seats.....expandable to a minimum of 70,000. Personally, I just feel like 45,000 is far too small if this is a true forwardthinking project. Perhaps 45,000 would have been okay had TopGolf not showed up to the party. Many may disagree, but two hotels should probably rise with this new stadium/dome. I'm ready to see all of this when I visit again though! Too bad ALDOT will probably never move 20/59, a park area would seal the deal for a lot of future development, etc.

[Tourian]

Only the Classic would justify something that big. No other game or event, even potential ones we could get dictates anything bigger.
ESPN calls the shots and that 45-55k number is their sweet spot to ensure sell outs for lower calibre post season bowls. We just arent in a position to take away a CFP or New Years Day bowl from Dallas or Phoenix...yet.

So...somewhere between UAB home games, the Bham Bowl, the Classic, high school championships...the magic median number is around 50k to make sure whatever is going on there doesnt look like it is taking place in a half empty stadium whenever a football game is being played.

[steveklein]

Originally Posted by Justin Scott

I also feel like the new stadium/dome should be no less than 60,000 seats.....expandable to a minimum of 70,000. Personally, I just feel like 45,000 is far too small if this is a true forwardthinking project. Perhaps 45,000 would have been okay had TopGolf not showed up to the party. Many may disagree, but two hotels should probably rise with this new stadium/dome. I'm ready to see all of this when I visit again though! Too bad ALDOT will probably never move 20/59, a park area would seal the deal for a lot of future development, etc.

Let me get this straight...

You think the presence of TopGolf justifies an increase of 15,000 seats? If Disney World were in Birmingham, should the stadium be 2 million seats?

[MPC]

Originally Posted by Tourian

We just arent in a position to take away a CFP or New Years Day bowl from Dallas or Phoenix...yet.

However, when the playoff expands, Birmingham could pursue a playoff game and even the title game with a large enough stadium.

[Mississippi Alabama Line]

Originally Posted by Justin Scott

I also feel like the new stadium/dome should be no less than 60,000 seats.....expandable to a minimum of 70,000. Personally, I just feel like 45,000 is far too small if this is a true forwardthinking project. Perhaps 45,000 would have been okay had TopGolf not showed up to the party. Many may disagree, but two hotels should probably rise with this new stadium/dome. I'm ready to see all of this when I visit again though! Too bad ALDOT will probably never move 20/59, a park area would seal the deal for a lot of future development, etc.

You do realize that ALDOT has already looked at the possibility of moving 20-59 and deemed it unfeasible, right? I work in that industry, don't believe the stuff in the paper and on TV. All that planning work has been paid for and completed, but I would never expect the agitators to actually read the reports or use facts, like how the Feds and environmentalists would never allow it to happen due to the relocation going through a low income area. Same folks who don't realize the downtown bridges are near collapse. Oh, and by the way, that'll be another 40 billion dollars or so to relocate.

[Tourian]

Originally Posted by MPC

However, when the playoff expands, Birmingham could pursue a playoff game and even the title game with a large enough stadium.

I suppose, but to me that sounds like jumping from A straight to Z when it makes more sense fiscally to build an "L" for now. Demand and money could very easily show back up sooner rather than later and they could tear it down and do something even grander.

Originally Posted by Mississippi Alabama Line

You do realize that ALDOT has already looked at the possibility of moving 20-59 and deemed it unfeasible, right? I work in that industry, don't believe the stuff in the paper and on TV. All that planning work has been paid for and completed, but I would never expect the agitators to actually read the reports or use facts, like how the Feds and environmentalists would never allow it to happen due to the relocation going through a low income area. Same folks who don't realize the downtown bridges are near collapse. Oh, and by the way, that'll be another 40 billion dollars or so to relocate.

They looked at it, but the question is did they REALLY look at it, and they ordered another feasibility study. This one was to be done more thoroughly by some outside entity to appease the plantiffs in the lawsuit. However, the lawsuit got dismissed and the council decided not to pay for the study by delaying the vote, so they are off the hook for now. Yeah it will cost billions but the current plan to replace the bridges still only kicks the can down the road for another 40 years or so. So moving it is still probably the only option to really take care of the problem until we have our flying cars.


http://www.bizjournals.com/birmingha...y-council.html

[steveklein]

40 billion dollars to relocate? lol, no.

[Justin Scott]

Lol, 40 billion? Would we get a whole new interstate system? That number must be flawed.

[Justin Scott]

Most of you will call me "crazy", but what if they just did a legitimate study that looked into taking out that part of the interstate completely? I'm sure with proper engineering that it could be possible.
Just dump the interstate into access roads to enter I-65, etc.? This is why Birmingham needs a legitimate plan for mass public transportation options.....now, not 30 years from now. Is the city serious about being a tech hub? If so, they need to start thinking ridiculously outside of the box.