Is Bessemer serious?
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Bessemer official says her city a good location for dome
Wednesday, June 29, 2005
ROBERT K. GORDON
News staff writer
If the City of Birmingham can't get its act together on funding for a domed stadium, Bessemer City Councilwoman LaBrenda Marshall has an answer: build the dome in Bessemer.
"Why not?"she said. "We lave the land. No one is going to continue to beg for you to locate something in your city."
For several years, officials from Birmingham, Jefferson County, the state and the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex have not been able to agree on how to pay for the proposed BJCC expansion and 65,000-seat dome stadium. The BJCC board already has $10.3 million a year earmarked for the project from county and state taxes and fees.
The board wants the county to pay $10 million annually for 30 years. Birmingham and the BJCC are close to an agreement for Birmingham to provide $8 million annually for 30 years. The BJCC board also wants $20 million in a lump sum from the state.
"Study long, and you study wrong," Marshall said. "We can have an opportunity here if Birmingham does not come through."
Marshall said she got the idea while attending City Stages. She thinks Bessemer needs something in addition to Visionland to attract people to the city.
"You have not because you ask not," Marshall said. "We should talk to the County Commission and throw our hat into the ring."
Mayor Ed May said Bessemer should not get in the position of trying to compete with Birmingham - not yet at least. "We should wait to see what happens," he said.
The dome would be something good for the entire county, May said.
"As mayor of Bessemer, my main concern is with Bessemer, but we have to look at the region as a whole, and this would be good for the entire region," he said.
Marshall's fellow council members were split on her surprise idea.
"If all else fails, I say bring it on," Councilman Jesse Matthew said.
There are too many unknowns, Councilwoman Sarah Belcher said.
"We don't know what's happening," she said. "We don't know what Birmingham or the governor is going to do."
E-mail:
rgordon@bhamnews.com