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July 2009 |
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In a surprise 5-2 vote, Birmingham-Jefferson
Convention Complex board members approve a
contract allowing a lead architect to begin
designing a domed stadium for Birmingham.
"It's done. I'm ready to get started," Mayor
Larry Langford said shortly after the board
approved the measure.
The vote allows the lead architect to start the
process of putting together a team of local
architects to assist it on a project that will
cost more than $550 million and take five years
to build. The 57,500-seat stadium would be
expandable to 70,000 seats in the future.
Langford told the board he has been in talks
with several companies interested in paying up
to $1 million a year to have their name
connected to the dome. He didn't name the
companies.
"We have fought too long to get to this point.
For those wondering when we would start to get
private money, we couldn't take that step until
we had funding in place. Major League Soccer is
looking for a site for a new team. I think
Birmingham could now get them here," the mayor
said.
The 15-team soccer league, started in 1996,
currently has expansion teams expected to debut
by 2010 in Philadelphia, Portland and Vancouver.
The league has favored smaller, soccer-specific
stadiums for its teams. |
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Dan Courtemanche, an official with Major League
Soccer, says that while no formal discussions
are under way, the MLS would give Birmingham
consideration for future expansion. "We are
very well aware of the passion in Birmingham for
soccer events and the big crowds you've seen,"
Courtemanche said.
However, cities that didn't make the cut for
expansion in 2010 would get first consideration.
Two such cities are Atlanta and St. Louis. We
are always open to discussions with cities
interested in our league," Courtemanche said.
Courtemanche indicated the dome's artificial
turf would not be a strike against it saying,
"We have a few teams that play on turf, such as
Seattle, which plays indoors." |
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