The Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex (BJCC) and Protective Life Corporation (Protective) announced Thursday a 15-year agreement for the naming rights sponsorship of Birmingham’s new multi-use stadium, which will now be called Protective Stadium.
“We are excited to welcome Protective Life Corporation as our naming rights partner for the new multi-use stadium,” said Tad Snider, Executive Director, BJCC. “Protective is an organization with deep ties to the Birmingham community, so their participation is going to add huge value to the project. We look forward to the partnership as we continue the development of Protective Stadium.”
“Protective is proud to partner with the BJCC to make this stadium a reality. This is more than a stadium – it’s an opportunity for our community to continue thriving,” said Rich Bielen, President and Chief Executive Officer, Protective. “We are invested in Birmingham’s future and remain committed to creating positive local impact – a cornerstone of our company’s foundation for more than 110 years. We are honored to continue this mission by supporting this transformational project for our city.”
Headquartered in Birmingham with approximately $90 billion in assets, Protective is one of the largest corporations in Alabama and has been providing protection to families for more than 110 years through affordable life insurance, asset protection and retirement products. As one of the industry’s leading providers, Protective employs more than 1,500 people in the Birmingham area.
“Like many great things that have happened in Birmingham, this project would not be possible without a number of dedicated partners working together,” said John D. Johns, Executive Chairman, Protective. “The City, County, BJCC, UAB and the business community have all come together to form a collaborative coalition, and that teamwork has been instrumental in pushing this project forward. The fulfillment of this dream confirms that truly amazing things can happen in this community when we focus our energies on coming together to create our future.”
Protective joins the BJCC Authority, City of Birmingham, Jefferson County, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and other corporate partners in funding the new stadium. Because of the private and public partners dedicated to this project, Birmingham will have the ability to host more events, provide diverse entertainment offerings and create continued growth opportunities.
“This is an exciting day for Birmingham as we mark an important milestone in the stadium’s progress,” said Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin. “With Protective joining as the naming rights sponsor, we are forging Birmingham’s future together. This allows us to be competitive with other cities in bringing in world-class sporting and entertainment events.”
“Protective’s sponsorship shows their long-term commitment to the city of Birmingham and the region,” said Jimmie Stephens, President, Jefferson County Commission. “This creates significant momentum in the building of the stadium and is a strong example of public and private partners collaborating to create meaningful impact.”
The stadium is expected to be completed in 2021. Schoel Engineering Company, Inc. recently completed the site survey, and Populous is finalizing stadium designs for the $174 million open-air stadium. Relocation of underground utilities and foundational work is scheduled to be underway soon.
