By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times
The revitalization of Birmingham’s northside community continued on Tuesday with the naming of the long-planned amphitheater on part of the old site of Carraway hospital in the Druid Hills neighborhood.
The new Coca-Cola Amphitheater will have a capacity of more than 9,000 and is scheduled to open next summer with more than 20 shows during the 2025 concert season, along with other special events.
City, county and business leaders gathered for the announcement of the $47.1 million project that will help make Birmingham one of the entertainment attractions in the southeast in partnership with one of the most recognizable corporate brands.
“We’re proud to support a venue that celebrates our community through the universal language of music,” said Mike Suco, president and CEO of Coca-Cola United. “Coca-Cola has always been about bringing people together and creating moments of happiness. We see the Coca-Cola Amphitheater as the perfect space to continue that tradition.”
“A world-class amphitheater deserves a world-class name, and few names are more iconic than Coca-Cola,” added Conrad Rafield, Coca-Cola UNITED Board Chairman. “The Coca-Cola Amphitheater is poised to become a major venue for live performances in Alabama, and we are invested in promoting the city of Birmingham as a vibrant cultural hub.”
Tad Snider, BJCC Executive Director pointed out the collaboration between the BJCC, City of Birmingham, Live Nation, and Coca-Cola.
“We can do big projects like this,” he said. “We’re excited for the city and the excitement this is going to bring for the Star Uptown development. Also, we now have every major venue type within the BJCC footprint. We have the arena, the two performing arts theaters, the stadium, and now the amphitheater. It now cements the area around the BJCC as the entertainment hub of the state.”
Jefferson County Commissioner Shelia Tyson said the Coca Cola Amphitheater is a needed “shot in the arm” for the northside.
“I feel like the resources from having the amphitheater here will pour back into the community…,” she said. I’m looking for some return into the community. Anytime you bring an entertainment entity like Live Nation into your city, it going to do what it is supposed to do, bring in tax revenue.”
Live Nation will manage the new facility for the BJCC and is contributing toward the construction costs. The agreement consists of a 20-year term with two five-year renewal options.
“The demand for live music is reaching unprecedented heights, and the Coca-Cola Amphitheater will be the backdrop for unforgettable moments and lifelong memories for fans,” Live Nation Senior Vice President and Head of Venue Sales Rob Scolaro told the BBJ. “Together with Coca-Cola Bottling Co. United, we’re proud to bring Birmingham a new venue that captures the spirit of the city’s Northside, celebrates its thriving music scene, and strengthens its place on the national entertainment map.”
