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Contact: Robin Oliver
BJCC board to hear presentations from two architects chosen as finalists for the expansion
Date: December 05, 2008
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Friday, December 5 – The Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex Board of Authority will meet December 12 to hear presentations from two architectural firms chosen as finalists in the selection of the lead designer for the BJCC expansion project.
HOK and HKS, both with locations across the globe, stood out as the two finalists for the project after the initial review by the architect evaluation panel. The two finalists were selected from nine architectural design firms that submitted qualifications. Each finalist will receive two hours to present their qualifications beginning at 8 a.m. Dec. 12.
Dr. David Pollick of Birmingham Southern College chaired the 9-person evaluation panel, and members included representatives from the BJCC board, the City of Birmingham, the Jefferson County Commission, the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau, Operation New Birmingham and the Birmingham Business Leaders Group.
The proposed expansion consists of a 57,500-seat multi-purpose facility, expandable to 65,000 seats, with 160,000 square feet of flat floor space that will be used for conventions and trade shows. The new facility will improve the BJCC’s competitive edge by providing capacity and suite availability demanded by major entertainment and sporting events and allowing the complex to house trade shows and conventions simultaneously.
HOK’s related portfolio includes the Phoenix Convention Center and Houston’s Reliant Stadium among others. The firm is also part of the master planning team for the 2012 Olympic Summer Games bid in London. HKS designed the American Airlines Center in Dallas and the Liverpool FC Stadium in Liverpool, England, as well as several other sports stadiums. They also have several meeting-focused hotels on their portfolio and were recently chosen as the lead architect for the Children’s Hospital expansion here in Birmingham.
“We’re excited to be taking the next important step toward this much needed expansion project,” BJCC Executive Director Jack Fields said of the Dec. 12 review. “We feel confident that our two finalists are the top firms in the country for the type of multi-purpose facility we plan to build here at the BJCC.”
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