BIRMINGHAM, AL – The Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex, City Walk BHAM and Protective Stadium were Birmingham’s topmost-visited landmarks for the first half of 2024, according to a new Downtown Birmingham Economic Vitality Report from REV Birmingham. The three BJCC venues collectively received nearly 1.3 million visits from January through June, accounting for more than 75% of the traffic at the highlighted landmarks.
“It’s no secret that the BJCC is a tremendous asset for Birmingham and Jefferson County,” said Tad Snider, CEO of the BJCC. “We offer close-to-home entertainment for our local residents, and we give tourists a reason to visit our area, which provides a great economic boost for our businesses and our communities.”
The 1st and 2nd quarter visits at landmarks with the highest amount of traffic:
- The BJCC — 858,000
- City Walk BHAM — 273,800
- Protective Stadium — 168,100
- Regions Field — 160,500
- Railroad Park — 114,900
- Birmingham Museum of Art — 75,900
The BJCC previously reported breaking all-time attendance records this past March, with events such as back-to-back concerts from Grammy winner Zach Bryan at Legacy Arena, an eight-day run of the award-winning musical Hadestown at the Concert Hall, the Alabama High School Athletic Association state basketball championships in the arena, the Cottontails Village Arts & Crafts show at the exhibit halls, and Monster Jam at Protective Stadium.
According to REV, the two busiest days in downtown for the first half of the year were March 22 (154,115 visits) and March 23 (191,398). Both days, the report noted, coincide with performances by Zach Bryan and Hadestown at the BJCC.
While often less considered than major musical acts and Broadway shows, conferences also serve as a significant draw for the BJCC. REV reported that the Main Street Now conference in May, drew more than 2,000 guests, marking it as the highest-attended conference in Main Street history.
“While we always see a lot of excitement around the big-name events and large crowds, the true measure of success lies in delivering outstanding experiences of all sizes and scales,” Snider said. “It doesn’t matter whether you’re putting on an event for 2,000 or 200,000 people; whether you are attending a high school basketball championship or enjoying time at the City Walk playground, we want every encounter with the BJCC to be the best. This is our goal for every guest, every event, every venue, every time.”
REV Birmingham is a revitalization and economic development nonprofit with a mission to create strong commercial districts. Its Downtown Birmingham Economic Vitality Report is released twice a year, based on data from an area between Interstate 65 and Red Mountain Expressway, stretching roughly from the BJCC to Five Points South.
Information on the most-visited landmarks came from Placer.ai, whose numbers include tourists, residents and employees who spend time at the sites in question.
“The report validates what we at the BJCC knows to be true,” said Michael Keel, president of the BJCC board of directors. “Our organization is a key economic driver not just for our area on Birmingham’s north side but for our city as a whole. We generate a serious impact that strengthens our economy and builds more vibrant communities for us all.”
