City of Birmingham May Cut Funding to SWAC

[superman7515]

For those who aren't aware, the SWAC receives a significant funding subsidy and free office space every year from the city of Birmingham, AL.

No Play, No Pay: Birmingham Council Members Consider Ending Cash for SWAC in 2014 Budget (http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2013/06/post_943.html)


BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Birmingham city funding for the Southwestern Athletic Conference could be slashed or eliminated altogether following the college sport's conference decision to move its football and basketball championships to Houston, Texas.

Birmingham last year spent $500,000 on SWAC and is set to increase the amount to $550,000 under Mayor William Bell's proposed 2014 budget.

But several council members question why the city would continue to provide money for the Birmingham-based conference that is shipping its major events away from Birmingham.

"The city has shown good will toward them. Certainly we're not responsible for promoting their conference, but we have been a solid partner," Council President Roderick Royal said. "But if we cannot have certain tournaments and or the championship games in basketball and football, then the city needs to move to terminate the contract and let Houston pick up the weight."

SWAC funding could be an issue discussed this afternoon as council members hold their first work session on the city's 2014 budget.

The championship had been in Birmingham since 1999. In addition, the basketball tournament formerly held at Fair Park, last season was held in Dallas. The games will also head to Houston in 2014.

The city also provides downtown office space for SWAC.

"If there is no bottom line taxpayer benefit then the city should move along. I would feel that way about all of those venues that receive taxpayer dollars," Royal said. "That's unfortunate, but let the die roll and 'goodbye.'"...

More at the link...

[813Jag]

The city has to do what they have to do. I guess the league would move back to New Orleans or Houston/Shreveport if they have to.

[Laker]

Why are they even considering cutting it after the SWAC has moved the games out? A half a million and free office space?

I suppose that the SWAC figures why pay when you can get it for free? It doesn't look like Birmingham is getting anything back from this. Reminds me of some old girlfriends..........

[superman7515]

It doesn't look like Birmingham is getting anything back from this. Reminds me of some old girlfriends..........

It didn't feel like they were getting anything? I don't think I would have told that story.

[3rd Coast Tiger]

Smart financial decision on behalf of the leaders of Birmingham.

[BluBengal07]

SWAC offices should move anyways. overdue.
a central location would be better, like Louisiana or Mississippi. Houston is ok temporary, but it's the same travel concern for the team on the other side Bama/Texas.

change coming.

[DSUrocks07]

SWAC offices should move anyways. overdue.
a central location would be better, like Louisiana or Mississippi. Houston is ok temporary, but it's the same travel concern for the team on the other side Bama/Texas.

change coming.

New Orleans or BR would be great IMO. Or even Biloxi if they offer a better deal.

[813Jag]

New Orleans or BR would be great IMO. Or even Biloxi if they offer a better deal.
Baton Rouge xlolx will never ever happen.

[Laker]

It didn't feel like they were getting anything? I don't think I would have told that story.

Sorry Super, I was comparing Birmingham to me. Paying out a lot, getting nothing in return. xbawlingx

[dgtw]

Smart financial decision on behalf of the leaders of Birmingham.

The leaders of Birmingham are a bunch of idiots. A former mayor is in federal prison. A city council member was indicted yesterday for voter intimidation. We have an Indy Car race here. One council member said the city should not give them any money because nobody involved in Indy Car looked like him. I've lost count of how many members of the Jefferson County commission are in prison. The school board has been taken over by the state.

Why anybody would want to live in that city who has the resources to live elsewhere is beyond me.

[Bisonoline]

The leaders of Birmingham are a bunch of idiots. A former mayor is in federal prison. A city council member was indicted yesterday for voter intimidation. We have an Indy Car race here. One council member said the city should not give them any money because nobody involved in Indy Car looked like him. I've lost count of how many members of the Jefferson County commission are in prison. The school board has been taken over by the state.

Why anybody would want to live in that city who has the resources to live elsewhere is beyond me.

I have driven through there a few times and cant get out of there fast enough.

[Redbirdz]

WOW, somebody didn't have their Wheaties this morning.

[SU_IT_able]

Long time Birmingham area resident here. Let's be specific...the City Government of Birmingham and County Government of Jefferson County are pretty much deserving of the criticism in this thread and more. I won't go into the reasons as they are really out of bounds for this forum. However, Birmingham is not that different from a number of other metro areas in this country where the original city is struggling while the suburban areas thrive. (I know there are instances in other areas where the central city is vibrant but this is regrettably not the case in my home town.) All this to say there are many wonderful places to live in the Birmingham Metro area...they are just pretty much outside of the city limits of the City of Birmingham and many of them are outside of Jefferson County.

[Panther88]

Long time Birmingham area resident here. Let's be specific...the City Government of Birmingham and County Government of Jefferson County are pretty much deserving of the criticism in this thread and more. I won't go into the reasons as they are really out of bounds for this forum. However, Birmingham is not that different from a number of other metro areas in this country where the original city is struggling while the suburban areas thrive. (I know there are instances in other areas where the central city is vibrant but this is regrettably not the case in my home town.) All this to say there are many wonderful places to live in the Birmingham Metro area...they are just pretty much outside of the city limits of the City of Birmingham and many of them are outside of Jefferson County.

You're speaking to alleged educated adults SU_IT_able. Give up the skinny and give us a view from you eyes on what's what. I'd only visited the city twice in my lifetime so I know absolutely nothing of its inner workings other than it's a mini-Detroit ran city in wait rocked w/ scandals and malfeasance. :(

BTW, it was the only move the city of B'ham could make (slash funding) for an entity that doesn't give some type of return back to the city that is invested in heavily. 550,000$ is quite a bit of $$$$$.

[SU_IT_able]

You're speaking to alleged educated adults SU_IT_able. it's a mini-Detroit ran city in wait rocked w/ scandals and malfeasance.

You pretty much hit the nail on the head. There's been a long list of local politicians (mayors, councilmen, commissioners, board members, etc...) who are or have been serving time for sucking at the public teat. The list knows no party or racial boundaries. The electorate is somewhat to blame for lack of discernment but of course no politician campaigns on the promise to bleed them dry. xsmhx Fortunately, there are many seemingly efficient and honest smaller city and county governments surrounding the afore mentioned abscess. I just try to make sure all my vaccinations are up to date when I have to make a visit to the 'Magic City'. ;)

[NDB]

Was in Birmingham for a few days back in 2008.

Downtown was handsdown the scariest place I've ever been (and I've been everywhere).

Took a leisurely stroll through Linn Park. Got a chance to get up close and personal with a number of druggies and derelicts.

[Panther88]

Oh my. So, B'ham is "the hood?" Oh my!

[NDB]

I've been in many 'hoods' from LA to DC to NYC.

Linn Park reminded me of the post-apocalyptic zombie wasteland of "Omega Man".

[cmaxwellgsu]

Been to a game at Samford, and also been to a couple of concerts at Oak Mountain. I thought B'ham was a pretty little city.

[SU_IT_able]

Been to a game at Samford, and also been to a couple of concerts at Oak Mountain. I thought B'ham was a pretty little city.

You would have been right but you were not in Birmingham. You were in Homewood (Samford) & Pelham (Oak Mountain). The metro area is very nice as long as you avoid (most of) the central city.

[Panther88]

I've been in many 'hoods' from LA to DC to NYC.

Linn Park reminded me of the post-apocalyptic zombie wasteland of "Omega Man".

Ouch. :( Wow. *speechless*

I'll observe and absorb @ this point. Wow.

[superman7515]

I've been in many 'hoods' from LA to DC to NYC.

Linn Park reminded me of the post-apocalyptic zombie wasteland of "Omega Man".

All that matters is the food is fantastic.

[dgtw]

They have made an effort lately to make downtown better. They have built a new baseball stadium and added some night life. But until the city is a place for people to raise their families, it will never grow.

[Cocky]

There are some good places to eat in Birmingham.

Not a bad place to have heart surgery. Albert Pacifico (sp?) was the man for years when it came to the heart.

[JaxSigEp94]

I do not have a dog in this SWAC fight, but as someone who actually lives IN Birmingham, I must say if you find Birmingham a scary place, you may need to get out of your WASPy suburbs and rural areas every now and then. Birmingham, regardless of its political turmoil, is a very nice city. Those who profess the city to be dangerous and "scary" have obvioiusly not spent much time in the city - Birmingham or otherwise. Sure, Legion Field and the area around it appear run down, and there are some traditional "urban" neighborhoods where most of the populus may not look like you - but that does not deem the city a bad or scary place. But, if all you've ever know is a rural setting and only "seen" the city on TV and in the news, then its easy to understand why some of you may feel the way you do. After growing up in rural northwest Alabama, and living in much larger cities, including "transitional" areas around downtown Atlanta and in Chattanooga, I'd gladly choose to live in Birmingham anytime.

[NDB]

Maybe you need to see more of your city...

[superman7515]

You guys ain't got nothin. Good ol' Wilmington, Delaware was named America's Most Dangerous City this past year and we're doing all we can to hold on to that noble distinction.

Hell, the Public Works Commissioner appointed by the new Mayor who was going to clean up the city just had to resign when it was mentioned in the paper he did federal prison time for fraud, pled guilty to having sex with a 15 year old boy when he was 25, and stole someones social security number to open a line of credit and run up the bill.

[SU_IT_able]

I couldn't care less about the SWAC brouhaha. Apparently whatever kick back the city counsellors were getting from the football game dried up, so they're going to cut off the conference's incentive. That's all well & good but they'll find a new way to waste the money tomorrow. My main gripe with Birmingham is its long tradition of graft & corruption. And then you have the crumbling city school system and bankrupt county government. Oh, and fifty years of urban flight, both black and white. Other than that it's practically Nirvana excepting the occasional drive by shooting, massage parlors, and crack houses. I was very careful to avoid playing the race card...and I think the other posters were as well. Race truly is not the issue here. There are lots of nice areas around Birmingham and most of them are not lilly white.

[Laker]

I've been in many 'hoods' from LA to DC to NYC.

Linn Park reminded me of the post-apocalyptic zombie wasteland of "Omega Man".

17788

[citdog]

You guys ain't got nothin. Good ol' Wilmington, Delaware was named America's Most Dangerous City this past year and we're doing all we can to hold on to that noble distinction..


It COULD have been completely different in Del. Notice that y'all are on the Banner of the South Carolina Secession Convention.



http://www.sonofthesouth.net/revolutionary-war/battles/south-carolina-secession-banner.jpg

[superman7515]

http://vimeo.com/61382362

[Redbirdz]

This is true for most big cities. Don't be a hater.

[Redbirdz]

What does any of this have to do with a football message board other than the SWAC is moving its championship games to Texas. This being so, the Birmingham City Council would have no business subsidizing the league at all. As for the Bison from ND, there are twice as many people in metro Birmingham than your entire state.

[Cocky]

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2013/06/once_dying_birmingham_is_sudde.html#incart_river_d efault

Update on the Ham