Birmingham’s rapid industrialization through the turn of the 20th century earned it the nickname the "Magic City." The iron and steel produced in Birmingham helped build up cities across the South.
The 21st century is once again bringing an era of rapid change to Birmingham. The banking, medical and biotechnology industries are gaining prominence, the city’s meetings infrastructure is expanding and updating, and investments in the development of more and better green space makes Birmingham even more appealing.
Meanwhile, the city offers the same attractions and advantages that have made it a popular meetings destination for decades.
"Birmingham’s unique flavor is that we continue to offer that Southern charm, yet we have sophistication and class that continues to draw those groups and events from around the world," says Mike Gunn, vice president of convention sales at the Greater Birmingham CVB. "One of the things that give us an edge is our central location. We are easily accessible via interstate, with three major interstates coming into the downtown area. There are great airline packages with over 100 direct and nonstop flights, making Birmingham a very affordable destination."
As the meetings industry changes, the CVB sees Birmingham playing a large role in niche markets.
"I believe the trend today is the major destinations are becoming more aggressive at going after business such as the religious, fraternal and social [segments], which in the past were low on the poll in their marketing efforts," Gunn says. "As for Birmingham, I see a great future ahead in the sports and medical markets, and a continued growth in our associations as well."
Meanwhile, Birmingham and its surrounding area boast thousands of acres of parkland for visitors to enjoy, and the city has been investing heavily in enhancing its parks and developing new green space.
One of the most exciting new projects is Railroad Park, set to open this summer. The $25 million project will feature 14 acres of open space, two lakes, an elevated running track and a restaurant. The park will link the city center to the campus of University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) on the south side.
Thirty minutes southwest of Birmingham, Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park commemorates Civil War history and Alabama’s iron and steel industry. The park just completed a new hiking trail and is currently building a mountain bike trail that eventually will cover 11 miles of beautiful and challenging terrain. Visitors can explore the Alabama Museum of Iron and Steel, Pioneer Farm and dozens of Civil War-era buildings.
Great meeting venues of all sizes are located throughout the city and its suburbs, but three districts in particular offer an ideal concentration of venues, hotels and attractions.
Downtown and Civic Center
Birmingham’s historic downtown offers many of the city’s largest convention venues as well as some of its most fascinating and unique attractions. The four high-rise buildings at the corner of 20th Street and 1st Avenue North were dubbed "the heaviest corner on Earth" when they were constructed in the early 20th century and were iconic of the city’s changing identity as the "Magic City." They’re listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Civil Rights District enshrines sites of many pivotal moments in the struggle for racial equality, including 16th Street Baptist Church and Kelly Ingram Park. To learn more about the civil rights era, groups can visit the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and even host events at Carver Performing Arts Center, once a cinema popular with African Americans and now the home of the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame.
Other attractions in the area include Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark, the Birmingham Museum of Art and the Alabama Theatre.
Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex (BJCC) comprises a 17,654-seat arena, a 3,000-seat concert hall, a 220,000-square-foot exhibition hall and a 1,000-seat theater. The 10-story Medical Forum offers a 275-seat auditorium as well as classrooms and conference space.
Sheraton Birmingham Hotel is connected directly to the BJCC. Other large meetings hotels include The Redmont Hotel, Tutwiler Hotel and Hyatt Place Birmingham/Downtown.
Old Car Heaven, one of the city’s newest off-site rentals, will surround groups with gorgeous vehicles.
Groups can sample the hip flavor of downtown at Steel, an upscale urban lounge that welcomes private rentals.
Additionally, McWane Science Center can host as many as 5,000.
Southside
Home of the UAB campus, the Southside district has a diverse population and a colorful, Bohemian energy. The thriving nightlife and live music scene, especially Five Points South, will give attendees something to look forward to after-hours. The area is also home to the medical center district, making it a likely site for medical industry meetings.
University of Alabama at Birmingham offers several facilities for rental, including the Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center and the 150,000-square-foot Campus Recreation Center.
A few of the larger meetings hotels are Courtyard Birmingham Downtown at UAB, Doubletree Hotel Birmingham and Hotel Highland.
Vulcan Park and Museum, situated at the top of Red Mountain overlooking the city, is home to the world’s largest cast iron statue. The Vulcan statue is 56 feet tall and weighs 100,000 pounds. There is conference space in the Vulcan Park Foundation.
Cahaba Valley Convention District
Conveniently located along the Highway 280 entertainment corridor southeast of downtown, Cahaba Grand Conference Center offers 25,000 square feet of meeting space. Nine nearby hotels provide more than 2,100 guest rooms. Some of the larger meetings hotels include Hilton Birmingham Perimeter Park, with 10,000 square feet of meeting space; Birmingham Marriott, with 13,000 square feet of meeting space; and aloft Birmingham Soho Square, with 650 square feet of meeting space. The elegant riverside Carraway-Davie House & Conference Center offers 18,000 square feet of meeting space.
Birmingham Zoo, at the north end of Highway 280, is a lively venue capable of accommodating groups as large as 1,000.
The nearby suburb of Hoover offers a number of upscale meetings hotels as well as Riverchase Galleria, one of the largest malls in the region.
Wynfrey Hotel has 32,000 square feet of meeting space and is connected to the galleria.
The luxurious Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort and Spa offers 20,000 square feet of meeting space, world-class golf and an upscale spa.
The beautiful 30-acre Aldridge Botanical Gardens welcomes groups as large as 200 for events.
North of downtown near Birmingham International Airport, Holiday Inn Birmingham-Airport offers nearly 3,000 square feet of meeting space.
Kelly Crumrin is a frequent contributor to Meetings South.
