Economy

Birmingham‘s Technology, Start-up Scene Thrives, ‘Innovation District’ in Development Spotlight

As 2020 rolls in, BirminghamWatch looks back at its biggest stories of 2019, highlighting a different one each day. Metro Birmingham’s powerhouses of tech and innovation – including the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Southern Research and Innovation Depot – are among dozens of businesses and organizations that believe the time has come to put a fresh focus on the city’s tech savvy and its Innovation District. The amped-up effort to establish Birmingham as a Southern tech hub intersects with a plethora of mostly homegrown tech companies already setting up shop in downtown and Southside and coincides with new Opportunity Zone incentives for investors. Innovation District plans also benefit from increasing national attention for its tech scene, said Birmingham Business Alliance’s Lauren Cooper, who noted that metro Birmingham being called a possible Southern Silicon Valley boosts momentum for the idea of the Innovation District. “A defined home for technology and innovation around Innovation Depot will allow more companies to easily access the resources needed for growth, including collaboration, funding research and workforce,” said Cooper, who is vice president for communications at BBA. The official roll-out of new branding plans and strategies for metro Birmingham’s Innovation District is planned for summer 2019. An updated City Center Master Plan will be revealed later in the summer, said Josh Carpenter, director of economic development for the city of Birmingham. The Innovation District will include established high-tech employers UAB and Southern Research and the city’s business incubation nonprofit Innovation Depot, home to more than 100 startups and 1,000 employees, plus a growing number of startup companies establishing offices in downtown Birmingham. Read more.

More of BirminghamWatch’s Best in 2019

Alabama Site for Detained Immigrants Has History of Abuse Charges, Efforts to Close It

First Class in More Than Name Only: Why Alabama’s Preschool Program Is Best in the Country on National Standards

On the Up and Coming Lists

Birmingham’s growth as a tech and innovation hub has been attracting interest from a variety of national publications. Read more.

ICYMI: Woodfin’s Team Updates Progress on Economic Opportunities and Other Initiatives

Woodfin updated the public on progress toward key goals, including workforce development and economic opportunity. Read more.

Protective Life Buys Naming Rights to New Downtown Birmingham Stadium

As a Diana Ross classic blared across the speakers in the grassy area in front of Birmingham’s Uptown District, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin said he never thought the mountain was too high to achieve the goal of a new stadium downtown. “At a certain point, no mountain is high enough if you’ve got enough people pushing and pulling with you at the same time, in the same direction,” Woodfin said after Protective Life was announced as the title sponsor of the stadium, the construction of which could begin this summer. The Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex and Protective Life Corporation announced today a 15-year agreement for the naming rights sponsorship of Birmingham’s new multi-use stadium, which now will be called Protective Stadium. “Each step makes it more real, more tangible,” Woodfin said. “This is just another step within the process as we continue to move this project forward.” Protective committed to pay $1 million per year for 15 years for naming rights at the stadium. The insurance company joins the BJCC Authority, city of Birmingham, Jefferson County, UAB and other corporate partners in funding the new stadium. Read more.

Would You Be My Neighbor? Jefferson County Mayors Answer ‘Yes’ as They Sign Pledge Not to Poach Business

Trafford Mayor Greg Rogers wasn’t present in the Jefferson County Commission chambers this morning but the spirit of TV’s Mister Rogers was as 22 Jefferson County mayors signed the Good Neighbor Pledge. The pact discourages poaching between cities in the county. Each city represented in the agreement pledges not to recruit business from another city within the county. “Under the voluntary agreement, we as mayors promise we will not lure businesses away from other cities in Jefferson County through solicitation or incentives,” Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin said. “I’m convinced the Good Neighbor Pledge will lay a better foundation for our cities’ future … all of us within the county.” Woodfin said not having a pledge such as the one signed today put Birmingham at risk of losing small businesses, including shops, grocery stores and restaurants. “When a business closes in one city and moves to a neighboring city, we’re not creating new jobs, we’re not creating opportunities,” the Birmingham mayor continued. “We’re just shuffling them around.” Read more.

Birmingham Iron’s Season Ends Early, as Alliance of American Football Suspends Operations

Updated — Even quicker than it came to life, the Alliance of American Football — and with it, the Birmingham Iron — has gone on life support. The first word came Tuesday morning, after a report from the Pro Football Talk blog at NBC Sports that the league would suspend operations by the end of the day. AAF co-Founder Bill Polian confirmed several hours after the initial reports that the league would suspend operations as of 5 p.m. Tuesday. "I am extremely disappointed to learn that Tom Dundon has decided to suspend all football operations of the Alliance of American Football," Polian said in a prepared statement first reported by ESPN. AAF Chairman Tom Dundon threatened to pull the plug in comments he made to USA Today last week. He complained then about a lack of cooperation from the National Football League Players Association in allowing the AAF to use players on NFL rosters for developmental purposes, much as minor league baseball teams use players sent down from their Major League Baseball parent clubs. Read more. Earlier Reporting on Birmingham’s Sports Scene

Majoring in the Minors: Birmingham’s Booming With New Pro Sports Teams

Alabama Unemployment Rate Drops to Record Low 3.7 Percent

See the full list of counties and their unemployment rates. MONTGOMERY — According to the numbers, it’s a good time to be working in Alabama. The Alabama Department of Labor announced Friday that February’s unemployment rate of 3.7 percent is the lowest recorded rate in the state’s history. February’s rate is a tick down from January’s 3.8 percent, the previous record low, and below February 2018’s 4.0 percent. “The outstanding work being done by the Alabama Departments of Labor and Commerce is helping to ensure businesses are growing in our state and that we are connecting employees with those jobs,” Gov. Kay Ivey said in a written statement. “We still have more people seeking employment opportunities and we will do all we can to help them find jobs as well.” Read more.

Alabama List of Unemployment Rates by County

Autauga — 23.5% Baldwin — 3.7% Barbour — 4.9% Bibb  — 4.1% Blount — 3.5% Bullock — 4.4% Butler — 4.6% Calhoun — 4.7% Chambers — 3.8% Cherokee — 4.3% Chilton  — 3.6% Choctaw — 6.3% Clarke — 7.6% Clay — 4.1% Cleburne — 4.3% Coffee — 4.1% Colbert — 5.2% Conecuh — 5.3% Coosa

Amazon Fulfillment Center on Pace to Meet Contract Timetable Although It’s Missing the Estimated Delivery Date

Bessemer will have to be patient when it comes to the present it’s getting from Amazon. That present – the online retailer’s first Alabama fulfillment center – won’t be delivered as quickly as company leaders projected at the groundbreaking in October. But Jefferson County commissioners, speaking during and after their committee meeting this morning, said they are confident the center will come to fruition. Read more.

A Sporting History

BirminghamProSports.com documents Birmingham teams throughout the city’s history.