Ballpark Visit ALERT: Regions Field (Birmingham, AL)

Joe Mock from BaseballParks.com recently visited Regions Field, the new home for the Double-A Birmingham Barons (Southern League).  Mr. Mock delivers an impressive 5,000-word ballpark review covering the facility’s development, design and construction, and the overall fan experience.  Read more and view photos here.  Read about Mock’s visit on AL.com.

Regions Field Opening Just One Day Away

Construction crews are working around the clock to put the final touches on Regions Field, home of the Double-A Birmingham Barons (Southern League), before the stadium’s inaugural opening on Wednesday.  Read more here.  View photo gallery here.

UAB Blazers Could Be Playing Games at New Regions Field

The Double-A Birmingham Barons (Southern League) are in talks with the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) about hosting Blazers home game at the new Regions Field.  Read more here.

Barons Expand Front Office Staff for 2013 Season

PRESS RELEASE – The Barons have announced eight new additions to their Front Office staff for the 2013 season: Don Leo, Corporate Sales Manager, Brett Oates, Group Sales Manager, Steve Bayko, Community Group Ticket Representative, Sydney Weldon, Corporate Event Planner, Joseph Cooper, Director of Retail Sales, Randy Prince, Chief Financial Officer, George

Council Approves Funding for Hoover Met Improvements

The Hoover (AL) City Council on Monday voted to approve spending up to $600,000 on repairs, maintenance and new signs for Hoover Metropolitan Stadium , the former home of the Double-A Birmingham Barons (Southern League).  Read more here.

At 50, Looking Back at Michael Jordan’s Short-Lived Baseball Career

Former NBA superstar Michael Jordan turns 50 today, so Star-Ledger Columnist Steve Politi thought he would take a look back at Jordan’s “forgettable” attempt at playing professional baseball.  Read more here.  View Sports Illustrated photo gallery here.  Watch ESPN’s Jordan Rides the Bus film clip here.

Council to Consider Funding Hoover Met Improvements

The Hoover (AL) City Council on Monday will consider a proposal to spend $600,000 on repairs, maintenance and new signs for Hoover Metropolitan Stadium , the former home of the Double-A Birmingham Barons (Southern League).  Read more here.

Barons to Honor 1948 Black Barons at 18th Rickwood Classic

PRESS RELEASE – The Birmingham Barons and Friends of Rickwood announced details Thursday for the 18th Annual Rickwood Classic presented by State Farm Insurance. Set for Wednesday, May 29, the classic will celebrate the legendary 1948 Birmingham Black Barons. The 12:30 p.m. contest will showcase the Birmingham Barons against the Tennessee Smokies

Giant Sinkhole Won’t Sink Birmingham Ballpark Deadline

A massive 100-feet-deep sinkhole developed at the site of the new $60 million stadium being built for the Double-A Birmingham Barons (Southern League), but “emergency” action taken to fix the problem and necessarily reroute a sewer line will keep ballpark construction on track for Opening Day in April.  Read more here.

Barons Unveil Logo for New Regions Field

PRESS RELEASE – Leaders from the Birmingham Barons and Regions Bank have unveiled the logo for the city’s new, downtown baseball facility – Regions Field. The design, by local firm Luckie & Co., will be used throughout the new state-of-the-art facility and ties the tradition and history of baseball in the Birmingham to the modern facility

Countdown to April 10 Begins: Construction Crews Ready New Ballpark for First Pitch

It’s a mere 78 days until the Double-A Birmingham Barons (Southern League) hold their home opener at the new Regions Field, but officials say the stadium will be completed on time.  View construction photo gallery here.  Read more here.  Thanks to Joe DeLeonard for the story link.

Council Delays Consideration of Extra $3M for Ballpark

The Birmingham (AL) City Council has delayed consideration of Mayor William Bell‘s request for an additional $3 million for the new $64 million ballpark for the Double-A Birmingham Barons (Southern League).  The council is seeking more specifics on the $3 million, which city officials have said will pay for furniture, fixtures and equipment, including a possible ice cream shop and beer garden.  Read more here.

Mayor Again Seeks Extra $3M for New Ballpark

Birmingham (AL) Mayor William Bell is again asking a skeptical City Council to spend another $3 million on the new $64 million downtown baseball stadium for the Double-A Birmingham Barons (Southern League) to pay for extra amenities, including furniture, artwork and a possible beer garden and ice cream shop.  The proposal was shelved last month but is scheduled to be addressed

New Birmingham Ballpark Spurs Development

The new downtown ballpark under construction for the Double-A Birmingham Barons (Southern League) is already energizing development in the area, as a deal to locate a new 220-unit apartment complex by the ballpark is close to being finalized.  Read more here.

Barons to Pony Up $300K to End Lease Early at Hoover Met

The Double-A Birmingham Barons (Southern League) have agreed to pay Hoover (AL) $300,000 to end their lease at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium (formerly Regions Park) three-years early, as the team prepares to relocate to a new ballpark in downtown Birmingham (AL).  Read more here.

Hoover Met Again, Young Leaves Barons for New (Sort Of) Stadium Management Gig

The city of Hoover (AL) has decided to change the name of Regions Park back to Hoover Metropolitan Stadium, now that the Double-A Birmingham Barons (Southern League) are moving to new digs in downtown Birmingham (AL).  Read more here.  Meanwhile, James Young has left his role as director of stadium operations for the Barons to serve as a facility manager for the Hoover Met.  Read more here.  Thanks to Joe DeLeonard for the links.

Filling the Void at Regions Park

Now that the Double-A Birmingham Barons (Southern League) are headed to a fancy new ballpark in downtown Birmingham (AL), the city of nearby Hoover is moving forward to hire two individuals to manage events at Regions Park.  While the indy pro American Association has explored bringing a new team to the stadium, there doesn’t seem to be any urgency on the part of the city to replace the Barons.

New Restaurant Planned Next to New Barons Park

A local investor group has a bought a building that will be renovated for a restaurant in the first confirmed development next to Regions Field, the new stadium under construction for the Double-A Birmingham Barons (Southern League).  Read more here.

Barons Say Goodbye to Hoover, Team Seeks Long-Term Commitment From Fans in New Park

As the Double-A Birmingham Barons (Southern League) prepare to move  into their new $64 million downtown Birmingham (AL) ballpark next season, Jon Solomon from the Birmingham News takes a look at the team’s 25 years at Hoover Stadium.  Read more here.  Meanwhile, the Barons requiring a three-year commitment from season tickets holders

Signage Design Approved for New Barons Ballpark

The Birmingham Design Review Committee has approved the signage design for the LED message board, scoreboard, ticket booths, entrances, team store and other signs for the new $64-million downtown ballpark for the Double-A Birmingham Barons (Southern League).  Read more here.

Parking Likely Not a Problem for New Downtown Birmingham Stadium

Construction on the new $64 million, downtown stadium for the Double-A Birmingham Barons (Southern League) is underway and expected to be completed by next April, but where are fans going to park outside the 250 spaces on site?  A city consultant has identifed 2,500 spaces at locations about a 5-10 minute walk away from the ballpark site.  Read more here.  Thanks to Joe DeLeonard for the link.

Rickwood Classic Today at 12:30

The Double-A Birmingham Barons (Southern League) take on the Chattanooga Lookouts today in the 17th Annual Rickwood Classic at Rickwood Field — America’s oldest baseball park.  The 12:30 p.m. contest will celebrate Wartime Baseball.  The Barons will don uniforms from the early 1940s when they were affiliated with the Cincinnati Reds.  The Lookouts will also wear period uniforms.  Read more here.

No Change in Ballpark Design Team, Transparency at Issue

At this juncture, there will be no change in the design team for the new ballpark for the Double-A Birmingham Barons (Southern League), despite a desire by the mayor’s office to remove two local architectural firms.  One complaint from the city council has been a lack of transparency by the board overseeing the project.  Board chair Bob Jones

Barons Promotion-Packed Homestand Starts with Replica Jersey Giveaway

PRESS RELEASE – The Barons return home after a series victory over the Chattanooga Lookouts to take on the Mississippi Braves at Regions Park starting Friday, April 20th.

Barons Announce 2012 Promotional Schedule

PRESS RELEASE – The Birmingham Barons announced their 2012 promotional schedule on Monday, featuring theme nights and the usual collection of nightly promotions. The Barons are proud to provide fans with a theme or promotion nearly every game during the 2012 season. The nightly promotions are as follows:

Birmingham Ballpark Plans Approved

A Birmingham (AL) design review panel has given unanimous approval to the site and design plans for the new $64 million downtown ballpark for the Double-A Birmingham Barons (Southern League).  Developers can now move forward with construction on the project, which is scheduled to be completed by April 2013.   Read more here.

Regions Field: Renderings Unveiled, Demolition Approved

The renderings for the new 8,500-seat, $64 million ballpark in downtown Birmingham (AL) for the Double-A Birmingham Barons (Southern League) have been unveiled (see below).  Approval was also given on Wednesday to begin demolition of structures on the final block and a half needed for the new stadium.  Groundbreaking took place on February 2, with construction expected to take 12-14

American Association Interested in Hoover Ballpark

Miles Wolff, commissioner of the indy pro American Association, has reportedly been in contact with Hoover (AL) officials about placing a team at Regions Park, once the Double-A Birmingham Barons (Southern League) depart for their new digs in downtown Birmingham.  Hoover is about 10 miles south of the Magic City.  Read more here

Birmingham Business Community Showing Support

The City of Birmingham and the Double-A Birmingham Barons (Southern League) won’t break ground on the new $64 million downtown baseball park until Feb. 2, but  the team has already received commitments from the business community for half of the facility’s 26 luxury suites, and interest in the club-level seating is also high.  Read more here.

Council Demands More Communication From Ballpark Board

The Birmingham City Council passed a resolution on Tuesday requiring better reporting from the five-member Public Athletic, Cultural and Entertainment Board overseeing development of the new ballpark for the Double-A Birmingham Barons (Southern League).  Several members of the council have complained about the lack of communication from the group.  Read more here.

UAB Approves Land Swap for Barons New Park

The University of Alabama-Birmingham has approved a land swap deal with the city to make room for a new ballpark for the Double-A Birmingham Barons (Southern League).  Read more here.

Wrecking Ball Time for Chosen Ballpark Site

A demolition plan has been filed with the City of Birmingham (AL) for clearing the site selected for the new ballpark for the Double-A Birmingham Barons (Southern League).  The plan will be considered by the Birmingham Design Review Committee on Wednesday.  Read more here.

Birmingham Works Deal with UAB to Secure Ballpark Land

In exchange for needed land for the new $60 million ballpark for the Double-A Birmingham Barons (Southern League), the city has agreed to waive $7 million in costs related to street closures desired by the University of Alabama-Birmingham.  Read more here.

Urban Views on the Minds in Birmingham

While the orientation is still being worked out, baseball fans in Birmingham are expected to have a nice panoramic view of the city when the new $60 million stadium is finally built for the Double-A Birmingham Barons (Southern League).  Read more here.

Team Birmingham in Place, Let the Jobs Creation Begin

The ballpark building team is now in place in Birmingham, with more than 50 companies, suppliers, and contractors ramping up the design, development, and construction of the new downtown home for the Double-A Birmingham Barons (Southern League).  The project is projected to generate 500 jobs and $18 million in payroll.  Read more here.

Holdout Property Owner Prepared to do Battle with Birmington

Lawyer Bill Mudd is the majority owner of B&A Warehouse, the last piece of private property the City of Birmingham needs to complete the land footprint for the new ballpark for the Double-A Birmingham Barons (Southern League), and he’s prepared for legal warfare, if the city decides to use eminent domain to take his property.  Read more here.

Eminent Domain On Deck in Birmingham

Birmingham (AL) Mayor William Bell is reportedly prepared to use eminent domain to acquire the private land necessary to build the planned $60 million ballpark for the Double-A Birmingham Barons (Southern League).  Read more and view map here.

Designing Birmingham’s New Ballpark

The developer working on the new $50 million ballpark slated for downtown Birmingham (AL) for the Double-A Birmingham Barons (Southern League) plans to borrow ideas from other successful new parks in Alabama, Ohio, and Indiana.  Read more here.

Downtown Birmingham Ballpark Announcement Next Week

Birmingham (AL) Mayor William Bell is set to unveil a plan next week for a new downtown ballpark at a site near Railroad Park on First Avenue South, between 14th and 16th Street.  Read more here.  Reportedly, 80 percent of the land needed for the project has been secured.  Thanks to Joe DeLeonard for the news.

Barons to Pay Tribute to Jackie Robinson

PRESS RELEASE – The Birmingham Barons, Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and Walter Energy announced Thursday the details to Jackie Robinson Night presented by Walter Energy. Set for Friday, April 15, the night will coincide with Major League Baseball’s tribute to Robinson’s debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers and breaking the Major League Baseball’s color barrier. The 7:05 p.m. contest will