David Sher posts, Government structure, Population

Nashville whipping Birmingham’s butt

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I’m jealous.

I recently read a piece in the Nashville Business Journal that made me ill.

The nausea was amplified by the memories of a humiliating Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce (BBA) trip I took with about one hundred corporate, community, and political leaders to Nashville ten years ago.

None of us were prepared for the way we were mistreated.  One Nashville speaker called us racists; another attacked our healthcare industry; and third referred to Birmingham as ‘Bombingham.’  (Nashville spits on Birmingham)

Continue reading Nashville whipping Birmingham’s butt →

Guest blogger, What's great about Birmingham

Don Logan: Folks called us nuts!

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Don Logan, retired Chairman Time Warner. Owner--Birmingham Barons, Seek Publications, B.A.S.S
Don Logan, retired Chairman Time Warner. Owner–Birmingham Barons, Seek Publications, B.A.S.S

ComebackTown is published by David Sher to begin a discussion on a better Birmingham.

Today’s guest blogger is Don Logan.  If you’d like to be a guest blogger, please click here.

Folks said we were nuts when we moved the Barons downtown.

“Downtown isn’t safe.”

“I’d never come downtown with my children.”

“The City of Birmingham will never get its act together.”

“You guys must be crazy.”

It was difficult to listen to the negative talk—but we knew the move to Birmingham was the right thing to do.  Stadiums were moving into urban areas and were being successful.

And the City of Birmingham did it right. Continue reading Don Logan: Folks called us nuts! →

Alabama Constitution, David Sher posts, UAB

Is free UAB movement doomed?

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Free UABI think most people will agree that UAB and UAH are not fairly represented on the University of Alabama Board of Trustees.

Twelve of 15 trustees graduated from the University of Alabama, two graduated from UAB and none from UAH–one is a graduate of both UA and UAB, where he attended medical school.

Can we implement an equitable solution?  Maybe not–there’s a potential roadblock.

Continue reading Is free UAB movement doomed? →

Guest blogger, UAB

A silver lining: a good thing emerges from the UAB football controversy

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Tom Cosby
Tom Cosby

ComebackTown is published by David Sher to begin a discussion on a better Birmingham.

Today’s guest blogger is Tom Cosby.  If you’d like to be a guest blogger, please click here.

The late, great Fred Sington (himself a University of Alabama football All American) used to proudly say “I’m a Birmingham man. If its good for Birmingham, I’m for it.” Count me in, all in, on Mr. Sington’s team. And since I believe the killing of UAB football is not good for Birmingham, I’m not for it.

Continue reading A silver lining: a good thing emerges from the UAB football controversy →

David Sher posts, What's great about Birmingham

Publix wacky for building a store downtown?

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PublixHas Publix gone mad?

The executives at Publix must be on drugs—bought at its own pharmacy.

Why would any sane company build a grocery store in downtown Birmingham?—not just a kids sized model—but a full size grocery store—pharmacy and all.

Publix must not have gotten the memo about white/black flight from the city center and the vast dangerous wasteland left behind.

Has Publix lost all sense of reality?
Continue reading Publix wacky for building a store downtown? →

David Sher posts, Government structure, UAB

Fire Ray Watts chant makes me crazy

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My granddaughter, Aly, proudly pictured with UAB Cheerleaders
My 5 year old granddaughter, Aly, proudly pictured with UAB Cheerleaders at CUSA Tournament

The UAB basketball team won nine straight home games, triumphed in the Conference USA Tournament, and captured a cherished birth in the NCAA Play Offs.  But as the clock counted down in the final moments of the Conference USA championship game, some UAB fans broke into the all too familiar chant, “Fire Ray Watts!”

I completely understand why many UAB fans are upset.  Last fall the plug was pulled on UAB football and the decision and announcement was totally mishandled.  We must blame someone. Continue reading Fire Ray Watts chant makes me crazy →

David Sher posts, Government structure, Population

The hole in Jefferson County no one seems to know about

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Where are they?

At first I thought they had moved to surrounding counties—and some did, but that’s not the hole story.

It’s common knowledge that Jefferson County’s population is stagnant—but I got curious about the details.

According to the 2010 Census, Jefferson County lost .5% of its population from 2000-2010– 662,047 to 658,466.

Not a big deal –we only lost 3,581 people.

But then I found the hole. Continue reading The hole in Jefferson County no one seems to know about →

Alabama Constitution, Corporate community, Government structure, Guest blogger, UAB, What's great about Birmingham

There’s no stopping Birmingham

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Maury Shevin
Maury Shevin

ComebackTown is published by David Sher to begin a discussion on a better Birmingham.

Today’s guest blogger is Maury Shevin.  If you’d like to be a guest blogger, please click here.

I recently attended a meeting of real estate professionals from the Birmingham area.

Dick Schmalz, President RGS Properties, spoke about his 20 Midtown development.  20 Midtown is the new Publix, Starbucks, retail and apartment buildings that are being developed between 3rd and 4th Avenues South on both sides of 20th Street.  These are not pie-in-the-sky projects.  They are real with building permits and bank financing. Dick said these three projects will cost more than $100 million.

Continue reading There’s no stopping Birmingham →

David Sher posts, Government structure

The one solution that will propel Birmingham

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I’ve given scores of speeches about a better Birmingham.

At the beginning of my talk I always ask the same question: “Who thinks Birmingham has reached its potential?”

No one has ever raised a hand.  Not one hand out of thousands of people.

How’s that possible?

Birmingham’s beautiful; our people are smart and generous—and we’re located in the heart of the South—the fastest growing region in the United States.

Some blame our lack of progress on race—some on poor leadership…but The Washington Post has laid it out for us.

Continue reading The one solution that will propel Birmingham →

To begin a conversation about a better Birmingham