Sneak preview at newest concert venue in the Magic City

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — In just over a month, thousands of people will be able to enjoy Birmingham’s newest venue: the Coca-Cola Amphitheater.

According to Live Nation, it can hold 9,100 people. The Coca-Cola Amphitheater, which Live Nation says has been a project eight years in the making, is scheduled to open in June.

“We wanted to be part of the energy that’s happening in downtown,” said Jay Wilson with Live Nation.

One of the main questions people have about this new venue is what the parking situation will look like?

“There’s two parking decks right across the street and then we’re going to have 10 or so parking lots that are well-lit, staffed, secure, within three or four blocks, five to 10 minute walk,” said Wilson.

The BJCC says on the amphitheater campus alone, there will be around 2,000 parking spaces but with the inclusion of the full BJCC complex, the number of spots doubles. If people park around Uptown or the BJCC, there will be a free shuttle service taking people up to the amphitheater.

“Grab something at one of the restaurants, grab a drink, enjoy yourself before the show, we move you up those three blocks on the shuttle, make it nice and easy for you,” said BJCC CEO Tad Snider.

Live Nation says the only work left is finishing touches like railings, landscaping, restrooms, furniture and décor. One thing you notice walking around the Coca-Cola Amphitheater is how spacious it is, from wide walkways to multiple concessions areas to the large stage and loading area in the back.

“Our goal is to have their day, when they come here, to be as painless as possible and have a great experience when they come and play in Birmingham,” Wilson said. “Because we want them to leave and say ‘man, my day in Birmingham was great’, then they’ll come back.”

But it’s not just about the artist’s experience. With certain premium tickets, people will be able to have access to what Live Nation has dubbed “The Vinyl Room,” just to the right of the stage.

“I think we’re going to have a DJ booth in there. They’re going to have some higher end type food and drink amenities,” Wilson said. “What we really think is going to be neat is it’s sort of an indoor/outdoor concept to where you can still be outdoors in The Vinyl Room VIP Club, you can walk up and still see the artist on the stage.”

With this addition to the BJCC complex, the Magic City will be able to attract artists with any venue need, from an arena to a stadium to a performance hall and now an amphitheater.

“I think you’ll have very big artists. You’ll have the big pop artists like Drake, you’ll have rappers, R&B artists, country artists, all types of artists of different genres,” said Birmingham resident Reba Gist. “I would love to see Meg Thee Stallion, that’s one of my favorites, I think that’ll be a pretty big attraction to the area.”

Many people in the community are excited to see how the new venue benefits the city.

“It’s going to bring a lot more business here, a lot more concerts here because that’s what the citizens and the people of Birmingham want versus traveling like to Atlanta to go to a concert,” Birmingham resident Tiffany Bennett said. “We have the access here because now we’re going to have an amphitheater.”

The BJCC and Live Nation say work is being done along 24th and 25th streets around the amphitheater to repave, add sidewalks and more lighting.

“The amphitheater was always conceived to be the anchor of this larger redevelopment, so just knowing that it’s going to drive the energy and interests in everything that made up the former Carraway Hospital campus, for the developer working on that, that just makes Birmingham more vibrant and that’s great,” Snider said.

With all the new, there are still reminders of the old. Remnants of Carraway Hospital stand just a few hundred yards from the entrance of the Coca-Cola Amphitheater.

“This amphitheater and then across the street, that development, are going to be the engines that sort of elevate the Druid Hills and the northside communities for years to come,” said Wilson. “What someone might look across the street and see a building coming down, we look at it as that’s a sign of progress, and that’s a sign of we’re making forward movement and we’re taking all the positive energy that’s happened at the BJCC with their renovation, with Protective Stadium, we’re taking all that and we’re just moving it two blocks up.”

Comedian Matt Rife will be the first act to take the stage on June 22.