Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin announced on Monday that the city would be constructing a “family fun center” in West Birmingham.
The new facility will have a skating rink, jump park, e-sports center, bowling alley, food court and more. It will be located at the Birmingham CrossPlex.
The Birmingham CrossPlex near Five Points West opened in 2011 and has since been used for indoor track and field competitions and other sporting events. The facility includes a 200-meter hydraulic running track and a 50-meter swimming and diving pool.
According to ABC 33/40, the new entertainment facility at the CrossPlex is expected to open in 2024.
The city of Birmingham has already allocated $2 million for pre-construction.
📢 Got a pretty cool announcement for y'all. 📢
— Randall Woodfin (@randallwoodfin) November 1, 2022
I'm excited to announce the construction of a new family fun center on the Birmingham CrossPlex property. This facility is planned to have a skating rink, jump park, e-sports center, bowling alley, a food court, and more. pic.twitter.com/lmOgCS1fHy
“I am thrilled to honor our West Birmingham residents by bringing this into their community,” said Woodfin in a press release. “The concept of sports and entertainment options under one roof will be a game changer for our families, our children, and our visitors. I envision this being a major hub for family fun and plan to make sure it is a state-of-the-art facility because our community deserves it.”
According to Woodfin, the facility will be 20,000 square feet, and discussion about the project began over six months ago. He said the funds come from the refinancing of commercial development bonds that were approved by the Birmingham City Council in 2020.
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