Birmingham gets it...

[T-TownDawgg]

What, we can’t criticize New Jack City anymore?

My daughter goes to school down there and I worry about her constantly. When that changes, I will think about cutting the city some slack. Until then, I will continue thinking it is a ********.

No worries, GOAT likes to hurl **** from afar and not get his crocs dirty

 

[sandwolf.sixpack]

Hijack: what is the obsession with Top Golf? It's a pretty ugly addition to a neighborhood, and really, what percentage of the population cares?

I went for the first time a couple of weeks ago, and I had a blast. And I have never played golf, beyond one trip to the driving range about 10 years ago.....I do want to get to where I am competent enough to be able to go play on occasion though, so that could have something to do with it.

 

[RocketDawg]

We have one here. The big net isn't all that attractive, but the venue itself is really nice. Friendly staff, and the food is quite good. I've been several times and it's a lot of fun.

 

[sandwolf.sixpack]

Louisville, KY is trying to keep Top Golf from building a complex.
https://insiderlouisville.com/economy/topgolf-files-motion-requesting-court-uphold-city-approval/

No, a group of nearby residents in Louisville, KY is trying to keep Top Golf from building a complex.

 

[RocketDawg]

We have one but I have not been. Is it for everyday golfers or can anyone have fun there?

It's for everybody. Once when I went there were small kids in the bay next to us. It's just laid back and fun ... not really a place to practice.

 

[RocketDawg]

It has changed so much in the last 15 years. I love it here. Yes there are areas you still cannot go but that's every medium to large size metro area in the world.

The new football stadium they are building is going to be great. Will also double as a soccer stadium. Supposed to be completed in 2020 in time for the World Games.

What's strange to me is that the city council just approved $750K for a new turf at Legion Field, at the same time the new stadium is being built (or will be ... still in the design phase). Legion Field won't be used for much after the new place opens.

 

[RocketDawg]

Moving The Barons downtown coincided with the state allowing breweries. That was the match that lit the flame. At the same time the city started making areas "entertainment districts" that opened the doors for an influx of capital.

Are you sure about that? The Barons just moved a couple years ago, and breweries have been around for several years. There are even a couple of (legal) distilleries now.

 

[RocketDawg]

Not sure if I took your meaning correctly, but the one in Huntsville has been open for about a year and a half already.

And it's open year round with heated and cooled bays. In fact, I seem to recall that it opened in the winter of 2018 when temps were really quite cold.

 

[RocketDawg]

I lived in B'ham (Homewood) for 8 years and worked downtown. Left there 2 years ago for retirement. If it wasn't for UAB B'ham would be Detroit as metal melting and bending is a dead industry. The taxes were terrible-10% sales tax, 5% state income tax and 1% of gross salary for working in Birmingham not to mention the high price of utilities. We enjoyed the town except for those items.

State income tax isn't really 5%. That's the highest marginal rate and it's after some pretty generous exemptions and deductions. If you make $150K you'll probably only pay about 2% state tax.

 

[greenbean.sixpack]

20 years ago Birmingham was in dire straights. They've since built Barons Stadium downtown, attracted a Top Golf and committed to the painful process of completely remodeling the I-20/I-69 interchange. There are multiple large remodel jobs underway retrofitting derelict industrial sites/buildings into multi-use projects. They've totally revitalized their downtown area. This is the icing on the cake for them:

https://www.bizjournals.com/birming...oves-site-plan-for-protective-stadium-at.html

I heard a Birmingham city leader being interviewed on JOX, it seems they have figured out how to get the white middle-class dollars, Jxn seems to want to drive whites away.

 

[RocketDawg]

If the census estimates are correct, Birmingham city is still losing population, and the metro is stagnant. I suppose we'll see how accurate the estimates are after the 2020 census results are out. But many times the estimates and even the real counts are off.

 

[patdog]

THIS is the biggest difference in the 2 cities. Yes, Birmingham is larger, but they've made the transition to putting an effort into stemming the white flight. Jackson hasn't done that yet. There's a push to relocate the zoo from the inner city ghetto to LeFleur's Bluff area, which would be a tremendous improvement and draw tourists into the city. It's being opposed by the city leaders. Beyond stupid.

 

[patdog]

This is not true. AL standard deductions, exemptions, and tax rates are about the same as Mississippi.

 

[houstonutsack]

Living in FL now so I am unconcerned about state income tax brackets. AL taxes are high.

 

[houstonutsack]

Huntsville population in the near future will exceed the City of B'ham. Most new residents do not want to live in the City of B'ham as there are better schools, etc. over the mountain or in Shelby County.

 

[RocketDawg]

THIS is the biggest difference in the 2 cities. Yes, Birmingham is larger, but they've made the transition to putting an effort into stemming the white flight. Jackson hasn't done that yet. There's a push to relocate the zoo from the inner city ghetto to LeFleur's Bluff area, which would be a tremendous improvement and draw tourists into the city. It's being opposed by the city leaders. Beyond stupid.

Is LeFleur's Bluff inside the Jackson city limits? If not, I suppose the opposition by city leaders to the move is understandable.

 

[RocketDawg]

THIS is the biggest difference in the 2 cities. Yes, Birmingham is larger, but they've made the transition to putting an effort into stemming the white flight. Jackson hasn't done that yet. There's a push to relocate the zoo from the inner city ghetto to LeFleur's Bluff area, which would be a tremendous improvement and draw tourists into the city. It's being opposed by the city leaders. Beyond stupid.

Birmingham is sitll >70% black (Jackson >80%), and Shelby County is 83% white. So they haven't successfully stemmed the white flight yet.

 

[RocketDawg]

Well, Huntsville has a Top Golf. Didn't realize it was such a status symbol. But alas, no Cheesecake Factory.

Nor a Trader Joe's. I've never understood why those two stores are so desirable.

 

[UpTheMiddlex3Punt]

I was born and raised in Jackson. For the first twenty years of my life I witnessed how Jackson was decaying. In instance after instance private companies wanted to come in and do the investment that you say needs to happen, but city leadership blocked in every instance. And even if a few genius entrepreneurs start-up companies in Jackson, they will struggle to grow because top level talent is hard to come by.

But really, I quit caring about Jackson long ago. I think the rest of Mississippi is learning to move on without a strong capital.

 

[RocketDawg]

This is not true. AL standard deductions, exemptions, and tax rates are about the same as Mississippi.

I don't know what they are in Mississippi, and I wasn't comparing to Mississippi, but 5% is the highest marginal tax rate in Alabama. It's a sliding scale, as is the US tax. A person with a lower income won't pay any tax at all.

 

[RocketDawg]

Living in FL now so I am unconcerned about state income tax brackets. AL taxes are high.

Not really. Taxes pretty much even out. Alabama has income tax that Florida doesn't have, but property tax in Alabama is generally much lower than Florida. They'll get you one way or the other.

 

[patdog]

5% is the highest marginal rate in both MS and AL. It kicks in at $5,000 in MS and $7,000 in AL. Standard deductions in both states are also similar. MS exempts all retirement income, while AL still taxes some (and exempts some which is confusing).

 

[UpTheMiddlex3Punt]

It's well inside the city limits. The problem is that if the move it then no one will visit that part of town.

Birmingham understands this and has made sure to put its attractions in parts of the city people want to go.

 

[Cat Duck]

I was born and raised in Jackson. For the first twenty years of my life I witnessed how Jackson was decaying. In instance after instance private companies wanted to come in and do the investment that you say needs to happen, but city leadership blocked in every instance. And even if a few genius entrepreneurs start-up companies in Jackson, they will struggle to grow because top level talent is hard to come by.

But really, I quit caring about Jackson long ago. I think the rest of Mississippi is learning to move on without a strong capital.

The stuff that matters won’t be in Jackson. Jackson Metro, yes. But likely not in the city. I don’t know why people still use rigid city borders.

Birmingham City would have nothing if it wasn’t for the suburban dollars.

 

[Mr Grim]

64 post without mention of Kenneth Stokes, so B’ham has that going for it.

 

[57stratdawg]

I think that’s specific to the city limits though. The entire Bham metroplex is still considerably larger than Huntsville / Madison.

Having said that, I think the quality of life is better in HSV than BHam. I know there’s a few less restaurants, but the traffic is better, the new ball park will be awesome, the new amphitheater should get some nice acts, both cities have TopGolf. The lakes and outdoors across north Alabama are hard to beat too.