Groundbreaking is expected soon on a $15 million family fun center in the neighborhood of West End of Birmingham.
This comes as city leaders authorized the Public Athletic, Cultural and Entertainment Facilities (PACE) board to serve as the fiscal agent for the construction of the facility.
The family fun center will be a 20,000 sq. ft. city-owned facility featuring a skating rink, jump park, e-sports center, bowling alley, food court and more, according to the city.
“No longer will residents have to look outside our city for a safe, fun place to enjoy with loved ones," said Mayor Randall L. Woodfin about the approval. "This center will not only bring new revenue to the area, but also a new, exciting energy that will invigorate the community and beyond.”
Once the contractor has been identified, construction is expected to take 18-months.
“We will walk hand and glove with our PACE board to identify our general contractor,” Cornell Wesley, director of Innovation and Economic Opportunity, said. “I think about two words: relief and excitement. Relief in that it has been two years in the making. Excitement for the community and Birminghamians at large and what this will yield, not only for the west side of Birmingham, but for the city itself.”
The five-member PACE board serves as a funding unit for the City of Birmingham and will lead in the hiring of contractors, vendors, etc. for this project. The city has entered into the same type of agreement with PACE for construction projects for the Regions Ball Park and Rickwood Field.
