Vertical construction has begun at what will be the new Mobile Arena in the south Alabama city. The first of the large steel beams began to be placed at the site in late August, according to WALA-TV in Mobile.
The venue is poised to make Alabama's Port City a destination for live entertainment along the Gulf Coast.
"I think a lot of people are excited about the new [arena] — there's a lot going on downtown with Brookley and with the I-10 River Bridge," said Fred Rendfrey, the president and CEO of the Downtown Mobile Alliance.
"After years of discussion and months of planning, we are beyond excited to see construction officially begin at Mobile Arena," Mayor Sandy Stimpson said earlier in the year. "This will be a game-changer for Mobilians and visitors in our city. It will make Mobile a true event destination — driving tourism and providing residents with quality events to enjoy with their friends, families, and neighbors."
The budget for the overall project is approximately $300 million, according to the city. This includes the cost of demolishing the former Civic Center Arena, Theatre and Expo Hall, as well as the construction of the new 300,000-sq.-ft. Mobile Arena and the road and utility work that will support future developments on the property.
Last February, B.L. Harbert International was awarded a $237 million contract to construct the Mobile Arena. The Alabama-based contracting firm is internationally known and has years of experience building large arenas and venues.
The final design of the arena, developed by Birmingham-based Goodwyn Mills Cawood and Populous Architects in Kansas City, Mo., aims to provide exceptional experiences throughout the facility, featuring retail spaces, luxury suites, VIP clubs, premium seating, great sightlines and dynamic acoustics.
Financing for the project came via cash contributions from the City of Mobile, various project partners, proceeds from municipal bonds and other funding sources. In addition, there will be several sponsorship opportunities for local and national companies as part of the project.
Mobile Arena's construction represents a major investment by the city and comes after years of planning and feedback from local stakeholders and partners.
Arena Redevelopment to Open By Mardi Gras 2027
With a two-year construction timeline, the Mobile Arena broke ground last spring and is expected to open in early 2027. The contractor and project management team are both determined to have the arena available for events during that year's Mardi Gras season, Mobile municipal officials noted.
Once completed, the modern Mobile Arena will be perfectly suited for live concerts, family shows and sporting events, including ice hockey. The arena also has been uniquely designed to support Mobile's Mardi Gras traditions while providing a modern event venue capable of bringing in major acts.
For Mobile-area residents and business owners, the work is a sign of tangible progress on a project that aims to not only attract big concerts, but new business and hopefully lots of visitors.
"When I saw it, I was actually surprised because it's a lot faster than I thought it would have moved along," Leo Ferreira, a local resident, told the Mobile TV station. "And [it] is exciting to actually see the progress because there is hope that there is something going on. That means we are going to get more business into town. I'm looking forward to the concerts and events that are coming because that is a nice sight to see — a structure in place — in that beautiful neighborhood."
The site for the new arena is located next door to the recently-built U.S. Army Corps of Engineers building and parking garage. And while the old Civic Center property may appear to be on a fast track toward being revived, it certainly did not happen overnight.
"To get to this point was the culmination of a lot of work behind the scenes, [from] design and putting it out to bid to the financing of it," Rendfrey said. "The public [is seeing] the beams being put in place … but there was a lot of work to get there."
