At times beating his fists on the Harbert Center podium, Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford today delivered his first State of the City address, promising to put 50 more police on Birmingham streets and to build a domed stadium. Still recovering from hip surgery, the mayor attended the meeting on crutches.
Before a room packed with Birmingham Kiwanis Club members, Langford commended the council for its cooperation and blasted his critics for their negativity. In particular, Langford was loud and defensive about his efforts to build a domed stadium near the Birmingham Race Course, rather than at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Center. According to Langford, the BJCC site does not have enough parking to accommodate a larger facility.
The mayor asked the civic group to be patient while an independent analyst studies the proposed sites to decide which one is best.
“You’ve waited two years,” he said. “Isn’t it worth 60 to 90 days to evaluate the site?”
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