Legacy Arena exterior — Lots of new updates and upgrades to Legacy Arena. Photo via Jacob Blakenship for Bham Now

The moment we’ve all been waiting for, the reimagined Legacy Arena is finally here. It’s going to be Birmingham’s hub for basketball games, headline concerts and more. We’ve got the scoop on the old turned new arena and how you can be the first inside.

Legacy Arena’s historic past + thriving future

Jefferson County Commissioners at Legacy Arena — The Jefferson County Commissioners are excited for the future of Legacy Arena. Photo via Sonia Kerrigan for Bham Now

From the first idea to update the arena to the last paint strokes on the walls, there were lots of local, state and national partnerships involved in this project. To name a few:

On Thursday, December 2, these community leaders and project stakeholders came together to celebrate the arena’s completion. Along with reminiscing about Legacy Arena’s past, they looked forward to its promising future.

“When it was designed in the early 1970s, the vision for the arena was to transform Birmingham’s entertainment options, making us a destination for popular musical acts, productions and sports. It achieved that in spades. This is, literally, the place of memories. Today we’re proud to begin Legacy Arena’s second act.”
—Tad Snider, CEO, BJCC Authority

A little history on the arena: it opened in 1976 as the BJCC Coliseum. John Denver was the arena’s opening act followed by years of national and international music greats like Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, Garth Brooks, Taylor Swift and more. Along with iconic musical acts, the arena hosted other events like Disney on Ice, Monster Jam, the Harlem Globetrotters and others.

Now, the revitalized arena will continue to make history. Check out this lineup of scheduled events:

December 2021-March 2022: Birmingham Squadron homegames
March 8, 2022: Billie Eilish concert
March 25, 2022: Eric Church concert
July 2022: World Games dancesport & gymnastics
2023: NCAA men’s basketball rounds 1 & 2
2025: NCAA women’s basketball Sweet 16 & Elite 8

We can’t wait for you to fully experience Legacy Arena in all its glory.

👀 Take a look inside the new arena

Legacy Arena interior — The arena has a new feeling of space and light. Photo via Jacob Blakenship for Bham Now

For the past 20 months, Legacy Arena underwent major renovations and modernizations. Bham Now got a sneak peek of the arena in November, and it is absolutely stunning.

So, what’s new with the arena? We’ve got the comprehensive “punch list:”

Southwest entry plaza with floor to ceiling windows
Brand new seating with modern comfort, expanded leg room and spacing
360-degree LED ribbon board display with 767 feet of active dispay
New LED lighting system with full-spectum color flodding to custom effects
Expanded loading dock

And, just for fun, some quick facts about Legacy Arena that will make you want to visit ASAP:

15,030 fixed-seat capacity
Center-hung HD videoboard with active lower ring
48 concession windows
12 suites, 2 clubs
156 women’s, 123 men’s and 4 family lavatories
3 nursing mothers’ rooms
1 Kulture City sensory room

Ready to take a seat inside the new arena?

December 5. Birmingham Squadron. Be there or be square!

Ticket office — Get your tickets today for Birmingham Squadron’s first game at Legacy Arena. Photo via Jacob Blakenship for Bham Now

It’s time for some basketball! The new arena’s first event is a Birmingham Squadron game. Birmingham Squadron is an NBA G League team and Legacy Arena’s primary tenant.