The future of the Mobile Civic Center took center stage at a City Council work session with designers, where renovation concepts carrying price tags of roughly $168 million and about $132 million were laid out.
The council met with Populous Architects to talk through the potential layout of the downtown facility. Under consideration were updates spanning all three of its main venues — the expo hall, the arena and the theatre.
District 2 Councilman William Carroll said funding discussions would come later, but framed the project as a chance to make better use of an aging landmark: rearranged seating, a renovated interior, added private spaces, new bathrooms, fixes for ADA issues, mechanical and air-conditioning repairs, more green space — and a plan for how visitors will get in and out once a new bridge arrives nearby.
Community leaders attended as well, among them Reggie Hill, founder of “Success 4 the Future,” who called the Civic Center a historic heirloom and argued renovating it would pay off in economic development.
Residents did not get a voice during Monday’s meeting itself, but Carroll stressed they would be included before final decisions — from what should be done and how money should be spent, to shaping the overall master plan so it fits what the community has been working toward.