Mobile’s downtown arena is getting the spotlight—and the funding to match.
Mayor Sandy Stimpson said it was the clear choice as construction costs keep climbing.
The Civic Center was old, tired, and losing money.
A new arena? That’s a revenue play.
The city has already borrowed $250 million for the $300 million arena. Add $38 million more for a new parking garage next to it.
That’s a hefty investment, and it means other projects are taking a back seat—for now.
Three Projects Pump the Brakes
Plans for a waterfront park, a new animal shelter, and a combined police and fire training center are on pause.
That doesn’t mean they’re scrapped—it just means they’re waiting their turn.
Stimpson said it comes down to focus. “You’ve only got so much capacity to do so many projects at a time and do them well.”
With limited dollars and rising costs, the city’s prioritizing what it believes will have the biggest impact now.
Brookley by the Bay Still a Dream
The waterfront park—Brookley by the Bay—covers 300 acres near the Mobile Aeroplex.
It’s got about 100 acres of bayfront land and plans for walking trails, bike paths, and even an amphitheater.
But the full buildout comes with a big price tag, and the city wasn’t expecting it to cost so much this soon.
Design work is done for the basics, like roads and sidewalks. But the city doesn’t have the cash on hand to build it out to the level it wants.
So the vision stays on paper for now.
Sticker Shock Hits the Shelter and Training Center
The animal shelter was supposed to cost around $8 million. Now it’s looking more like $20 million.
Same with the new police and fire training facility—it started around $13 million, then ballooned to $30 million after design work.
The city brought in White-Spunner Construction to look for ways to cut costs.
So far, the savings options haven’t been game-changers.
Stimpson said the old training buildings still work for now, and there’s more pressing need for a better shelter in a better location.
Plan B for the Shelter
There’s a new plan on the table. Instead of building from scratch, the city is looking to buy an existing office building and turn it into an animal shelter.
That could be cheaper and faster. It’s not cheap—but it’s less than starting from zero.
The mayor said this idea could come to a vote soon, and the city hopes to lock it in before his term wraps up later this year.
“We’ve found a possible pathway,” he said, hinting that it could be a win for both budget and timeline.
Final Thought
Big projects cost big money, especially after COVID sent construction prices through the roof.
Mobile’s leaning into what it sees as a smart investment: a shiny new arena that could draw crowds and dollars into the city.
And while other plans are paused, they’re far from forgotten. Sometimes, you just have to play the long game.
If you’d like to check out other news stories, hop over to our news corner.
