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The Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex celebrated 50 years of events and performances at Legacy Arena Saturday with a festival featuring a mural, games, backstage tours and a concert.
A new mural inside the arena commemorates its history from 1976 to 2026, showcasing some of the biggest artists who have performed there, including Elvis Presley, Celine Dion and Dolly Parton.
The mural honors the past five decades while creating something that will remain for the next 50 years.
While the BJCC has expanded over the years with the additions of Protective Stadium and the Coca-Cola Amphitheater, officials say Legacy Arena remains at the heart of the complex’s history.
Tad Snider, BJCC president and chief executive officer, poses outside Legacy Arena at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex in 2019 as reconstruction begins on the arena in Birmingham. (File)BJCC Executive Director Tad Snider said venues like Legacy Arena have played an important role in Birmingham’s growth and reputation.
“Things like this are really important for a community in terms of the overall perception of locals and visitors,” Snider said.
Originally known as the BJCC Coliseum, the arena has evolved through renovations and upgrades over the decades while continuing to serve as one of Birmingham’s most recognizable landmarks.
Snider said the arena’s history is reflected in the wide range of artists and events it has hosted throughout the years.
“The history of the building going through the ‘70s with different musical styles, and every notable artist of those different genres or eras have played the building,” Snider said. “It’s still kind of in the DNA, in the fabric of what we’ve got today.”
That history is preserved throughout the arena in displays featuring old ticket stubs, newspaper clippings and memorabilia documenting some of the venue’s most memorable moments.
As the BJCC celebrates its past, leaders are also looking ahead to its future.
“We are seeing some interesting evolutions of live music, how artists break and how tours work,” Snider said. “Who knows what that’ll be in 50 years, but we know for the foreseeable future, Legacy Arena plays a big part in that for our region.”
The BJCC’s 50th anniversary celebration took place Saturday at Legacy Arena. The event celebrated the complex’s history through a concert and mural while highlighting its continued role as one of Alabama’s premier entertainment destinations.
