City Council approves contract for Magic City Classic

September 25, 2018 1:41 PM

Photo courtesy of Bruno Event Team

The annual Magic City Classic football game between Alabama State University and Alabama A&M University will remain in Birmingham until at least 2022, after a vote by the Birmingham City Council at its regular meeting for Tuesday, Sept. 25.

Members voted to authorize Mayor Randall Woodfin to execute an agreement with Alabama State and Alabama A&M to keep the Magic City Classic at Legion Field.

The game is to remain at Legion Field on the fourth Saturday of each October beginning in 2019 and continuing through the 2022 football season, according to the text of the resolution.

The city will pay the two colleges a combined sum not to exceed $650,000 for 2019; $700,000 for 2020; $750,000 for 2021; and $800,000 for 2022, the resolution states.

Members also voted to spend $800,000 to provide goods and services to help support the 77th annual Magic City Classic to be played at Legion Field on Oct. 27.

CAMERA SURVEILLANCE

The council voted to approve a master contract for public safety services with Alabama Power Company, under which the utility will install and maintain a public safety camera surveillance system in the Central Park, Ensley, Gate City and Kingston neighborhoods.

This is part of a pilot program designed to enhance law enforcement and public safety, according to the text of the resolution.

The contract runs for five years. The estimated cost is $672,000 per year, payable by the city in estimated installments of $56,000.00 per month,

There was no discussion of the item during the regular meeting. However, members left the council chambers to discuss the item during a lengthy executive session.

INFO ABOUT CRIMINALS

The council voted to approve a one-year professional services agreement between the city and the Center for Law Enforcement Technology, Training & Research.

The agreement is not to exceed $14,500, according to the text of the resolution.

LETTR will facilitate the sharing of law enforcement data through the Federated Integrated Network for Data Exchange and Retrieval program.

FINDER is an information-sharing system which is designed to eliminate exorbitant pricing for technology that facilitates the apprehension of criminals.