Live at the Apollo 

The Apollo Entertainment Center on Bessemer Superhighway seeks a special retail license (including alcohol sales) to operate for specified events. Donald Blankenship, representing the Apollo, says that Bessemer Superhighway carries over 100,000 vehicles per day, thereby making it a “major arterial street.” Opposing the license is Robert Beard of the Green Acres Neighborhood Association, who outlines his objections to the Apollo.Beard is an elderly man who has lived 100 yards from property now occupied by the Apollo since 1963. “I was born and reared in West End. Lived there, will die there, and be buried there!” Beard says as Councilor Aldrich Gunn bellows, “Amen!” Beard suggests that the Apollo, which he calls a “whiskey outfit,” might be a parasite on the community. “We used to have an all-white community, and now it’s practically all-black except for the few of us that are still there. And we have good neighbors,” Beard says. In an apparent attempt to make clear that his grievance against the Apollo is not racially motivated, Beard adds that he wishes that “some [less desirable] white folks” in the area would move out and some “good black ones would move in!” Beard continues: “Who is the Apollo going to entertain? That’s a community group down there and we don’t particularly go in there to be entertained the way they want to entertain!”

Defending the facility’s location on a “major arterial artery,” Apollo attorney Donald Blankenship explains that the venue will attract private parties, receptions, and small concerts. Blankenship emphatically tells the council that they have no public safety reason to deny the request, “I think all the fears that have been placed before you are unfounded. And whether the folks there are black or white or good or bad [laughs], the fact remains that there is no public safety reason to deny this application.”

“If a state store can be there, anything can be there!” thunders Councilor Leroy Bandy who points out that the grocery store that used to occupy the Apollo space sold beer and wine. Admitting that he generally defers to the neighborhood, Councilor Lee Loder remains opposed to the Apollo due to his commitment to allow only businesses that enhance neighborhoods. “That will be the only way we can put our neighborhoods back to the condition that the community wants us to be,” he explains, referencing past problems at the Apollo under different ownership. Council President Bell says that Loder’s logic of siding with neighborhoods would have kept out a nearby YMCA opposed by some area residents. Bell lauds the entertainment facility as well run and properly maintained, with good security. Councilor Jimmy Blake urges Loder to remember that he has taken an oath as councilor to follow the law and not bow to neighborhood associations. Blake says that no danger to public health, safety, or morality is evident in the case of the Apollo, and condemns the neighborhood for opposition to every liquor store and dance facility in the area. Noting that empty buildings attract blight, Blake explains, “Business drives out crime. More accurately put, crime drives out business.” Loder thanks Blake for his comments, but responds that he’s seen the council “do whatever it wants to do whenever it wants to do it,” regardless of the law. Loder promises to be consistent and challenge laws that are not beneficial to neighborhoods. The Apollo license is approved.

Council passes the buck on Serra Chevrolet proposal

Annexation of Serra Chevrolet property by the city prompts councilor Sandra Little to express relief that she will no longer be on the hot seat. Serra will lease the property for 10 years, with an agreement to repurchase the property after that time. Today’s resolution is not a binding agreement, but serves as a good-faith support for Serra from the council. The purchase includes undeveloped parcels, which will eventually have retail operations. Councilor Don MacDermott is concerned about neighborhood preservation, especially reductions in property values. MacDermott wants assurance that the property will be developed, or that it does not languish until the city tries to “pawn it off and can’t get rid of it a few years from now.”

“Mr. MacDermott, we won’t have to be blamed anymore. Thank God for that one. Hallelujah!” laughs Councilor Sandra Little. Little says she hopes the issue will be delayed until the new council comes in. Councilor Blake continues to criticize what he defines as government favoring one business entity over another. Highly critical of “giving dirt away” to attract business, Blake complains, “One municipality is at war with another as to who can offer the biggest bribe to private business.” Blake says the Mayor should not be blamed when business leaves for a better deal. Rather, the blame should be directed at the federal and state level for allowing such practices, which he calls “fascism.”

Noting that the city must be competitive when surrounding municipalities are trying to lure away businesses, Mayor Kincaid argues the economic benefit to Birmingham. “Until the laws are changed, it’s the American way,” says Kincaid as he stresses that the deal does not ask for tax abatement. The city stands to reap an $8.5 million to $11 million profit. Councilor Little says the issue should be in the hands of the incoming council, and the council votes to delay the issue for three weeks, at which time the new council will be sworn in.

November 13, 2001Worm in the apple Blake

Councilor Blake grumbles that the city has no business acting on a 20-year $2 million HUD Section 108 loan to Heavy Metal Birmingham LLC (interest rate to be determined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development). “We are putting the council and the city in the business of being banks. I don’t think that’s the proper function of government,” says Blake, adding, “We’re playing with other people’s money, and frankly, we’re not qualified to do it.” Blake is the only councilor to oppose the measure.Blake opposes other loans on today’s agenda for the same reason, stressing the unfairness that “regular folk” and small businesses “don’t have the clout to pull off these kind of operations.” The councilor presses for change. “We ought to be going to the Alabama legislature and saying we need to make it against the law for a governmental entity to use tax dollars to lure a business from one Alabama location to another Alabama location. It’s common sense,” urges Blake, condemning government for pretending to be investment bankers. “I’m going to vote ‘no’ on every special interest deal.”

Mayor Kincaid responds that businesses receiving HUD loans must meet certain standards. Kincaid emphasizes that the money has specific designations, and admonishes Blake for suggesting that the federal funds be used for infrastructure. The Mayor says that it’s not fair for Blake to insinuate that the city is not acting within the law regarding the HUD loan expenditure. Blake again is the lone dissenting councilor. &