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SITUATION AND BRING YOU THE LATEST AS IT BECOMES AVAILABLE. WELL, THE CLOCK IS TICKING. ONLY ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF UNTIL THE FIRST SCHEDULED SHOW AT BIRMINGHAM’S NEW COCA-COLA AMPHITHEATER. COMEDIAN MATT RIFE SET TO HIT THE STAGE ON SUNDAY, JUNE 22ND TODAY. WE TOURED THE $50 MILLION VENUE JUST SIX PLUS WEEKS FROM THE FIRST SHOW. �������� 13 S JON PAEPCKE HAS BEEN REPORTING ON THIS PROJECT SINCE BREAKING THE STORY. THIS WAS BACK IN 2022. SO, JOHN, JUST HOW LONG HAS THIS PLAN BEEN IN THE WORKS? WELL, BRITTANY LIVE NATION’S JAY WILSON TOLD ME HE BEGAN WORKING ON THIS AMPHITHEATER VISION EIGHT YEARS AGO. IN FACT, TO COMPLEMENT THE FUTURE UPTOWN DEVELOPMENT RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET WHERE THE FORMER CARRAWAY HOSPITAL ONCE STOOD. TODAY, HE GOT TO SHOW US HOW THAT VISION IS NEARLY A CROWD PLEASING REALITY. YOU KNOW, IT’S A 9100 CAPACITY VENUE. IT’S INTIMATE. THERE’S NO LAWN. AND WE THINK THEY’RE GREAT SIGHT LINES WITH WELDERS WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK AND CREWS CAULKING THE FINAL GAPS IN ITS PLAZA. THE COCA-COLA AMPHITHEATER’S DEBUT IS ALMOST HERE. A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO, I WAS STANDING HERE DOING LIVE SHOTS WHERE A HELICOPTER PAD WAS RIGHT. AND NOW WE’RE LOOKING AT THIS. YEAH. I MEAN, THIS USED TO BE THE STATE’S NUMBER ONE TRAUMA CENTER, AND NOW IT’S GOING TO BE THE STATE’S NUMBER ONE PLACE TO ROCK AND ROLL. LIVE NATION’S JAY WILSON GAVE US A TOUR OF THE $50 MILLION MUSIC MECCA, ONLY ABOUT A YEAR AFTER ITS GROUNDBREAKING FROM THE STAGE TO THE SEATING BOWL AND CONCESSION AREAS, THE FINISHING TOUCHES ARE UNDERWAY. EVEN THE VENUE’S PARKING PLAN IS BEING FINALIZED. IN ADDITION TO TWO PARKING DECKS AT THE AMPHITHEATER AND TEN NEARBY SURFACE LOTS, THERE WILL BE A SHUTTLE SERVICE FROM THE UPTOWN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT. THERE’S GOING TO BE AMPLE OPPORTUNITY FOR EASY, CONVENIENT PARKING RIGHT OFF OF CARAWAY OR AT THE BJCC, AND WE SHUTTLE YOU UP THOSE THREE BLOCKS ACROSS THE STREET. DEMOLITION OF THE FORMER CARRAWAY HOSPITAL CONTINUES MAKING WAY FOR THE FUTURE 300 PLUS MILLION DOLLAR STAR UPTOWN DEVELOPMENT, A PROJECT WHICH WILSON SAID MADE THE AMPHITHEATER POSSIBLE. YOU KNOW, THAT SHOWS YOU SORT OF THE VISION OF HOW THIS AMPHITHEATER AND ULTIMATELY HIS STAR DEVELOPMENT. IT’S GOING TO COME IN, IT’S GOING TO ELEVATE THIS WHOLE DRUID HILLS, NORTH SIDE COMMUNITY, NEIGHBORHOOD. AND THAT’S NOT ALL. RIGHT NOW, THE FIRST OF THREE HIRING EVENTS FOR THE AMPHITHEATER IS UNDERWAY. AS WE SPEAK. THEY’RE ACTUALLY LOOKING TO HIRE 300 OR FILL 300 POSITIONS. YOU’VE GOT BOX OFFICE EMPLOYEES, TICKET TAKERS. ET CETERA. IT’S GOING ON RIGHT NOW AT THE STATE IN THE STADIUM CLUB OF PROTECTIVE STADIUM, WHICH IS ONLY ABOUT THREE BLOCKS SOUTH OF HERE UNTIL 7:00 TONIGHT. THERE’S A SECOND HIRING EVENT TOMORROW FROM 4 TO 7 AND A THIRD ON MAY THE 5TH. MAY 17TH FROM TEN UNTIL ONE.