Board rejects bid for Woodlawn High School stadium
The Birmingham BOE rejected the bid for the revised Woodlawn stadium plans after the price estimate more than doubled.
Just shy of four months after the ceremonial groundbreaking, the Birmingham Board of Education Tuesday rejected the bid to build a stadium and fieldhouse on the campus of Woodlawn High School.
Five board members — Leticia Watkins, James A. Sullivan, Derrick L. Billups, Neonta Williams and Jason Meadows — voted against approval of the bid. Walt Wilson and Sonja Smith voted in favor with Sherman Collins Jr. and Mary Boehm abstaining.
The stadium had been trumpeted as a major boost to Woodlawn High School, one of just two Birmingham City Schools that does not have an on-campus stadium. The other, Ramsay High, is landlocked.
“I would like for us to start the project over, bringing as much information as we have to the forefront in the beginning,” Watkins said. “If the cost of the materials has gone up at that time, I don’t think there’s a question about what we’re willing to invest in our young people and we’re willing to make this happen for them. We just want the process to be better.”
The initial base estimate on the project was $4.2 million. Architect Charles Williams said the revised estimate is $8.7 million. He cited the need to increase stadium capacity to 2,800 with space for 1,700 additional seats to host playoff games, a new parking lot to accommodate the added seating, increased concessions and restrooms and structural support to remediate unsuitable subsurface conditions.
“We would be looking at early spring to rebid the project,” said the architect.

Solomon Crenshaw Jr.,BirminghamWatch
Architect Charles Williams speaks, flanked by Birmingham schools COO Matthew Alexander, left, and Athletic Director Karl Powe, during a Birmingham BOE meeting on Nov. 9, 2021.
Karlos Dansby, a 2000 alumnus of Woodlawn who went on to play at Auburn University before playing in the National Football League, was clearly disappointed when told of the board action. However, the former linebacker supported Williams’ report.
“If he said that … once they dug into, it was just some stuff that’s out of control, it’s out of their control, and I’ll put a stamp on that,” Dansby said. “That’s how much I respect them and in their insight and their foresight in this situation. Their due diligence process is out of this world.”
Board member Neonta Williams said the board was elected to make difficult decisions.
“Even if this project ultimately ends up being $10 million, I think we’ll be able to sleep at night knowing that we’ve done our due diligence to ensure that as many boxes that can be checked on our end are checked,” she said. “We do believe the students and the community of Woodlawn do deserve their own stadium, their own field.”
Inflation cools in April — but tariffs could upend the picture in coming months
Consumer prices in April were up 2.3% from a year ago, the smallest annual increase in more than four years. Grocery prices fell 0.4%, thanks to a large drop in the price of eggs.
French Champagne-makers wonder: Is it time to move on from the U.S. market?
Amid uncertainty around President Trump's tariffs, some Champagne makers say they're losing trust in the U.S. market.
Pharmacists stockpile most common drugs on chance of targeted Trump tariffs
While Big Pharma seems ready to weather the tariff storm, independent pharmacists and makers of generic drugs — which account for 90% of U.S. prescriptions — see trouble ahead for patients.
Why aren’t Americans filling the manufacturing jobs we already have?
Leaders from both political parties have been working to bring back manufacturing. But American manufacturers say they are struggling to fill the manufacturing jobs we already have.
Gérard Depardieu found guilty of sexual assault in landmark French trial
A French court on Tuesday found Gérard Depardieu guilty of sexually assaulting two women on a film set, sentencing the French film icon to an 18-month suspended prison term.
Inflation cools in April — but tariffs could upend the picture in coming months
Consumer prices in April were up 2.3% from a year ago, the smallest annual increase in more than four years. Grocery prices fell 0.4%, thanks to a large drop in the price of eggs.