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Do you know what’s really wrong with Birmingham?

We concentrate on our shortcomings and don’t celebrate our victories.

A funny thing happened while we were wallowing in self-pity. Birmingham was being transformed.

Below are pictures of our new Birmingham. Many are actual–a few are renderings, but all are well on their way.

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We’re doing great things in Birmingham. Let’s tell the world!

The Birmingham Baron’s Regions Field and Railroad Park are transforming downtown Birmingham. A $33 million 245-unit and a $21 million 237-unit apartment complex have already been announced next door.

Next time you go to our Birmingham Airport, you may have to pinch yourself. You won’t believe you’re in Birmingham.

Iron City: We now have a first class entertainment/music venue on our Southside that’s one of the best in the Southeast. You won’t believe how this old automotive repair shop has been energized.

The Lyric Theatre, built in 1904 and across the street from our nationally recognized Alabama Theatre, is an exact replica of the Wells in Norfolk and when renovated will look just like it. The Marx Brothers and Milton Berle, who originally performed at the Lyric, won’t recognize it when completed. Fund raising’s well under way.

UAB is the crown jewel of Birmingham, but you wouldn’t expect the UAB Student Recreational Center to be named one of the 25 most amazing Rec Centers in America.

Birmingham’s new Westin Hotel and Uptown entertainment district are game changers. We now have the opportunity to attract much larger conventions to Birmingham.

There’s nothing like our Barber Motorsports Museum. George Barber, spent more than $80 million of his own money, excluding contents of the building, to build this world-class museum and track.

Birmingham with Railroad, Ruffner, and Red Mountain Parks, has more square feet of green space per capita than any city in the U.S.

People bring their children from all over the U.S. to our Children’s of Alabama. Most of us in Birmingham often don’t appreciate the world-class healthcare provided here. As a bonus, Children’s Hospital has changed the Birmingham skyline.

The Rotary Club of Birmingham recently celebrated its 100th Anniversary and kicked off a fund raising campaign to transform this abandoned railroad cut on 1st Avenue South to a linear park for bikers and walkers. The Rotary Trail will be a gateway between Railroad Park and Sloss.

If you haven’t taken your children or grandchildren to our Birmingham Zoo recently, you don’t know what you’re missing. Trails of Africa, the Giraffe Encounter, and our new Dinosaur exhibit will make your children squeal with joy.

Other communities are jealous of our new Birmingham Crossplex. Teams are traveling to Birmingham from all over the Southeast to compete in this must see, state of the art facility.

Vulcan and Vulcan Park are unique to Birmingham. Vulcan, the Roman god of the forge, was cast in 1904 and is the largest cast-iron statue in the world.

There is nothing like it anywhere.

Birmingham’s known as a hot spot for good food. Highlands Bar & Grill, and Hot & Hot Fish Club are two of our many fine restaurants. Recently, Saw’s Juke Joint was written up in the Los Angeles Times.

This year Birmingham celebrates 50 years of Civil Rights progress. Our Civil Rights Institute is actively involved in efforts to improve civil rights for all people and is the heart of our celebration.

Birmingham now hosts a major auto racing competition. Our Honda Indy Grand Prix is the talk of the racing world and our Barber Racetrack is internationally recognized as one of the best in the world.

Our Birmingham Railroad Park is special. It recently edged out parks in New York City, Portland and Calgary to win the Urban Land Institute’s Urban Open Space Award.

Sloss Furnaces first opened in 1871 just a few years after Birmingham was founded. Sloss, now a national historic landmark, helped propel Birmingham into industrial prominence. The new welcome center is under construction.

People from everywhere are amazed when they visit our Birmingham Museum of Art. The quality and magnitude of our exhibits are just not expected in a community our size.

Hundreds of thousands of children and adults learn about our world and science at our McWane Science Center. A new early childhood area is on the drawing boards.

UAB’s Alys Stephens Center is one of the most beautiful and engaging performing arts centers in the South.

All these venues are in the City of Birmingham. Folks in our suburbs who think the City of Birmingham’s not needed, might want to reconsider.

This should make us proud.

Now tell your friends.

Let’s turn Birmingham around. Click here to sign up for our newsletter. There’s power in numbers. (Opt out at any time)

David Sher is a co-founder of Buzz12 Advertising and co-CEO of AmSher Receivables Management. He’s past Chairman of the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce (BBA), Operation New Birmingham (REV Birmingham)), and the City Action Partnership (CAP).

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