MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — The new Mobile Civic Center will offer a wider variety of services and amenities that Mobile residents and those who visit the port city are excited to see.
The new facility will be able to host 10,000 spectators for several sporting events, concerts and Mardi Gras balls. The venue will offer more seating and better acoustics; there are even plans for retail and luxury suits.
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“All the HighTechs, all the Wi-Fi, everything you need to be able to go out and bring those events in that bring an average of anywhere between one to two million dollars,” Mobile Sports Authority Executive Director Danny Corte said.
With the larger attractions, the City of Mobile estimates the civic center will bring in over 400,000 tourists.
“If Beyonce was doing a show that was only happening in Mobile, I would start investing some time and energy into seeing how I could get here as soon as possible,” tourist Thomas Brandstrander said.
While some are excited about possible headliners for concerts, others are excited about the increase in sporting events including reintroducing ice hockey to the Port City.
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Corte said the prescheduled sporting events are being re-arranged for a different venue at the moment; more details for where those events will take place will be released at a later date.
“Logistically we still have to figure out how to work hockey around volleyball of course. Do you put the courts on top of the ice,” Corte said. “Those are some of the things that we have to work out, but we will.”
But the logistics of the playing courts are not the only thing that is being worked out right now. The current Mobile Civic Center is normally the host of many Mystic Societies Mardi Gras Balls. However, for the next two to three years, the balls will have to be held somewhere else.
Judi Gulledge with the Mobile Carnival Association said that plans for the 2025 carnival season are already in the works.
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“Those groups have known and were already looking for places for ’26 and ’27, and now they are just having to add ’25 to it,” Gulledge said.
News 5 reached out to multiple Mystic Societies to see what their plans are. While most are still working to secure a definite venue, the Conde Cavaliers said they are ready for the ball season.
“We put plans in place a couple years back to move to the convention center in the meantime which I confirmed today that’s what we will be doing for our ball in 2025,” President of the Conde Cavaliers said.
Although the fun will be shifted to a new venue for a few years, Gulledge said she has no doubt when the new civic center opens in 2027 Mardi Gras balls will return to be bigger and better.
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“What you are then going to see is the ability to have bigger and elaborate tabors and productions,” Gulledge said. “There’s going to be so much infrastructure, and it’s going to be able to support that now.”
The new civic center will also offer more space and opportunities for multiple balls to be held in one night.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5.
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