Alabama Adventure sold
The brainchild of then-Fairfield Mayor Larry Langford, Alabama Adventure was built as VisionLand in 1997 with the cooperation of 11 western-area cities including Birmingham, that put up money toward $65 million in bonds (cost overruns added millions to the total). It opened in 1998, filed for bankruptcy a few years later and was sold to Southland in 2003 for $ 5.25 million. Southland spent millions expanding the water park and adding rides and attractions. Since, the company says the park has enjoyed record attendance.
WBHM’s Steve Chiotakis spoke with Gary Slade, the Editor and Publisher of Amusement Today magazine about the impact the sale will have on employees and whether — given today’s sour economy — it’s a good time to be in the theme park business.
Birmingham is 3rd worst in the Southeast for ozone pollution, new report says
The American Lung Association's "State of the Air" report shows some metro areas in the Gulf States continue to have poor air quality.
Why haven’t Kansas and Alabama — among other holdouts — expanded access to Medicaid?
Only 10 states have not joined the federal program that expands Medicaid to people who are still in the "coverage gap" for health care
Once praised, settlement to help sickened BP oil spill workers leaves most with nearly nothing
Thousands of ordinary people who helped clean up after the 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico say they got sick. A court settlement was supposed to help compensate them, but it hasn’t turned out as expected.
Q&A: How harm reduction can help mitigate the opioid crisis
Maia Szalavitz discusses harm reduction's effectiveness against drug addiction, how punitive policies can hurt people who need pain medication and more.
The Gulf States Newsroom is hiring a Community Engagement Producer
The Gulf States Newsroom is seeking a curious, creative and collaborative professional to work with our regional team to build up engaged journalism efforts.
Gambling bills face uncertain future in the Alabama legislature
This year looked to be different for lottery and gambling legislation, which has fallen short for years in the Alabama legislature. But this week, with only a handful of meeting days left, competing House and Senate proposals were sent to a conference committee to work out differences.
