Audrey Buck Named Temporary Director Of The Saban Center

TUSCALOOSA, AL — Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox on Thursday announced that Audrey Buck will serve as the director of the Saban Center, effective immediately.

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The mayor's office explained in a press release that the assignment is a temporary one, set to expire when the Saban Center opens.

Buck has been employed with the City of Tuscaloosa for the last eight years, most recently serving as deputy director of Urban Development. The person she is leaving will be covered by existing staff during her temporary re-assignment. The position will not be filled in her absence.

“The Saban Center will be a generational project for our community,” Maddox said. “I truly believe Audrey is the perfect fit to lead this project and ensure its successful launch.”

According to the mayor's office, Buck holds a Bachelor of Architecture Professional Degree from Auburn University and a Bachelor of Arts in English from The University of Alabama. She is also a member of the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) and of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), and specializes in economic development, architecture and design, and project management.

"The Saban Family enthusiastically concurs with the appointment of Audrey Buck as the Director of the Saban Center," Terry Saban said. "A Tuscaloosa native, she brings a wealth of knowledge with her degree in architecture and experience in urban development. Her leadership skills will be critical to ensure the successful completion of the Saban Center."

The over 100,000-square-foot Saban Center, located in the former Tuscaloosa News building across from the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater on Jack Warner Parkway, will aim to bring together the Children’s Hands-On Museum (CHOM), the Tuscaloosa Public Library, the Tuscaloosa Children’s Theatre, and a community black-box theater as part of a public-private partnership made possible in large part by the generosity of Nick and Terry Saban.

The famous couple contributed $1 million toward the project, along with $250,000 given by the Nick's Kids Foundation.

Construction on the building for the Saban Center is expected to start in 2023, with The Tuscaloosa News remaining in their current location until construction begins.

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