Coach, Miss Terry On Hand For Saban Center Topping-Out Ceremony

TUSCALOOSA, AL — The Saban Center marked a major construction milestone Monday as officials, community leaders and project partners gathered to celebrate the facility’s topping-out ceremony.

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The event highlighted progress on the 118,000-square-foot learning campus, a first-of-its-kind hub focused on science, technology, engineering, mathematics and the arts.

The center, spearheaded by Nick and Terry Saban in partnership with the City of Tuscaloosa and the State of Alabama, is expected to open in 2027.

Ahead of the ceremony, the Sabans both signed the ceremonial beam to mark the occasion.

"This wouldn’t be possible if it wasn’t for the collective team effort that we have between [Mayor Walt Maddox], the City Council, the design team, all the trade partners that are here today," Nick Saban said from the podium.

The legendary coach went on to refer to the project as a "championship effort."

"Every one of our championship teams, every guy was able to say, ‘I played on that team’ for the rest of their life," he said. "And you guys can say the same thing today in terms of you’re someone who had something to do with creating a project that’s going to create a tremendous amount of hope for the future. ... I made the statement after we won our first national championship in 2009: This is not the end, this is the beginning."

Terry Saban echoed the couple's gratitude for all involved in getting the Saban Center to this point and also mentioned a shortage of STEM teachers in Alabama.

"It’s not just about the museum part, the hands-on learning part," she said. "It’s not just about the children’s theater part. It’s going to be about professional development for our teachers, who will come here and extend their professional development as a teacher and take that education back to the classroom. I’m most excited about that as an old teacher myself."

Designed by architecture firm Steinberg Hart in collaboration with Birmingham-based Davis Architects, the complex will feature a series of curved pavilions anchored by a central glass tower.

The facility sits on more than seven acres along the Black Warrior River and is intended to serve as a regional destination for education and community engagement.

The building will incorporate locally sourced materials, including recycled Alabama marble and is designed with sustainability in mind.

A 70-foot glass tower at the center of the complex will house an illuminated globe, which is intended to serve as a visual landmark for the River District.

The project is being constructed by Stone Building Company and includes a broad public-private partnership.

Plans call for the facility to house the State of Alabama STEM Hub, workforce development initiatives and professional development opportunities for educators.

Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox said the center will also play a key role in preparing future generations.

“Saban Center will be a catalyst for building Alabama’s future-ready workforce,” Maddox said. “We are creating pathways that equip students and educators with the skills needed to thrive in tomorrow’s economy.”

In addition to the STEM hub, the facility will seek to bring together several local institutions, including the Tuscaloosa Children’s Theatre and IGNITE, formerly known as the Children’s Hands-On Museum.

The center will also partner with organizations such as The University of Alabama, Shelton State Community College and Stillman College, among others.

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