This is a guest opinion column

Let’s say you’ve never been to Alabama before. You drive down I-65, through Huntsville and the rolling foothills of the Appalachians until you see Birmingham’s skyline peaking over the trees. You continue on your way through Montgomery and the Black Belt region until you eventually reach the Mobile Bay.

Without hesitation, you’d say Birmingham is the largest city you saw along the way. However, from a population standpoint, Birmingham’s metro population has fallen behind Huntsville and Montgomery according to the most recent Census data.

In spite of that, if there are any lessons we’ve learned over the last several years, it’s that the Birmingham metro area has been gaining momentum through regional cooperation. This is especially true when we talk about “big build” economic development projects.

That’s why now is the time for Birmingham and our regional partners to invest in a world-class amphitheater. The demolition of the decrepit former Carraway Hospital site has set the stage for a sprawling mixed-use development (The Star) with retail, housing, restaurants, greenspace and now the potential for an outdoor amphitheater.

I’m very pleased to report that today, my colleagues and I on the Birmingham City Council unanimously approved $5 million in funding for the construction of this new amphitheater, an investment that will pay dividends for years to come.

The biggest hurdle that the Birmingham metro region faces is “brain drain.” Over the last few decades we have been losing too many of our young people to Nashville, Atlanta, Charlotte, and Chattanooga. Investing in world-class art and entertainment venues is paramount to ensuring that Birmingham can compete with other Southern cities and remain the cultural heartbeat of Alabama.

We’ve seen the success that other cities have had by making deliberate and sustained investments in public art and entertainment venues. Chattanooga is a prime example that comes to mind: from the Artists Work Grant Program to investing 2 percent of the annual City budget to public art projects to their dedication to civic design and “placemaking.” Collectively, these efforts have hurdled Chattanooga to the top of many “most livable cities in America” rankings.

Our counterpart municipality, Huntsville, which is now technically the largest city in Alabama by population, continues to provide support to their cultural amenities. Most recently, the city approved funding and lodging tax incentives for the construction of the new Orion Amphitheater.

Even closer to home, the City of Tuscaloosa invested in a new $18 million amphitheater in 2011 that has brought in an additional $100 million investments to the surrounding area.

There are plenty of local examples of how these types of investments can be the catalytic spark that transforms an entire area. There were naysayers when the City approved financial support for Regions Field. Now, what used to be empty lots and warehouses has blossomed into a world-class park, surrounded by breweries, restaurants, and apartments. Even more recently, the investments made into Uptown have anchored the growth north of downtown that’s yielded a new stadium, a hotel, City Walk, Top Golf and now The Star.

Which brings us back to the amphitheater. There is no question that Birmingham will be able to attract major talents. Just look at last year’s Garth Brooks concert that brought 70,000 people downtown if you have any doubts about that. Even though these plans are still in the early phases, it’s easy to see the transformative impact this will have on the neighborhoods north of downtown, especially Druid Hills. This amphitheater will help provide additional leverage for a hotel within The Star development; driving even more foot traffic to surrounding businesses and neighborhoods.

Think of how far we’ve come in the last decade. It’s almost night and day. In that time Birmingham has established itself as a destination for travelers, conventions and other major events. No one can say with a straight face that we’ve moved backwards in that regard. Downtown streets are bustling every day of the week, restaurants and bars are routinely packed, and there is no shortage of things to do. But we have to keep building on that. By investing in the cultural arts, we will be investing in our future.

It’s been said that music is the great unifier of mankind. We’ve unearthed amphitheaters that predate Christianity. Humans have always had a penchant for going to a big show so I can’t think of a better way for our region to come together and remind everyone that Birmingham has been – and will always be — the heart and soul of Alabama.

Hunter Williams represents District 2 on the Birmingham City Council