BIRMINGHAM – Electric car owners can now power up while grabbing a bite to eat at Uptown at the BJCC.

Eight Tesla charging stations have been installed in the parking lot behind Mugshots and Your Pie restaurants, located on 23^rd Street North. The chargers are free for Tesla owners to use 24 hours a day.

BJCC Executive Director Tad Snider said Uptown is the ideal spot for a downtown charging site considering it is at the intersection of four major interstates.

“It makes sense to locate stations at Uptown, where motorists have easy access to the metro’s major interstates,” Snider said. “It also gives electric car owners the opportunity to enjoy food and drinks at one of Uptown’s seven restaurants while their vehicle gets recharged.”

The charging stations were installed as the result of an agreement between Tesla Motors and the BJCC with support from Alabama Power.

“Alabama Power has supported the expansion of emission-free electric vehicles for many years, where it makes sense for our customers,” said Alabama Power Market Specialist Robin White.  “We’re excited to work with the BJCC and Tesla to further expand access to electric vehicle charging in the Birmingham area.”

White said electric vehicle technology is becoming more widely adopted by auto manufacturers and drivers, with over 470,000 plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) sold worldwide, 34 new PEVs entering the market and Tesla’s sales projection of 500,000 vehicles by 2018.

About Uptown District

The BJCC’s Uptown District opened in 2014 with six restaurants and a coffee/bar. Located next to the Westin Birmingham, Uptown is a premier entertainment district that also hosts events for the community and serves as a welcoming hotspot for the 1 million guests visiting the BJCC for concerts, conventions or meetings each year.

About the BJCC

The Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex is Alabama’s foremost convention, meeting and entertainment center. It is home to over 200,000 square feet of exhibit halls, a vast array of meeting rooms and three entertainment venues, including Legacy Arena, the state’s largest indoor event space. The BJCC campus also includes Alabama’s largest hotel in the 757-room Sheraton Birmingham, the 294-room Westin Birmingham Hotel and the Uptown Entertainment District. Follow the BJCC on Facebook (@TheBJCC), Twitter (@BJCC) and Instagram (@theBJCC).