Nick and Terry Saban Donate $1 Million to Creation of Children's Center

Saban Family, Nick's Kids Foundation lead project to turn Tuscaloosa News building into The Saban Center

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — They got out the really big checks on Friday, the kind you only see at a golf tournament or during a prize giveaway. 

Friday afternoon, as part of the City of Tuscaloosa's 200th birthday celebration, Nick and Terry Saban were on hand to announce a $1 million gift, plus a $250,000 donation from the Nick's Kids Foundation, to a massive project that will be named "The Saban Center."

The building currently serving as the home to the Tuscaloosa News, which was recently purchased by the city, will become a new state-of-the-art learning center. It will include the Tuscaloosa Public Library, the Children's Hands-On Museum and the Tuscaloosa Children's Theater. 

The property will include an outdoor park as well, across Jack Warner Parkway between the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater and the Hotel Indigo. 

For the city’s 200th birthday, Nick and Terry Saban gave the children of Tuscaloosa a $1.25 million gift.https://t.co/weDacSrkPt

— Walt Maddox (@WaltMaddox) December 13, 2019

"Terry and I could not be happier to partner with Mayor Maddox and the city of Tuscaloosa in the building and development of the multifaceted learning center which will present and encourage cutting-edge knowledge and research in STEM as well as the arts," Saban said in a release. "Children and adults alike will benefit from this incredible facility with many different ways of displaying knowledge including hands on experiences. This project fits our strong commitment to education as an end in itself as well as a door to open opportunities for all."

The overall cost of the project has yet to be determined, and The Saban Center is expected to take years to complete.

“It goes without saying that the city has no greater partner than The University of Alabama. UA touches our lives here in @tuscaloosacity in ways that I don’t know if we could ever quantify that impact.” - @WaltMaddox at today’s ceremony pic.twitter.com/E1Qksa8TPo

— The University of Alabama (@UofAlabama) December 13, 2019