ABC 33/40 Heliport

Primarily economic reasons. The high operational and maintenance costs of a news helicopter (including fuel, insurance, parts, and pilot salary) became prohibitive for many local news markets. The rise of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) provided a significantly more cost-effective and flexible alternative for obtaining aerial footage for newsgathering.

The site is now part of the employee parking lot for the ABC 33/40 (WBMA-LD) television studios. Satellite imagery shows the helipad's 'H' marking is still faintly visible on the asphalt surface, but the area is used for regular vehicle parking. There is no remaining aviation infrastructure, and the site is not used for any aviation purposes.

The heliport was the base of operations for the ABC 33/40 news helicopter, likely branded as 'Sky 33/40' or a similar name. It was a critical asset for Electronic News Gathering (ENG), providing live aerial coverage of breaking news such as major traffic incidents, police pursuits, fires, and severe weather events throughout the Birmingham metropolitan area. The helicopter gave the station a competitive advantage in news coverage and was a prominent feature of its on-air branding for many years.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the heliport. The broadcast industry's widespread adoption of drone technology for aerial videography makes the immense financial investment required to re-establish a helicopter news program economically unviable. The heliport is considered permanently closed.