Charlotte residents shared both support and concerns over a proposed $1.3 billion plan to renovate the 26-year-old Bank of America Stadium during a special city council meeting on Monday evening.
The historical investment plan has come with some controversy amongst Charlotteans. As of June 17, an online petition against the proposal had garnered more than 490 signatures.
While some residents praised the plan and its potential impact on the city’s tourism sector, calling it a “wise” investment, others disagreed. One resident likened the plan to a “shakedown” and said that it lacked “tangible financial benefit.”
A $1.3 million plan
The Jobs and Economic Committee of Charlotte City Council first proposed the $1.3 billion plan to renovate Bank of America Stadium – which includes $650 million in public dollars — at a meeting on June 3.
Tepper Sports & Entertainment, which owns the Carolina Panthers and Charlotte FC, would pay an additional $150 million during the renovation phase and take on maintenance costs over time.
The Jobs and Economic Committee held a special meeting on June 12 with local business owners and representatives of Tepper Sports & Entertainment to discuss the proposed plan’s benefits.
Some benefits included keeping the professional football and soccer teams in Charlotte, as well as the ability to host other events at Bank of America Stadium, all of which increase revenue in the city’s tourism and hospitality realms.
A community asset
Several small business owners expressed support for the plan on June 17, calling it an “economic powerhouse” and a “community asset” for the city.
“This renovation will certainly bring in more events as well as attract even more customers to the area, making a huge positive impact on our economy here in Charlotte and allowing us to continue to thrive,” Sherry Neal, co-owner of Southern Charm Rides, a local tour operator, said in support of the stadium renovations. “The investment by the City and Tepper Sports will help create new opportunities for our city and the future and existing small businesses will certainly benefit.”
Muhsin Muhammad, a former wide receiver for the Carolina Panthers, told QCity Metro the investments “make sense.”
“It’s pretty apparent what sports teams do for major cities,” Muhammad said. “The investment is already there; the hotel and tourism tax is already designed for this specific purpose. We’ve seen the impact of what our sports teams can cost for our cities, and we need to lock our team in for another 20 years. This will allow us to do that. It’s a wise investment.”
Kenneth Fields, a Charlotte resident, and his son, Lucas, said they support the renovations after considering the investment in sports events, partially soccer games.
“I have evolved on it,” Fields told QCity Metro. “I think that it’s worth the investment. I see it as an opportunity to have a fortified relationship between the team and the community.”
Some residents described the renovations as a critical part of Charlotte’s tourism industry.
“Bank of America Stadium is an incredible asset for the city and the region,” Alison Summerville, chair for the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, said during the meeting. “Making upgrades to the stadium will ensure it continues to be a critical economic development asset for Charlotte.”
Opposition
Some residents opposed the renovations, saying the funding could be used for other projects
“The only real benefit [of the renovations] is the knowledge that neither the Panthers nor Charlotte FC can relocate for 15 years,” Bobby Lord, a Charlotte resident, said during the meeting. “If our investment does not come with any tangible financial benefits, it’s not truly an investment — it’s a shakedown.”
Other residents shared concerns over the amount of funding going toward the project.
Some residents said they wanted to extend the time for public hearings on the topic rather than the proposed three weeks.
“What are the safeguards in place to protect our investment of such an enormous magnitude,” Charlotte resident Scott Bryan asked during the public hearing. “Explain why we are spending two-thirds of a billion dollars on this investment.”
Bryan questioned whether there would be specifications on if the stadium could be demolished. He also asked how much of the tourism tax would be left over for museums and art institutions and what would happen to the plastic seating when removed.
Inclusivity in construction
Several residents spoke about the need for inclusivity during the project if approved.
Tarris Arnold, the president of Metrolina Minority Contract Association, told the council he supported the renovations but wanted to see minority contractors involved in the construction process.
“We at Metrolina Minority Contract Association are minority business owners who live in Charlotte, pay taxes in Charlotte,” Arnold said. “The 630 million dollars can be thrown out to make sure everybody at the table gets a chance to have some work where they pay taxes and live.”
Stephanie Joyner, CEO and President of DiverseCity Services, LLC, expressed support for the renovations but also said that she wanted diversity, equity and inclusion to be part of the project.
She recommended developing a dedicated oversight committee to ensure transparency, establish workforce development goals and support the inclusion of minority-owned businesses.
Previous comments
Tracy Dodson, assistant city manager and economic development director, said during a June 10 city council meeting that more than 450 people had left comments on the city’s website regarding the renovations.
Some themes Dodson shared included spending the public funding on something else and aesthetic choices for the renovations, such as covering the 26-year-old stadium with a dome or roof.
Charlotte residents also shared their thoughts online about the proposal.
- YouTube user @graceless commented on the June 12 meeting post: “Tell Tepper to pay for his own stadium.”
- YouTube user Chris Harmon commented on the June 12 meeting post: “Love this community asset.”
- An anonymous user commented on QCity Metro’s coverage of last week’s city council meeting: “Tepper has already pulled a fast one on Rock Hill! Do not spend city funding on the stadium. Where is AFFORDABLE HOUSING, Mayor Lyles!”
Charlotte City Council is set to vote on the proposal on June 24.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this article incorrectly titled Stephanie Joyner as the chair of the Charlotte Business Inclusion (CBI) Advisory Committee. Joyner is CEO and President, DiverseCity Services, LLC. Ciara Lilly was chair of the CBI Advisory Board as of June 18.
