CHARLOTTE, NC -- With all the talk about a new Panthers owner wanting a new stadium, many are asking -- what's wrong with Bank of America Stadium?
"I think this is a great, classic football stadium," said architect Ron Smith. And I would hate to see it go away."
Smith is Principal Manager of McMillan, Pazdan, Smith, which along with David K. Wagner of Wagner-Murray, helped make renovations to the stadium which were estimated to cost close to $300 million.
Those renovations, which are still being completed, included two new video boards, escalators, suite upgrades, ribbon scoreboards, and WiFi.
"The idea was to enhance what we already had with as many modern fan amenities as we could and to make it a viable stadium for years to come," Smith told NBC Charlotte.
In fact it was just April 2014 when David K. Wagner said: "we'll basically have a brand new stadium that will last another 15 to 20 years."
But Felix Sabates, who NBC Charlotte reports is putting a group together to buy the Panthers, told our reporter Rad Berky a new stadium would need to be built.
And while that's not something Smith would like to see, he knows that's part of a multi-billion dollar sale of an NFL franchise.
"Certainly a new owner needs to entertain whatever thoughts they would like to entertain," he said.
And entertainment is the wave of the future.
It's almost like an indoor Disney World at some stadiums to some degree," Smith said of newer stadiums.
Brand new stadiums like the ones in Atlanta and Minnesota have field level suites, fixed or retractable roofs, party decks, and even bigger video screens.
"It's trying to attract the fan from their couch at home." Smith said, "and get them in there and give them as many things to do to entertainment."
But Smith would put Bank of America Stadium up there with any in the league, especially when it comes to luxury seating and fan experience.
"It competes with what they have," Smith said, "and more in some ways."