CHARLOTTE, N.C. — While Carolina Panthers' owner David Tepper admits he's working with leaders in both North and South Carolina to assess options for future facilities, the office of South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster is not releasing any records related to a possible move to York County.
Tepper confirmed the update to The Charlotte Observer Tuesday and added a team headquarters, including a practice and training facility, would be relatively close to uptown.
Tepper's words come as speculation about his connection to South Carolina's governor and a possible move to York County have gained a lot of attention in recent months.
NBC Charlotte requested copies of any emails the governor's office sent or received over the last six months containing words like "Carolina Panthers", "David Tepper", and "practice facility", among others.
The governor's office responded by saying records concerning an alleged Panthers' plan to build a practice facility in York County, should they exist, are exempt from disclosure. The state cited South Carolina law that allows free negotiations in attracting business or industry to invest in South Carolina.
Christopher Bryant is a Charleston attorney and co-founder of the organization Public Access to Public Records. He said the state's well within the law in withholding potential economic records but finds the wording interesting.
"I think that that response is in many ways telling," Bryant said. "I do think the request was reasonable."
At his inauguration last week, Gov. McMaster talked a big game about economic competition and often relied on sports analogies, including "We will not fumble the football."
When asked specifically whether the state's pursuing a headquarters and practice facility, the governor's office responded with this statement:
"To protect the integrity of any and all of South Carolina's economic development efforts, it is the governor's office's longstanding practice not to comment or speculate on any potential projects."