CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Several state and local leaders in South Carolina continue to search for answers following the Carolina Panthers decision to pause construction on a practice facility and team headquarters in Rock Hill.
South Carolina State Representative JA Moore (D - District 15) condemned the recent actions taken by Carolina Panthers team owner David Tepper in a statement provided Wednesday, April 13.
No public comments have been issued by the Carolina Panthers organization, or Tepper, following the announcement that construction was halted on March 7.
Moore spoke with WCNC Charlotte by Zoom on Wednesday and said he was concerned something like this would happen back years ago. Gov. Henry McMaster signed the so-called "Panthers Bill" into law back in June 2019. The bill gave the Panthers roughly $115 million in tax breaks to relocate across the state line.
Moore voted against the bill.
PREVIOUS STORY: SC Gov. McMaster signs bill that will let Panthers relocate headquarters to Rock Hill
“I voted no on the bill that gave tax incentives to fund this project because I was concerned something like this would happen,” Moore said. “We need to invest in smart economic development that benefits taxpayers and promotes economic growth, not make billionaires wallet’s bigger.”
Moore said the economy in South Carolina is booming, but mentioned the decision in 2019 doesn't bode well for sustainability. He added incentivizing large businesses is helping in the short-term for the economy, but wants to see more incentives for small businesses to help them thrive and grow in the state.
"It's important for us to uplift small businesses," he added. "We need to put policies in place where corporations can't just do as they please when we incentivize them to come. There's a lot of other corporations and tax incentive stuff that we need to look at when we talk about long-term, sustainable growth."
While those economic topics continue to be on the forefront for Moore, he added his comments were not meant to be hyper-critical of the Panthers organization as a whole.
"This isn't to beat up on the Carolina Panthers," he said. "I was hoping 20-plus years ago when they were deciding whether to go to Charlotte or here in South Carolina in the Columbia area, that we would have them here. They're a great organization. This isn't a slam on them. This is an economic philosophy and culture in South Carolina that we need to think forwardly and think about the future."
Flashpoint is a weekly in-depth look at politics in Charlotte, North Carolina, South Carolina, and beyond with host Ben Thompson. Listen to the podcast weekly.
SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify || Stitcher || Google Podcasts
All of WCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere.