CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Whether the current Bank of America stadium remains, or a new one is built -- the Panthers owner would need the city's help.
Now, there's some insight as to where that money would come from if this all becomes a reality.
"Charlotte should be, is destined to be, the sports entertainment capital of the Carolinas," said Panther owner David Tepper as he spoke to the media at training camp Wednesday.
It didn't take long for his ideas to be the center of discussion on the local sports radio WFNZ The Fan.
"I told you when this guy bought this team, he was going to demand a new stadium," said one listener as he called in to talk with In The Clubhouse host Kyle Bailey.
"It's never going to work," another listener said.
Tepper keeps pounding on his idea of renovating Bank of America Stadium with a retractable roof, and is open to building a brand new Panthers home
Regardless, the team will need help from the city in the form of public money.
"It's kind of just the way these work now," said Charlotte Councilman Larken Egleston, who serves district one, as he was open to the partnership.
He said the city hasn't seen a proposal yet, nor has anyone spoken to city council about a plan.
However, if Tepper asked for the city's financial help, Egleston said it wouldn't likely come from taxpayers who live in the Queen City.
"An investment in the stadium would come from that hotel/motel tourism tax," he explained. "It's the same way we're paying for the improvements in the convention center and those types of things. It's what that bank of money is there for."
He said a majority of the tourism tax that would fund such a project would be paid for by those visiting the city.
With the ideas floating, both Tepper and Egleston are just hoping the gridiron stays in uptown Charlotte.
"To have it near all the hotels, bars, restaurants, museums," Egleston said as he talked about the financial benefits the team and games would have to businesses in uptown.
