CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The South Carolina Senate voted to approve the so-called "Panthers bill," which would give the team tax breaks and incentives worth roughly $115 million to relocate the headquarters and build a practice facility in York County.
Senators voted 27-15 to approve Bill S.655. Lawmakers have until 5 p.m. Thursday to vote on the bill or a special session would need to be opened for it to be brought back to the floor.
Gov. Henry McMaster has been one of the bill's biggest cheerleaders, and he met with Tepper and top South Carolina officials earlier this year to discuss the project. McMaster said the Panthes would bring at least 150 new jobs and a $150 million investment to South Carolina.
Owner David Tepper said Wednesday it's ultimately up to lawmakers if the team is able to move south of the state line.
"Look, we would like to be there," Tepper said on Wednesday. "Hopefully they help us out there."
Tepper spoke out on the matter as lawmakers go down to the wire under a hard deadline of 5 p.m. Thursday.
"It's going to cost us a lot of money to go down to South Carolina," Tepper added. "We're going to have to put out real money down there."
"It's not like we get that money from South Carolina and that's it," Tepper said. "It's a lot of money in a facility that we have to invest. They'll have to make a decision if they want it or not."
Tepper said if lawmakers didn't approve the measure, he could "stay home" and referenced the team's new practice bubble that's being built in Charlotte near Bank of America Stadium.
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