Charlotte City Council is expected to approve $650 million for Panthers stadium renovations tonight

[WarPanthers89]

At a time when free money is getting harder and harder for the NFL’s oligarchs to come by, Panthers owner David Tepper is about to get some.

As in $650 million.

Via Joe Person of TheAthletic.com, Charlotte City Council will vote tonight on the proposal to renovate the 29-year-old stadium where the Panthers play. 

Person predicts, based on the “tenor of the meetings during the project’s unveiling and a public forum last week,” that the 11 members of city council “are expected to approve the renovations, likely by a lopsided margin.”

At the risk of having a drink thrown in his face and/or the hat removed from his head, Person says that “the renovations feel like they’re getting shoved down Charlotte’s collective throat.”

But, hey, that’s the best way to pry money from someone’s wallet — especially in a political climate where it’s far more easy to divert taxpayer money to needy billionaires through non-democratic processes. Surely, if the issue were put to a public vote in Charlotte, the proposal would be rejected, likely by a lopsided margin.

Among elected officials, there’s a greater willingness to play ball with those who want to play games in stadiums for which they didn’t pay full freight. Maybe they don’t fear repercussions at the ballot box. Maybe they don’t want to give future opponents the ability to say they’re responsible for a team leaving.

Regardless, Charlotte City Council is about to give $650 million to their carpetbagging bully of a billionaire if only because they fear he’ll move his football and soccer teams to a new city if they don’t.

As long as city councils and county commissions and state legislatures and executives will give people what they want but don’t need, taxpayer money will continue to go to places other than where it’s needed.

https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/charlotte-city-council-is-expected-to-approve-650-million-for-panthers-stadium-renovations-tonight

Edited Monday at 01:40 PM by WarPanthers89

[3838]

None of us have much ( if any ) control over how our tax dollars are spent. Yeah, I think a billionaire owner should pay for his own renovations. But, if my taxes are going to be wasted.... better my football team than say financing endless, pointless wars. ( Edit: Yep I understand the difference between federal and local tax dollars. I'm just making a point about taxes in general).

[Tbe]

31 minutes ago, WarPanthers89 said:

“divert taxpayer money to needy billionaires through non-democratic processes.”

——-

Surely, if the issue were put to a public vote in Charlotte, the proposal would be rejected, likely by a lopsided margin.

——-

Maybe they don’t fear repercussions at the ballot box. Maybe they don’t want to give future opponents the ability to say they’re responsible for a team leaving.

These statements don’t really go together.

The council is a democratic process. They are elected and people could have come and voiced their opposition.

If people don’t want Tepper to get this money, they wouldn’t punish the council for voting against it.

He’s getting the money because the people who actually do vote want the team to stay in charlotte.

If the council received 10000 calls voicing opposition, they would change their tune.

But regular voters don’t really care….at least not enough to send an email.

Its a shame, but it’s how it is right now.

[Greatman77]

The Panthers, Hornets and Charlotte Motor Speedway all have benefitted from millions of public dollars. Is there some benefit to the city? Sure. Do the people making these decisions to subsidize billionaire owners care what you or I think about how our tax dollars are spent? No, no they don't. Remember when there was a vote on funding for the new coliseum that failed, and the city funded it anyway?

[Panthera onca]

If Tepper does not get that money it will just go to some other boondoggle project. I'm all for spending it on BOFA stadium.

[CBDellinger]

Anyone saying this is being shoved down Charlottes throat is misinformed.  A stadium deal was always on the horizon regardless of who owned the team.  They have been working on this deal for a few years and the framework was agreed to after the renovation survey was complete.  This deal is the opposite of the Rock Hill deal... Charlotte has the money.  And no matter what if you deny the money to Tepper and run him out of town, we will just be back in the same position with another ownership group when they try to put a new franchise here.

Im not for giving billionaires money, but this is the climate we live in. If you want pro sports its gonna cost the public money. I am happy Tepper is putting up half and tying his team to us for the foreseeable future.

[CBDellinger]

52 minutes ago, Greatman77 said:

The Panthers, Hornets and Charlotte Motor Speedway all have benefitted from millions of public dollars. Is there some benefit to the city? Sure. Do the people making these decisions to subsidize billionaire owners care what you or I think about how our tax dollars are spent? No, no they don't. Remember when there was a vote on funding for the new coliseum that failed, and the city funded it anyway?

And a lot of those council members paid the price at the next election... but in retrospect approving the uptown arena was the right move for CLT.

[pantherclaw]

This is a good thing. 

[Panthercougar68]

21 minutes ago, CBDellinger said:

Anyone saying this is being shoved down Charlottes throat is misinformed.  A stadium deal was always on the horizon regardless of who owned the team.  They have been working on this deal for a few years and the framework was agreed to after the renovation survey was complete.  This deal is the opposite of the Rock Hill deal... Charlotte has the money.  And no matter what if you deny the money to Tepper and run him out of town, we will just be back in the same position with another ownership group when they try to put a new franchise here.

Im not for giving billionaires money, but this is the climate we live in. If you want pro sports its gonna cost the public money. I am happy Tepper is putting up half and tying his team to us for the foreseeable future.

Felix Sabates championed it as his first task if he was able to buy the Panthers.

What people also don’t know is these discussions have been going on for a while and the “shoved down the throats” thing is more about timing imo but it’s been ready for a vote since December 

Edited Monday at 03:58 PM by Panthercougar68

[Shocker]

Good it needs updating 

[Panthercougar68]

There are many things the stadium needs to keep up with just functioning. What if I told you when Tepper bought the team, the current electrical system/breakers were running at 200 percent capacity? He cut the 1 million dollar check to fix that and other things that were neglected for years…grease trap system was abysmal…I know people that work in operations and there has been money poured into keeping the building functioning that people don’t realize.

[Kentucky Panther]

Are we going to get a dome? Or a retractable roof? We need that to happen if we want to bring a SB to the city. 

[Panthercougar68]

4 minutes ago, Kentucky Panther said:

Are we going to get a dome? Or a retractable roof? We need that to happen if we want to bring a SB to the city. 

I think the end goal is to have “A” Super Bowl in Charlotte and pray it doesn’t rain. Roof is preferred but not the end all be all.

Someone pointed out how Jacksonville got their Super Bowl in 2005. Tampa has hosted many with no roof and it’s in 3pm rain Florida.

Edited Monday at 06:17 PM by Panthercougar68

[CBDellinger]

29 minutes ago, Panthercougar68 said:

I think the end goal is to have “A” Super Bowl in Charlotte and pray it doesn’t rain. Roof is preferred but not the end all be all.

Someone pointed out how Jacksonville got their Super Bowl in 2005. Tampa has hosted many with no roof and it’s in 3pm rain Florida.

They had a SB at the new Met Life stadium which has no roof.