The Charlotte City Council has approved an ambitious $800 million stadium renovation plan that does not include a retail sportsbook. The decision will keep the Carolina Panthers in the city through 2045 and upgrade Bank of America Stadium.
According to documents shared at Monday’s council meeting, Charlotte will spend $650 million to renovate Bank of America Stadium.
Expansive stadium upgrades will not include a sportsbook
Under the terms of the financial deal with the city, the Panthers will agree to stay in Charlotte for 20 years, including the 2045 NFL season. The team also will pay the $150 million balance of the $800 million renovation package.
According to the Associated Press, among the planned renovations for Bank of America stadium are the following:
– Upgraded audio and video systems.
– Updated infrastructure.
– New concourses.
– New gathering places with skyline views.
– New seating and accessibility throughout the stadium.
– Upgraded restrooms.
Conspicuously absent from this list of upgrades is the addition of a retail sportsbook.
FanDuel is an official betting partner of the Panthers. However, this deal is merely for marketing purposes and does not give the operator the authority to construct a retail sportsbook at The Bank. The Panthers would need to sign a written designation agreement with an online sportsbook not currently operating in the state to pursue a retail sportsbook.
Legal NC sportsbooks debuted in March, and the Carolina Panthers are the most high-profile entity yet to partner with a sports betting operator. Until such a partnership is established, Panthers fans should not expect to see anything beyond FanDuel branding at the stadium.
Despite the absence of a retail sportsbook, anyone over 21 can place online bets on the Panthers using one of the eight online sportsbooks operating in the state. All eight sportsbooks offer NC sportsbook promos upon sign-up.
Concerns raised about team owner’s behavior, intentions
“For nearly 30 years, Charlotte has been the home of the Carolina Panthers,” Panthers owner David Tepper said in a post on social media platform X. “We are proud to be in the Carolinas and look forward to delivering a venue that meets the needs of our community, players, and fans for years to come.”
However, some city council members have questioned Tepper’s intentions with the team. Even though he has never threatened to move the Panthers out of the city or even the state, the stadium renovation deal seems to be an effort to avoid such an exodus.
Since Tepper purchased the NFL team in 2018, the Panthers have suffered multiple embarrassments. The team has a pitiful 31-68 record in six seasons, and, most alarmingly, has burned through seven head coaches and three general managers. And Tepper’s behavior has drawn the ire of some councilmembers.
“[A stadium deal] sounds real good until we get Mr. Tepper angry, and then he might throw something at the city council,” said Councilmember Tiawana Brown, who voted against allocating the funds for the renovation. “The behavior of someone asking for $650 million is ridiculous.”
Brown referred to a highly publicized incident in 2023 where Tepper poured a drink over a fan’s head during a Panthers game in Jacksonville. The NFL fined Tepper, worth a reported $20 billion, $300,000 for that childish move.
Plans being laid to lift Panthers out of the doldrums
In January, Tepper hired his latest head coach, Dave Canales, and a new president of football operations and general manager, Dan Morgan. The hope is that they can help the Panthers emerge from the slump that’s afflicted the franchise since they appeared in Super Bowl 50 in 2016.
Carolina has posted a losing record in seven of eight seasons since they lost that Super Bowl to the Denver Broncos.
Image Credit: Phelan M. Ebenhack / AP Images