Panthers Owner David Tepper Has Big Plans For A Stadium With Retractable Roof

CHARLOTTE, NC. —  Panthers owner David Tepper has big plans for his team and a possible new stadium. Part of his vision includes a retractable roof, but the billionaire businessman wants you to pay for some of it.

“Charlotte should be, is destined to be the sports, entertainment capitol of the Carolinas,” says Tepper.

The billionaire is working hard to bring a Major League Soccer team to the Queen City. He also wants to host concerts and basketball tournaments.

“How the heck, I’ll use heck, can you not have a final four in North Carolina when Indianapolis has one all the fricken time. It’s ridiculous.”

Part of his plan includes a retractable dome a new stadium.  But – Tepper told Ben Fischer with the Sports Business Journal – that won’t happen without taxpayer money or government involvement. Tepper also says he’d like the stadium to be in Uptown Charlotte.

“Operationally it needs help from the city to run major events. By definition it needs to involve the police and public services,” says Fischer.

Erik Spanberg with the Charlotte Business Journal tweeted: “The city likely faces a $1 billion  public financing request — and that’s assuming Tepper picks up half the tab. The Raiders stadium in Las Vegas opening in 2020 cost $1.9 billion.”

WCCB found $750 million of that came from taxpayers.

Charlotte City Council member Larken Egleston says money used for stadium upgrades might not have to come out of your pocket.

“Comes out of a tourism tax. It’s a tourism tax to add onto hotel bills and their buy is primarily coming from visitors to our community not from our local taxpayer dollars,” says Egleston.