Charlotte Worried about stalled talks with Panthers

[carpanfan96]

The chair of the Charlotte City Council’s economic development committee justsounded the two-minute warning on the local NFL stadium talks.

Democratic Councilman James Mitchell tells me recent setbacks in the state legislature to secure funding for stadium improvements could prove even costlier if no progress is made by the end of this month. The Carolina Panthers have quietly signaled a desire to have a sense of where the negotiations are headed by the end of this month, several politicians told theCharlotte Business Journal this week.

“If we don’t have anything in front of the Panthers (soon), they might look at other options,” Mitchell said. “It’s up to the elected officials to show appreciation for the Panthers.”

Mitchell said the notion of any type of tax increase, even if it affects just Charlotte, won’t work in Raleigh.

“I didn’t know the climate in the General Assembly,” he said this week when asked about the stall in the Panthers’ negotiations. “I was naive. I thought this was a no-brainer

All kinds of stumbles have followed since the city and team reached the outline of an agreement last month. The biggest: lack of support from the governor and N.C. lawmakers for any state money or approval for higher tourism taxes.

Then, too, the state and local restaurant lobbies criticized the suggested meals tax, though some local restaurant executives later signaled a willingness to go along. By then, state legislators from Mecklenburg County had lost their appetite, if one ever existed, for the tax hike

Saying no to a team “might not bite the politicians in the butt,” Ganis told me Friday. “But it will bite the taxpayers.”

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http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/blog/queen_city_agenda/2013/03/stalled-talks-with-carolina-panthers.html

[Panthro]

Im not worried. There are a lot of teams that would be in line before us to move.

[carpanfan96]

Im not worried. There are a lot of teams that would be in line before us to move.

Didn't say you were worried, I do find it interesting that they gave the State a deadline though. Also think it's funny that the state has said no to any type of tax hike. "Which pretty much eliminates the conversation between the state/city and the Panthers about the renovations."

[OneBadCat]

My jaw would literally hit the floor if we lost the Panthers. Did they not learn their lesson with the Hornets?

The Bobcats are lame as hell. We love our Panthers. If we lose them some one get me Bane on speed dial to handle this mess.

[Brooklyn Bully]

;)

[Panthro]

My jaw would literally hit the floor if we lost the Panthers. Did they not learn their lesson with the Hornets?

The Bobcats are lame as hell. We love our Panthers. If we lose them some one get me Bane on speed dial to handle this mess.

Which is why this is more like extortion

[Carl Spackler]

;)

haha it's not like our owner played for the Baltimore Colts...

...

[jtnc]

Im not worried. There are a lot of teams that would be in line before us to move.

Not really, Panthers own their stadium and it would be a much quicker process if we were re-located, because we don't have to go through legal binding stuff with the city(which is what JR wants).

[Carl Spackler]

I just love how city and state leaders complained about losing money when we lost the Hornets, and now they're firmly back in 2001 Hornets Negotiating mode. You still have to be firm, but they're putting themselves in position to have their bluff called again.

[Panthro]

Not really, Panthers own their stadium and it would be a much quicker process if we were re-located, because we don't have to go through legal binding stuff with the city(which is what JR wants).

It still requires 75% approval...there are more financially dismal teams out there that would be a better fit. It''s not good business and that's what this is.

[R0CKnR0LLA]

The Panthers threatening to "look at other options" is about the same as a little kid threatening to hold their breath if they don't get the candy they want.

[jtnc]

If this doesn't work, watch JR start "talking" to billionaires that are interested in having an NFL team.....Charlotte would go into automatic panic mode.

[Happy Panther]

Yeah, remember that Goodell says any team that wants to move must have exhausted all options to fix whatever issues there are in the current location (or wording to that effect.)

I don't get why Raleigh can say no to a mecklenburg tax on food and beverage but maybe that is typical.

[carpanfan96]

This is why if Charlotte and NC don't put up the money that'd I'd be worried. "Yes, I know it's old news"

On top of that, Richardson is close friends with Patrick Soon-Shiong, the L.A. billionaire who is interested in buying AEG and being an owner of an NFL team playing in a downtown stadium. He has been Richardson’s guest at at least one Panthers game this season.

So it’s not inconceivable for Soon-Shiong, who needs Richardson to pave the way for him with the NFL, to do the Panthers owner a solid by nudging an L.A. politician to gin up interest in Carolina’s team, even if there are other franchises far more likely to relocate.

http://articles.latimes.com/2012/nov/11/sports/la-sp-sn-panthers-moving-to-la-report-20121111

While JR doesn't have plans on leaving Charlotte, he's got someone that he's close friends with and trusts to buy the team and that someone can also get a stadium built in LA if he's got a team. It would happen quickly and the Panther's being in the position they are in with JR's connections would move to the top of the relocation chain immediately.

There's also the fact that the bill that might get passed isn't enough to keep JR happy, he want's what he asked for and it's not crazy that the state agrees. The Panther's have been helped less by the state then any other sports team in the US.

In a letter to Gov. Pat McCrory and legislative leaders, council member James Mitchell said House Bill 193 “would fall far short” of what’s needed.

“Even if the city were to bleed every penny from those existing revenue sources away from the convention center … the available revenues would fall far short,” he wrote.

“I fear the state’s failure to (approve the tax hike) will ultimately lead to the sale and relocation of the Carolina Panthers.”

http://www.heraldonl...-financing.html

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