Concerns linger as work stoppage at Panthers’ HQ drags on
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Carolina Panthers Rock Hill facility rendering courtesy of Tepper Sports and Entertainment
Discussions between York County officials and Tepper Sports and Entertainment continue following TSE’s decision last week to halt construction on the Panthers’ massive Rock Hill campus. But at least one York County official has other concerns as the work stoppage drags on.
State of play: The construction industry is already facing labor shortages, notes William “Bump” Roddey, a District 4 county councilman. Any one of the hundreds of workers who had been working on the Panthers project likely is seeking out other work somewhere else now, Roddey told Axios.
- Resuming work on the site, he added, could prove difficult if the labor isn’t available right away, which could further drag out the project’s timeline.
“If they find something elsewhere, how difficult would it be to get them back onsite?” Roddey said. “How readily available will they be if this work stoppage lasts four months?”
- What’s more, Roddey said, ongoing global supply-chain complications could make getting materials, like lumber, more difficult.
We spoke a few days ago as he arrived at the Panthers’ construction site. Workers were still trickling out; rented heavy equipment sat idle nearby.
Why it matters: When announcing plans with the Panthers for a taxpayer-supported $800 million team headquarters, South Carolina, Rock Hill and York County leaders eagerly touted the economic boost and jobs provided for the area by the project. Delays postpone the community benefit they’d anticipated.
“My concern would be the economic benefit that could possibly be lost or delayed even further,” Roddey said. “This is supposed to open for Panthers to have training camp in 2023, next year. That line is in jeopardy along with the work stoppage.”
- It’s unclear how the current situation affects the team’s overall timeline.
- A Panthers spokesperson said the organization had nothing to add to its initial statement.
- York County and Rock Hill representatives declined to comment further, and state officials did not respond to a request for comment.
Context: TSE said it was pausing work at the 240-acre Rock Hill campus because the team’s partners “have been unable to contribute to the agreed-upon investment to fund the construction of the public infrastructure,” TSE said — which includes roads, sewage, water and power.
- The city of Rock Hill failed to issue $225 million in bonds to pay for their portion of the deal. The city therefore did not make its initial payment due in March 2021, a person with knowledge of the situation said.
- Rock Hill’s balance sheet, Roddey said, “couldn’t stomach borrowing such large amounts.”
The intrigue: The situation’s given way to a mess of finger-pointing.
- Last week, Rock Hill Mayor John Gettys blamed the Panthers for the fact that the project has been halted, as CBJ reported.
- And Rock Hill city manager David Vehaun said the city was “within two weeks of issuing the first round of bonds” when the Panthers told them to stop construction.
What’s next: Roddey said local officials and the Panthers have been having “good conversations” to rework the financial plan to satisfy the team — or find a different pathway to secure the $225 million the Panthers seek.
Yes, but: A different agreement, Roddey said, could include a combination of bonds and special source revenue credits (SSRCs), a type of incentives.
- “The ultimate goal is to get this project back up and running 100%, get these jobs back and obviously look forward to the economic benefit that this project can deliver to York County and Rock Hill,” Roddey said.