What it takes to make Copa America happen at Bank of America Stadium

State of play: Conversations around hosting tournament matches began in February 2023, Caroline Wright, Tepper Sports & Entertainment's chief venues officer, tells Axios.

• Hosting a major tournament requires submitting a bid. Charlotte was announced as a host city in December.

By the numbers: Roughly 2,000 employees are needed to work the stadium for these games, from food and beverage to retail and ushers who help people find their seats.

• There will also be more than 500 media members here from all over the world.
• It took more than 40 people approximately two days to install 90,000 square feet of grass from nearby Carolina Green. Once the tournament is over, the grass that's still in good condition will be repurposed at other TSE fields in the area.

What's next: Once the third-place match wraps up on Saturday night, the stadium will immediately transition into a concert venue for Morgan Wallen.

• The third-place match kicks off at 8pm Saturday night. Wallen will perform on July 18 and 19.

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Between the lines: The Copa America semifinal is arguably the largest international soccer match Charlotte has ever hosted.

• Charlotte previously hosted Concacaf Gold Cup group stage matches, and will host another summer-friendly next month, but this match has more at stake: a place in the tournament final.
• Hosting a Copa America semifinal and third-place match shows the maturity of Charlotte as a whole, Wright says.

What we're watching: Bank of America Stadium will undergo extensive renovations in the coming years. TSE recently invested $1 million in stadium technology to improve the fan experience.

• Local leaders and the business community hope to land more high-profile events at the stadium.