Back in November, we reported that the Miami Dolphins were seeking about $220 million to renovate Sun Life Field, despite the fact that the team was still in debt $230 million from its last round of renovations. The reason for the urgency in improving the stadium again? To make it more likely to host a future Super Bowl, of course.
Now, it seems, the city of Charlotte is in a very similar position. According to the Charlotte Observer, Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson and president Danny Morrison appeared at a state delegation meeting on Tuesday, seeking about $200 million in public funds to renovate Bank of America Stadium in the hopes of landing a Super Bowl itself.
The team estimates that a renovation of the 16-year-old stadium would cost close to $300 million. To pay for the work, Richardson and Morrison, joined by deputy city manager Ron Kimble, have proposed a 1 percent food and beverage tax. According to ESPN, the Charlotte city council supports the tax, which would raise $144 million in revenue — another $62 million would come from state aid.
However, there are a couple issues with the proposal that are raising hackles. For one, such tax increases to pay for nonessential things (like a stadium renovation) are typically levied against hotels so locals won’t be on the hook to pay for a private entity’s improvements. Also, as The Associated Press points out, Charlotte does not have nearly enough hotel rooms to host a Super Bowl.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons/Bank of America Stadium