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CHARLOTTE (CAROLINA SPORTS LIVE) — The renovations to Bank of America Stadium may bring more than just games and concerts.
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Tepper Sports & Entertainment has released new detailed renderings Thursday of the $1.3 billion renovation of Bank of America Stadium, which city leaders believe will boost Charlotte’s economy and transform the venue into a year-round destination.
“It’s going to be a game-changer for the facility itself,” Charlotte City Councilman Malcolm Graham said.
The renderings showcase a wide range of upgrades planned for the longtime home of the Carolina Panthers and Charlotte FC. These include:
- Larger end-zone scoreboards
- Upgraded seating areas
- Expanded food and beverage options
- Increased restroom capacity
- New premium experiences throughout the stadium.
Further, the TSE announced a long-term extension to the naming rights of the Panthers’ and Charlotte FC’s home—keeping it Bank of America Stadium.
Owner David Tepper hopes the renovations will keep the stadium open not just for sports—but for the community year-round.
“That’s one of the great things that a football stadium can do,” said Tepper. “You can add that not just on game day Sundays but integrate yourself in the community.”
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was in town for the big day and was impressed at the city’s growth, saying that Uptown Charlotte “was built for a draft.”
“The draft now, it’s close to a million people attending it,” Goodell said. “And they’re coming from all over, including internationally. And it’s become a global event that I think would be a terrific thing here in the stadium, and the facility here is wonderful. And it’s certainly Super Bowl quality.”
Among the most prominent additions is a new social patio in the 500-level of the stadium, which TSE said will provide sweeping views of uptown, and a new speakeasy club inside the stadium. The plans also include a previously approved concert venue attached to the stadium with a planned capacity of about 4,400 people, which TSE said will host 80 to 100 events annually.
Making an impact
Graham, whose District 2 includes the stadium, estimated that its events generate more than $4 billion in annual economic impact for Charlotte.
“That means opportunities for the restaurants, waiters and waitresses and bartenders, Uber drivers, small business owners, event planners, the hotels,” Graham said.
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The renovation is being funded through a partnership between the city and TSE. In June 2024, the Charlotte City Council approved $650 million in tourism tax revenue for the project, while the remaining costs, totaling more than $600 million, are being covered by Panthers owner David Tepper and his organization.
The release of the renderings came on the same day as the Panthers and Bank of America announced a long-term extension of the stadium’s naming rights agreement, which has been in place since 2004.
A new experience
The Panthers are looking to give fans an experience of a lifetime.
“Life is measured in moments, not minutes,” said Eric Sudol, TSE’s chief revenue officer. “We have taken the moments of the last 31 years of Bank of America Stadium and put them into a memory vault.”
Team officials showed the $1.3 billion expansion featuring larger indoor-outdoor gathering spaces across all levels—including a 500-level social patio with views of the Charlotte skyline.
The team displayed a moving map showing a curb-to-curb experience of what officials are calling “intentionality”—keeping the fan experience in mind.
“You can see what the new North Gate experience looks like,” Sudol said. “As we’ve talked about, you can see the technological advancements in this experience center, but here’s an example of this. And now we have a stadium that actually has an LED board sitting at the North Gate, which is really digitized across the board, our ability to switch this from a Panthers game to FC match to a concert and create uniformity.”
Fans will have the opportunity to schedule an appointment to tour personal seat license options to get a feel for what they like.
Graham told QC News he believes the investment demonstrates the franchise’s commitment to Charlotte. On Sept. 22, Graham said he will hold a town hall to discuss these types of investments as they relate to travel, tourism, and sports entertainment.
“For them to continue to lean in to making the facility one of the best in the country demonstrates their commitment to the city and demonstrates their commitment to partnering with us,” Graham said.
The Panthers’ new training facility uptown remains on track to open in 2027, while the stadium upgrades are expected to be completed by 2030.
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