Panthers bill passes

A bill that would let Charlotte use restaurant and occupancy taxes to help pay for upgrades to Bank of America Stadium passed the state Senate 45-0. It is now law.

Posted 2:33 p.m. Apr 11, 2013 — Updated 3:20 p.m. Apr 11, 2013

Mark Binker

RALEIGH, N.C. — The bill that will allow Charlotte to use a pair of tourism taxes to pay for upgrades at Bank of America Stadium, where the Carolina Panthers play, is now law.

Senators passed the measure 45-0 Thursday.

"Sports and entertainment are big part of the North Carolina economy," said Sen. Malcolm Graham, D-Mecklenburg.

The measure got little debate on the Senate floor, other than an inquiry if the city's legislative delegation stood behind the measure.

In the Senate Finance Committee Wednesday, House sponsors of the measure emphasized that it would not spend any state money and did not raise any local taxes. Rather, the measure allows the city to redirect funds from a food and beverage tax and a hotel occupancy tax toward either upgrades at the stadium or amateur sports facilities. The city owns the land under the Panthers' stadium.

While the deal would allow for some public funding of upgrades at the stadium, it falls far short of the money team officials and the city originally sought.

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