Yes, give David Tepper $650M for the stadium. Absolutely worth it. | Opinion

Charlotte Observer
·4 min read
A rendering of proposed renovations at Bank of America Stadium, which would involve $650 million in money from the city of Charlotte.

$650M for stadium

Using hospitality taxes to upgrade the stadium is absolutely worth it. I realize that David Tepper has pulled out of deals and as a result isn’t trusted; however, he also has used the stadium to bring in quite a bit of revenue for our community. We should give him the $650 million, but also have an ironclad contract that protects the city from losing the team and makes Tepper pay the city if he backs out of any part of the deal. It should also stipulate that Tepper won’t ask for any more money for years to come.

The question is: Would Charlotte be better off without the Panthers and Charlotte FC? I honestly believe that if they move, it will do much more harm to our city than good.

Carol Shubkin, Charlotte

Billionaire owners

Regarding “David Tepper wants $650 million to renovate Panthers’ stadium? Here’s how to handle that,” (June 14):

Municipalities across the U.S. are questioning the supposed benefits these investments in sports venues are projected to generate versus the public benefits citizens lose when money is redirected to these projects. And for good reason. There are multiple economic studies that note how public investments into private teams do not generate the kind of returns espoused by economic development consultants — today’s snake oil wagons.

Even voters in Kansas City rejected a tax that would’ve have asked citizens to pay directly for stadium renovations while the Hunt family (the Hunt Oil dynasty) would have reaped the benefits.

It’s time to put the needs of citizens above those of billionaire sports owners who ask so much of us while we receive so little from them.

Tom Pontecorvo, Charlotte

‘Teacher village’

The idea of a “teacher village” calls to mind “teacherages,” where N.C. teachers could live in rural areas. Teachers need a pay raise. The teacher village idea smacks of giving money to people standing on street corners with signs asking for money: Giving them a few coins makes one feel good, but does not change the person’s life.

I moved to Charlotte in the 1960s because I could make more money teaching here than I could in South Carolina. Now, if I were a young teacher, I’d move to South Carolina for better pay.

Stop blaming teachers for society’s ills and pay them a living wage.

Augie Beasley, Charlotte

Trump Capitol visit

Last week Donald Trump returned to the scene of the crime at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Watching members of the Republican Party — who had criticized and spoken out against the former president after Jan. 6 — smile as they hugged him and welcomed him back was sickening. The signature trait of fascism is blind loyalty to an “infallible leader.” Anyone who opposes him is considered a traitor. Sounds a lot like what I just witnessed.

Laura Reich, Charlotte

GOP tax cuts

Unwittingly, former Gov. Jim Martin admitted in his June 5 Opinion piece that Republicans’ supply-side economics is a scam. For 45 years Republicans have told us that tax cuts would pay for themselves, and in 45 years that hasn’t happened.

Republicans have been the party of fiscal irresponsibility. They’ve cut income while doing little to nothing on spending, because under Nixon they learned that cutting spending leads to recessions and costs them elections. Now, Martin wants us to pay for Republicans’ fiscal incompetence.

The 10% own a disproportionate share of the nation’s wealth and benefit disproportionately from Republicans’ ignorant tax policies. The 10% should disproportionately pay for it.

Wayne Swofford, Newton

Rising prices

Wine production is the worst in 62 years. Studies attribute this to “extreme climate events.”

Well, at least I have my coffee. Nope, coffee yield is down, too. Due to those climate events. Ah, but chocolate is my must-have ... Sorry. Peaches? No, sir. You can still buy these things, but they cost way more. Supply and demand. Drought, wildfires, flooding, etc. decrease crop yield. Costs go up.

I know, it’s easier to blame all inflation on politicians. But global climate events are costing us too. May 2024 marked a full year of record-high global temperatures. Here’s an idea: vote for people who will act on climate with urgency. Maybe we can save humanity and wine and chocolate.

Mark C. Taylor, Charlotte

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