ROCK HILL, S.C. (CN2 NEWS) – The City of Rock Hill says this is the last time they’ll be making a public statement regarding the issues with the Panthers and the pause out at the Headquarters and Training Facility. The city says it is ready to sit down today to work out any issues but for weeks now they have not gotten any response. They add at this point the Panthers are making “misleading and erroneous statements” and they are done with the public back and forth. Below their release is a comment from York County.
Here is their full release:
“4/19/2022 Statement Regarding Dispute with the Carolina Panthers
The City of Rock Hill joined state and county leaders and the greater community in welcoming the Panthers to Rock Hill and shared in the excitement over Mr. Tepper’s idea of “two states, one team.” Over the past three years, City staff and local elected officials have invested countless hours negotiating agreements and working to perform the City’s part of the agreements to make this a successful development for both the Panthers and the Rock Hill community.
We are disappointed with the current dispute and with the decision of the Panthers to halt the Rock Hill development, thus undermining the exhaustive efforts of the City of Rock Hill, State of South Carolina, York County, Rock Hill Schools, key landowners, and the entire region. It was and remains our intention to continue negotiating in good faith while protecting the interests of our taxpayers. In fact, in the past few weeks we have attempted to meet with the Panthers on numerous occasions to no avail.
The City met all obligations required under the agreements. The City did not commit to provide unlimited City backstop, but instead agreed to use its best reasonable efforts to issue bonds to be repaid by the increase in the tax revenues generated from development of the site which protects the City’s taxpayers and the City’s favorable financial position. As set forth in the parties’ finance agreement, the City was not required – to pledge, use or contribute any City funds, revenues or assets to the repayment of the Bonds beyond the Panthers Fund Proceeds, Reserve Funds derived from proceeds of the Bonds, together with capitalized interest, if any, or [municipal improvement district (MID)] assessments imposed in accordance with the MID Governing Documents; and … the City’s reasonable best efforts to issue Bonds shall not be construed as an assurance or guarantee by the City that there will be a buyer for any of the Bonds.
As Mayor John Gettys has said, Our community embraced the Panthers and welcomed them to South Carolina. Be assured the City of Rock Hill did everything to make this project a success and has not defaulted on any of our obligations…that is not how we do business.
The City does not believe in addressing, through a public back-and-forth, its differences with another party. We are encouraged the Panthers may now be willing to meet and look forward to resolving any and all outstanding issues so that we can together fulfill the promises implicit in the “two states, one team” ethos. From our standpoint, we are prepared to meet as early as today. Accordingly, this will be the last public statement from the City regarding the most recent misleading and erroneous statements from the Panthers.”
Meanwhile York County making a brief statement about the situation on this Tuesday:
YORK COUNTY, SC: It is disheartening to learn today that the Carolina Panthers have terminated their original agreements with the City of Rock Hill. However, York County remains optimistic that this project can still move forward. The Panthers have expressed a willingness to continue discussions with all parties involved and face the challenges ahead. York County expresses that same willingness.
