‘A new gold standard’: The Panthers, Tepper family put Miracle Park a big step closer
The Carolina Panthers and Tepper family joined a team of miracle-makers Tuesday, with a combined donation of $700,000 for a new Rock Hill park where everyone can play.
Nicole Tepper announced she and husband David, with their foundation, will donate $500,000 to Miracle Park. That announcement came moments after a similar one from Carolina Panthers Charities and the NFL Foundation, for $200,000.
“It is creating a new gold standard for adaptive sports, therapeutic recreation,” Nicole Tepper said of Miracle Park. “It’s a perfect example of forward thinking and vision that makes this community so special.”
Miracle Park is a 15-acre site off Cherry Road, near Winthrop University, designed for people of all physical and mental ability levels. The inclusive park will have baseball or softball fields, plus multipurpose fields. It will host national tournaments and be the first fully adaptive park of its kind in the world, project leaders say.
Also announced Tuesday was the grand opening date of Aug. 21.
“It’s now a firm reality,” said U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman, who said the project is five years in the making. “This is what knits the fabric of a community. This is what holds it together.”
The roughly $8 million project has had donors large and small, along with companies that donated various services to clear, plan or build the park. David Williams, organizer with the park effort, said Rock Hill has plenty to be proud of as the only city anywhere with an NFL team moving to it, and with a Miracle Park.
“We can’t wait to get out here and play some ball,” he said.
The Panthers have a new team headquarters under construction in a separate part of Rock Hill, off I-77. There’s a new interchange coming along with practice facilities, entertainment sites, hotels and other features planned. City leaders have said the Panthers coming could generate $2 billion in new development. The headquarters should open in 2023.
Tepper said she isn’t interested in writing a check without a personal connection.
The team, she said, will be a continued partner with Miracle Park. Riley Fields said the team foundation donation will go to a multipurpose adaptive sports field. While the park will have goals, runs or touchdowns scored, Fields said, there will be teams, friendship, shared experiences, and confidence gained.
“Really the greatest miracles are the things you can’t really count or put a number on,” Fields said. “But their intrinsic value and impact are real.”
Landen Black, 11, was one of many athletes on hand Tuesday during the on-site announcement from the Panthers. From his wheelchair and donned in a bright blue Christian McCaffrey jersey, Black shared why he looks forward to playing there.
“Playing with my friends and making new ones,” he said. “Even though their disabilities might be different, we can still have a place to play at Miracle Park.”
This story was originally published June 8, 2021 at 5:15 PM with the headline "‘A new gold standard’: The Panthers, Tepper family put Miracle Park a big step closer."
