Charlotte council OKs plans for new uptown music venue next to Panthers stadium
A proposed music venue next to Bank of America Stadium is one step closer to becoming a reality in Charlotte’s Third Ward neighborhood.
City Council voted unanimously on Monday to amend its ground lease agreement with Tepper Sports and Entertainment to include terms for a 4,400-seat indoor performance venue on about 2 acres adjacent to the Panthers stadium.
The project will be privately funded by Tepper Sports and won’t use tax dollars for construction or operation, according to city officials. Tepper Sports and the Panthers are owned by billionaire David Tepper. Council members celebrated the project as an investment in the city’s cultural growth that could bring jobs and tourism dollars.
“That brings heads and beds,” said Councilman Malcolm Graham. “Uber drivers, Lyft drivers, bars, restaurants, you name it, will have an opportunity to be a part of this new venue in Uptown Charlotte.”
Mayor Pro Tem Dante Anderson also framed the venue as a matter of public safety.
“When you have spaces that are activated, and people are around, and the lights are bright, and people are spending money and enjoying themselves, that helps to stave off crime as well,” Anderson said. “It’s a good move for us.”
City officials said the project will fill a void for mid-range venues with a capacity between 2,500 and 8,500 people. It will host an estimated 80 to 100 shows per year.
The lease amendment outlines what would happen to the venue if Tepper Sports moves the Panthers’ home stadium to a different location after the 20-year non-relocation agreement it entered into last year.
The venue supports a broader $1.7 billion effort from the city to transform aging spaces in uptown, midtown and South End and turn a business-centric district into a destination district, The Charlotte Observer previously reported.
In June 2024, the city approved Tepper Sports’ request spend $650 million to upgrade the stadium and help fund a new field house.
This story was originally published October 14, 2025 at 9:03 AM.
