Panthers Practice Facility Project in Rock Hill to be Torn Down

The state-of-the-art facility was supposed to be one of the best in the entire league.

For several months, approximately $170m worth of steel sat in the ground at a 245-acre property in Rock Hill, South Carolina which was supposed to be the new home of the Carolina Panthers practice facility.

That steel will now be taken out as the half-built facility is set to be torn down, according to Colliers International.

Unfortunately, things have come to a screeching halt after the Panthers accused Rock Hill of not providing the payments for the public infrastructure of the project. Rock Hill had been warned that if payments were not made in thirty days that they would end the agreement completely. The City of Rock Hill responded, stating that the claims made by the Panthers were "misleading and erroneous."

Last spring, I spoke with Rep. Ralph Norman, who serves the 5th congressional district of South Carolina, has years of experience as a real estate developer. He, too, was just as shocked as the residents of Rock Hill that this project came to an end after substantial progress had been made.

"This has been a five-year process," Norman said. "We've been to the site and the interchange is moving along. They got the building up, much of the steel set and ready for a roof - it's a massive structure. Really, it's been hush, hush. The Panthers have really not said anything other than in their minds the city didn't follow through on some financing. Now, the city disputes that but from all appearances, it's pretty much a dead deal which is so unfortunate. The centerpiece of this 240-acre track was going to be the training facility that would attract a lot of different uses and the land surrounding it. It's a strange deal to not have any comment and really, to go to this length in the construction process is rare, in any case. I'm a developer. We've done a lot of projects and to have it go to this stage and to have a showstopper like this is strange, at best."

The property is likely to be home to manufacturing, office, and retail space, per Colliers.

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