ROCK HILL, S.C. — As the Carolina Panthers begin training camp, what’s left of a now-defunct practice facility is literally getting blasted out of the ground in Rock Hill.
Demolition crews worked Tuesday to blast away at the half-built facility’s foundation to further prepare the site for sale and new development, according to the City of Rock Hill.
“Demolition of the site began in February with the buildings fully disassembled in May. [Tuesday’s] foundation blasting is another step to prepare the site for future development. Given its location on I-77, the new interchange to serve the site, and the great business climate we’ve cultivated, we’re confident its future use will include a significant investment, high-wage jobs and amenities for our entire community to enjoy,” the city wrote in a statement to Spectrum News 1.
In the last year and a half, Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper’s goal of building a state-of-the-art practice facility in Rock Hill fell apart, eventually leading to lawsuits, bankruptcy of the company tasked with building the site and a settlement.
Now, the once half-built structure is nearly demolished with mostly debris left scattered on the more than 200-acre site.
Business owners and residents around the Rock Hill area said despite the disappointment of the project not working, they hope the site is a draw for future development.
“Knowing what the City of Rock Hill and the county is really good at, and what is a positive impact for not just our small business, but some of these other smaller, local places,” Ryan Sanderson said. “In that push for hospitality and sports tourism, I really hope it is something to do with some kind of sports facility, and bring fans and people from outside the state to York County.”
Sanderson is the co-owner of Knowledge Perk, a series of coffee shops in Rock Hill and Fort Mill. There are four Knowledge Perks in the area with two more on the way in South Carolina. The company also runs a permanent spot in Bank of America Stadium for Charlotte Football Club matches, according to Sanderson.
“We’ve really tried to focus on growing not just in our Rock Hill community where we started. But, obviously, Fort Mill, Columbia, other places, and really actually starting to move into the sports side of things as well with a coffee product,” Sanderson said.
It’s the same reason why he was excited to hear the Panthers were first coming to his neighborhood several years ago.
“I think there was a lot of pride, you know, that it was coming to Rock Hill, York County, South Carolina. And the excitement both as a fan — I’ve been a lifelong fan of the Carolina Panthers. But also, for the opportunity for, not just the city of Rock Hill and York County, but for local businesses, smaller businesses, like ours,” Sanderson continued.
The excitement eventually turned to disappointment.
Tepper’s company was actively building the practice facility in Rock Hill. But early last year, the city, York County and the company representing Tepper fell into disagreement over the project and its financing. The dispute led to the project’s cancellation and now active demolition.
“First reaction probably was confusion, what was going on? Why was it stopping? And then, obviously, disappointment comes to mind,” Sanderson recalled.
When the project was originally paused last year Sanderson wrote a letter to stakeholders asking them to find a solution. Now, he said there was a lesson to be learned.
“These big deals, they’re amazing. But, you can’t necessarily count on them. And, for our sake, we’ve got to be ready to pivot and adapt and figure out, ‘what do we do?’” Sanderson said.
But, as a growing business owner himself, Sanderson said his disappointment is mixed now with better understanding.
“I understand those tough choices a little bit better now than I did a couple of years ago,” Sanderson continued.
Another Rock Hill business owner and resident said he hoped the more than 200-acre site becomes a mixed-use development with entertainment, dining and residential options. He also said he was hoping for an amphitheater and other high-volume businesses.
When Spectrum News 1 spoke with the city’s real estate partner in the spring of this year, the company said it hoped the acreage would be ready for sale by the end of the year.