On Friday, demolition crews began the process of tearing down the failed Carolina Panthers facility in Rock Hill, South Carolina. After the Panthers owner David Tepper pulled out of plans to build a multimillion-dollar practice facility and his real estate company filed bankruptcy, the City of Rock Hill took over the site in December. In order to tear down the partially-constructed practice facility, the city worked out a plan to do so for only one dollar, instead of the estimated $10 million cost. The contractor responsible for the demolition will be allowed to make a profit from the steel and personal property sold from the site.
Councilman William Roddey is hopeful that a new owner will bring thousands of job opportunities to the area. He wants to see commercial options such as manufacturing, retail and distribution centers, as well as other businesses, instead of more warehouses. Roddey hopes that a company will bring in 1,500 to 2,000 jobs to the property.
The demolition process is expected to take several weeks to complete, and it will be some time before the future of the 245-acre site is known. Nevertheless, local leaders are optimistic that the development of the site will bring much-needed employment opportunities to the area.
