Charlotte has "reached a deal" with the NFL Panthers to have "more opportunities to use Bank of America Stadium rent free, which could allow the city to host more international soccer matches and college football games," according to Steve Harrison of the CHARLOTTE OBSERVER. In exchange for "having a larger period of rent-free days," the city agreed to "speed up" a $23.5M payment it owes the team by a year. The City Council in '13 approved an $87.5M agreement with the Panthers "in exchange for a six-year 'tether' to keep the team in Charlotte." Most of the money, $75M, is "going to stadium improvements." The final city payment of $23.5M "was due" by Dec. 1, 2017. The city will now "make that payment" this December. The city said that the "earlier payment will allow the team to finish its stadium improvements early, including work on the Level 100 concourse." The '13 agreement "also gave the city access to four rent-free days at the stadium a year, a value of about $250,000 for each event." Charlotte could "use the rent-free days from Jan. 15 to June 30, but the new agreement will extend that period" through Sept. 7 (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 4/23).
