The NFL Panthers yesterday announced the newest renovations to Bank of America Stadium, including the installation of 95 magnetometers at all gate entrances and explosive detection dogs sweeping the stadium’s perimeter on game days. In addition, concession upgrades on the 500 level feature new Pepsi soda dispenser stations accessible to all fans in the upper deck. Delaware North Sportservice, the Panthers’ concessionaire, will sell 32-ounce fountain drinks for $8.50 with free refills at those stations. A new Wi-Fi system is in place, doubling the number of access to 1,200, of which 770 are installed in the seating bowl. Panthers Exec Dir of Stadium Operations Scott Paul said the renovations cost a total of $26M (Don Muret, Staff Writer). Panthers Exec Dir of Risk Management Lance Emory said that the NFL "started requesting that each stadium have walk-through magnetometers about three years ago." He said, “We hope it’ll be faster once people get accustomed to it because it’s going to be very discriminatory as to what it allows you to bring in." He added that the Panthers have also "added enhanced camera coverage to survey the approximately 33 acres." The team said that extra security "was planned and not in response" to the “MNF” game last November, when protesters rappelled inside the stadium. Paul said that as far as the 500-level concourse improvements are concerned, the "goal was to get people through lines more quickly." In Charlotte, Katherine Peralta in a front-page piece notes part of that "included removing all pourable drinks -- think draft beer and fountain sodas -- from the fixed concession stands because they slow down lines." Paul added that if the 500-level changes "go over well with fans, the team plans to make similar changes to other concourses" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 7/20).
HEART OF STONE: The Panthers on Monday unveiled a statue of team Owner Jerry Richardson outside of Bank of America Stadium, and ESPN’s Will Cain said, “Here’s what’s wonderful about that statue: it is done with such a level of self-awareness. … No one looks at that statue and goes, ‘Really tasteful statue you put there, Jerry.’" Cain: "I understand it was given to him, but I am sure he had some discretion on whether or not it went in front of the stadium. He knows all of that and embraced it and ran with it and that is wonderful” (“Mike & Mike,” ESPN Radio, 7/20). But ESPN's Jalen Rose said , "I hate this idea. ... You can’t give yourself your own nickname, you can’t buy your own statue." Rose: "He better put a statue of Cam Newton out there before he puts one of himself" (“Jalen & Jacoby,” ESPNews, 7/20). Meanwhile, ESPN’s Pablo Torre said, “This is a statue that looks like it belongs outside of a post-apocalyptic city” (“PTI,” ESPN, 7/19).
