DONE DEAL: THE PANTHERS HAS FINALLY OWNED A RACE BY SIGNING.

Reaction from Upstate leaders to Panthers’ announcement of moving their training camp to Charlotte.

FOX Carolina’s Spartanburg, South Carolina The Panthers announced on Wednesday that they will relocate training camp to Charlotte for the upcoming offseason. Except for 2020, when it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Wofford College’s campus has hosted the training camp every year since 1995. When the Carolina Panthers were first welcomed into the city, Councilman David Britt was present.

Britt estimated the number of attendees at Morgan Square to be between 3,000 and 5,000. In addition, there were bands and cheerleaders present.

According to the president of the Panthers, the team will eventually upgrade its facilities and relocate training camp to the Charlotte headquarters. There are only five NFL teams that hold their training camp on a college campus, including the Panthers.

Britt remarked, “I’ve been expecting this for three years, so I’m really not surprised.”

The team started construction on a multi-million dollar training complex in Rock Hill, but after the agreement fell through, they moved back to Wofford.

“We are grateful to the Carolina Panthers for their years hosting training camp in Spartanburg and their investments in our community, including the state’s first Play60 park and the organization’s generous support for community initiatives and quality-of-life improvements throughout our city,” said Spartanburg Mayor Jerome Rice in a statement. We hope the group and its members continue to have a positive influence on Spartanburg’s future, and we look forward to working with them in the future.

Rep. William Timmons voiced his concerns about Panthers owner David Tepper in a tweet on the app X, claiming that he had “fumbled again.” alienating SC from the “Carolina” Panthers this time. a whole lot for two states and one team.

Looking back, Britt says Spartanburg would not be the city it is today if it weren’t for former owner and Wofford alum Jerry Richardson’s decision to move the team here. Observing investments exceeding $300 million since the initial camp.

“We would not have had major league baseball visit downtown Spartanburg if Mr. Richardson’s dedication to Spartanburg and South Carolina hadn’t occurred,” Britt remarked.

“We have enjoyed our special relationship with the Carolina Panthers since the team’s founding, we will miss having them on campus and the excitement training camp brought to Spartanburg and the upstate,” Wofford College president Dr. Nayef Samhat said in a statement.