No City Funds for New Concert Hall; Stadium Money Still on Hold Until Contracts Clear
Charlotte City Council approved three stadium-related votes: a bond finding needed for state review, a five-year lease of 705 W. 4th St. for construction staging, and a lease change allowing a 4,400-seat indoor venue at Bank of America Stadium. No city dollars were approved for the hall, and no stadium payments will be made until final contracts are signed and the Local Government Commission signs off, the city’s CFO said. Two members voted no on the bond and staging items; the concert hall passed unanimously.
Key Takeaways
- The 4,400-seat performance venue is privately funded.
- The bond vote is procedural; no payments occur until final contracts and Local Government Commission approval.
- Council leased 705 W. 4th St. for construction staging tied to renovation work.
- The concert hall passed unanimously; two members voted no on the bond and lay-down items.
What This Does / Doesn’t Do
Does
- Start the state review process for stadium financing.
- Secure staging space at 705 W. 4th St. for construction.
- Allow a mid-size indoor concert venue at the stadium campus.
Doesn’t
- Cut a check to Tepper Sports & Entertainment.
- Exempt construction from noise or work-hour limits.
- Use city dollars for the performance venue.
What Council Approved
1) Bond Findings for Special Obligation Debt (Item 9)
A required step before the Local Government Commission considers the stadium financing plan. CFO Matt Hassett told Council no payments will be made until contracts are finalized and approvals are complete.
Vote: Approved. No: Renee Johnson, Tiawana Brown.
2) 705 W. 4th St. Lay-Down Lease (Item 10)
A 60-month lease of city-owned land for construction staging, parking, and related purposes during renovation work.
Vote: Approved. No: Johnson, Brown.
3) Lease Amendment for a 4,400-Seat Indoor Venue (Item 11)
Clears the way for a privately funded concert hall on the stadium campus. Staff said the venue is indoor and that noise and construction-hour rules still apply; no special carve-outs were granted.
Vote: Approved unanimously.
Who Said What
- Matt Hassett, CFO: “No payment has been made… the contracts have not been finalized… this is part of the process to allow us to get all the contracts fully executed.”
- Malcolm Graham: The venue is a “shot in the arm” for Third Ward’s nightlife and jobs.
- Dimple Ajmera: Backed the venue and noted there are no city funds in the hall; framed the bond step as a contractual obligation while pressing for transparency.
- Renee Johnson: Supported the venue because it uses no public dollars; voted no on the bond and lay-down items.
- LaWana Mayfield: Confirmed standard noise and work-hour compliance will apply to construction.
- Ed Driggs: Described the actions as part of a long-term relationship with the team.
The Vote Map
| Item | Result |
|---|---|
| 9 — Bond Findings (A–C) | Approved; No: Johnson, Brown |
| 10 — 705 W. 4th St. Lease (A–C) | Approved; No: Johnson, Brown |
| 11 — Performance Venue Lease Amendment (A–B) | Approved unanimously |
What Changes on the Ground
- Staging: Expect activity at 705 W. 4th St. as renovations sequence.
- Programming: A 4,400-seat hall can book tours that are too big for clubs and too small for arenas, concentrating nightly foot traffic in Uptown and Third Ward.
- Compliance: Construction remains subject to the city’s noise ordinance and work-hour rules.
What’s Next
- Contracts: Final stadium renovation agreements must be executed before any money moves.
- State Review: The Local Government Commission will review the bond plan.
- Permits and Design: Venue plans will move through design and code review.
- Operations: Programming choices will determine how many new nights Uptown gains.
- Neighborhood: Track construction calendars and complaint-to-compliance outcomes.
Read More From The Charlotte Mercury
We break it down, not just break it. Start at The Charlotte Mercury, browse News, and go deep on Politics. Our election hub, Poll Dance 2025, has the civic choreography without the glitter: Poll Dance 2025.
About the Author
Jack Beckett is The Charlotte Mercury’s senior writer. He drinks his coffee like his meeting agendas: strong, black, and sorted by action item. If you see him at a zoning hearing, he probably brought an extra pen and a thermos big enough to count as infrastructure.
Say Hi, Send Tips, Roast Our Headlines
Message us on X or Twitter (we call it Twix) at x.com/queencityexp. Then read, share, and subscribe at The Charlotte Mercury. Don’t miss News, Politics, and our mildly acerbic election hub, Poll Dance 2025.
The Fine Print
Creative Commons License
© 2025 The Charlotte Mercury / Strolling Ballantyne
This article, “No City Funds for New Concert Hall; Stadium Money Still on Hold Until Contracts Clear,” by Jack Beckett is licensed under CC BY-ND 4.0.
“No City Funds for New Concert Hall; Stadium Money Still on Hold Until Contracts Clear”
by Jack Beckett, The Charlotte Mercury (CC BY-ND 4.0)