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 Bank
of America Stadium
Charlotte, NC
In a state known for Tobacco Road
and NCAA Basketball, professional football has been a part of the
Carolina sports scene for over a decade. The push for a NFL
franchise in the Carolinas began in the mid to late 1980s, after
Charlotte was awarded an expansion NBA franchise. In 1987, former
NFL player Jerry Richardson led the effort to obtain an expansion
franchise. Richardson was joined by politicians, citizens and businesses from both North and South Carolina in his bid for a team
and to construct a new stadium. Prior to being awarded a
franchise, several sites were under consideration for the location
of a new stadium. Possibilites included near Lowes Motor Speedway,
in Center City in Charlotte, and Carowinds Amusement Park where the 50 yard line would be on the
NC/SC border.
Professional football in Charlotte
became a step closer to reality in 1991, when the NFL announced
they would expand by two teams. Five cities were in the running
for the two teams, including Charlotte, St. Louis, Baltimore,
Memphis and Jacksonville. Fans in Charlotte had always dreamed
of having a local NFL team. In October 1993, that dream became a
reality when the NFL announced that Charlotte would receive a
franchise. Named the Carolina Panthers, they would begin playing in
1995. After being awarded a franchise, Richardson announced that
the Panthers stadium would be built in Center City in Charlotte
and financed through the sales of Personal Seat Licenses. Originally, LM Ericsson bought the naming rights
and the stadium was named Ericsson Stadium. In January 2004, the
Panthers and Bank of America agreed on a 20 year deal to rename
Ericsson Stadium, Bank of America Stadium. Bank of America Stadium was not complete in time for the
1995 season. The Panthers had to play their inaugural season at
Memorial Stadium, home of the Clemson Tigers (NCAA).
Bank of America Stadium was completed for the
start of the 1996 season. It ushered in a new wave of stadiums in
the NFL as more than a dozen stadiums have opened since 1996. The Carolina Panthers played their first
game at the stadium on September 14, 1996. Bank of America Stadium
is one of the NFL's premier stadiums from the inside to outside.
Located right outside of downtown Charlotte, the facade of Bank of
America Stadium is very unique. It consists of massive archways
and domed towers. Bank of America Stadium features a striking
black obsidian granite facade. A pair of black panthers, each
eight-feet-tall and weighing
2,000
pounds, perched on ten-foot pedestals, are located on both sides
of each of the three 80-foot arched entrances. Lit and glowing
every night 48-foot
diameter light domes atop the entry towers.
Bank of America Stadium consists of over
73,000 blue and silver seats in three tiers that circle the
playing field. It has many amenities including the Bank
of America club and 158 luxury suites. Bank of America Stadium
also includes three practice facilities, training facilities, and
administrative offices. The stadium has changed little since its
opening in 1996. A new 31.5ft by 77ft High Definition Diamondvision scoreboard was added before the 2008 season.
Each December, Bank of America Stadium hosts the Car Care Bowl
that matches the ACC #5/6/7 team against the Big East #3 team.
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