© 2024 WFAE
90.7 Charlotte 93.7 Southern Pines 90.3 Hickory 106.1 Laurinburg
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Charlotte's MLS Ceremony Will Be Tuesday In Uptown

Major League Soccer is scheduled to award its 30th team to Charlotte in a ceremony uptown on Tuesday.

The city of Charlotte on Wednesday released documents related to the city being awarded the league's newest team.

One is a request - which has been approved - to allow production trucks to park on the Levine Avenue of the Arts outside the Mint Museum on Monday and Tuesday. The ceremony is expected to be held Tuesday morning.

The other document is a letter that Mayor Vi Lyles sent to MLS Commissioner Don Garber on Nov. 21. In that letter, Lyles said the city is "excited" about being awarded a team, and lists several steps the city is prepared to take.

One is that the city will spend $110 million in tourism taxes to renovate Bank of America Stadium to make it a better venue for soccer. The letter also states that the team's headquarters and practice facility will be at the old Eastland Mall.

Lyles also said the city will work to build an "entertainment district" between center city and what she called the Gateway District. The city is building Gateway Station five blocks from Bank of America Stadium on Trade Street.

The letter was sent after council members tentatively approved the incentives in a closed session meeting. Council members still must approve the incentives in an open session meeting.

By state law, tourism tax revenue - which come from taxes levied on hotel rooms and restaurant and bar tabs - are restricted to use on tourism purposes.

The new team will be owned by Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper, who was awarded the team over bids from Phoenix and Las Vegas.

Letter From Charlotte Mayor To MLS Commissioner

Steve Harrison is WFAE's politics and government reporter. Prior to joining WFAE, Steve worked at the Charlotte Observer, where he started on the business desk, then covered politics extensively as the Observer’s lead city government reporter. Steve also spent 10 years with the Miami Herald. His work has appeared in The Washington Post, the Sporting News and Sports Illustrated.