Tuesday, May 22, 2018
City Council’s LaWana Mayfield defends her more controversial social media posts and we hear all about what the new owner of the Panthers might mean for the team and the city.
Part One: Charlotte city councilwoman LaWana Mayfield responds to criticism over her recent social media posts
Charlotte City councilwoman LaWana Mayfield has come under fire recently for comments she's made on social media. Last week, a comment she shared on Twitter in March came to light - she tweeted: "Being Black in America under #45 has created homegrown terrorist wearing blue uniforms. #AReckoningIsComing"
Her comparison of police officers to terrorists has sparked outrage among law enforcement. Chief Kerr Putney condemned the comments, saying her allegations are wrong and she's painting law enforcement "with a broad brush." Mayfield has since responded that she continues to be "one of the strongest supporters of law enforcement but I will NOT turn a blind eye to corruption."
Last month, she was in the spotlight for sharing a conspiracy theory about 9/11 on her Facebook page. "I am still waiting for someone to produce pieces of the alleged plane that opened the doors for US Citizens to loose (sic) all privacy rights (from the conspiracy theorist in me)" the post read.
Mike Collins sits down with councilwoman Mayfield to hear her explanation of some of the comments she's made recently.
Guest
LaWana Mayfield, Charlotte city councilwoman, representing District 3. She is a democrat serving her fourth term
Part Two: What new ownership for Carolina Panthers could mean for the team and Charlotte
The Carolina Panthers officially announced a new ownerlast week. Billionaire hedge fund manager and minority owner of the Pittsburg Steelers David Tepper agreed to buy the team for $2.275 billion, a record NFL sales price.
When former owner Jerry Richardson announced he would sell the team after allegations of sexual and racial misconduct surfaced, speculation has swirled about possible owners. There were concerns over whether that new owner would keep the team in Charlotte, or demand a brand new costly stadium. Under Tepper's ownership, the team will likely remain in Charlotte, but many questions remain, especially about the future of Bank of America stadium.
The city has already set aside $75 million for renovations of the stadium. It's unclear what the new owner will want and city leaders are anxious to sit down with him to discuss a new agreement. The city’s current agreement, which legally tethers the franchise to Charlotte ends in June 2019. The NFL is meeting in Atlanta this week and Tepper is expected to be approved easily by the league. The sale will become official in July.
We'll talk about what we know about Tepper, discuss what new ownership could bring for a team that's only had one owner in its 25 years, and consider the future of the Panthers in Charlotte. We talk with reporters and a city council member about that and more.
Guests
Rick Rothacker, Business reporter for The Charlotte Observer
Erik Spanberg, Senior staff writer, Charlotte Business Journal
