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Parker Poe

Explore Our Capabilities

Sports & Entertainment Facilities

Overview

Over the past decade, collaboration among the sports, entertainment, and real estate industries has surged. Diverse stakeholders — including team owners, venue and land owners, developers and investors, colleges and universities, and local governments — have recognized the growing demand for stadiums and arenas. This demand, coupled with the revenue potential of mixed-use developments that create an urban living experience near or adjacent to these venues, has fueled significant growth in this space.

With dedicated teams in real estate and development, sports and entertainment, and government, Parker Poe is the trusted choice for clients navigating sports and entertainment facilities projects that deliver lasting community impact. Our multidisciplinary team includes skilled legal advisors in land use and zoning, real estate transactions, tax, finance, environmental law, construction, economic development, government relations and public policy, and sports-related contract negotiation.

Parker Poe's Development Services Industry Team includes more than 50 dedicated attorneys across the Carolinas, Georgia, and Washington, DC. Our deep bench of experience helps us achieve desired results for our clients at any stage of the development life cycle. We are proud to have supported a variety of sports and entertainment facilities projects, from the development of vibrant entertainment districts to the restructuring and expansion of major and minor league ballparks. Additionally, we have played key roles in public-private partnerships (P3) projects, successfully leveraging the strengths of both public and private entities to deliver projects that might not be feasible if undertaken separately. Learn more about the team here.

Parker Poe’s Sports & Entertainment Industry Team clients rely on us for legal advice that is grounded in a deep understanding of their business needs and their evolving industry. We frequently serve as outside general counsel, guiding clients through intellectual property management, contract negotiation, brand strategy, and many other aspects of their businesses. Learn more about the team here.

The firm’s experienced local, state, and federal government relations team advises clients on permitting and other administrative approvals that come up during the project life cycle. Clients turn to this team to help secure government buy-in. Attorneys are experienced at representing clients through the process of securing government grants, pursuing incentives and direct appropriations, or, in some cases, advising on ballot measures and supporting bond referenda for various public bond projects. Where more traditional financing routes may not make sense, our team has worked closely with domestic and international companies as well as investment funds and their advisors interested in supporting sports infrastructure in the U.S. and across the globe to find creative solutions to what can be challenging capital costs. Learn more about the team here.

Representative Experience

  • Representing the developer in the rezoning and development of 80 acres around the Lenovo Center indoor stadium, to create a new sports and entertainment district in North Carolina's growing Capitol. The rezoning allows for a new live music venue, up to 4,200 apartments, and up to 3.1 million square feet of hotel, retail, office, and food and beverage amenities. The project also allows for building heights up to 40 stories and outdoor tailgate experiences that will provide new ways for college football, basketball, and pro hockey fans to experience the space between the existing North Carolina State University Carter-Finley Stadium and the Lenovo Center. Our attorneys advised on securing entitlements, zoning, and site plan efforts, as well as serving as local counsel on leases, development agreements, regulatory work, and related agreements. 
  • Represented Events DC (the official Washington Convention and Sports Authority) in connection with the development and construction of the Entertainment and Sports Arena, a multipurpose venue capable of hosting sporting, music, esports, and other events. The facility also serves as the home court for a WNBA franchise and the training center for an NBA franchise. Negotiated both the development and funding agreements between Events DC and the NBA franchise that governed both the development and use of the new facility. Scope of work also included negotiating the agreements with the design and construction teams as well as a completion guarantee agreement for the entire project.
  • Represented the City of Gastonia in a redevelopment project in the FUSE district of downtown. The project was structured as a public-private partnership (P3) focused on redeveloping underutilized parcels that had previously held a factory, warehouses, and mills, along with multiple property acquisitions on the part of the City. Advised on negotiating the economic development agreement with the developer/team owner to develop the parcels surrounding the ballpark, including conveyance of city-owned parcels to the private partners for future development, drafting and negotiating the use and operating agreement for the ballpark and team office space lease agreements, and negotiation of a new operating agreement and lease for the city’s FUSE stadium with the new minor league baseball team owner which was necessary after an unexpected bankruptcy filing by the prior operator and tenant.
  • Represented a local government in connection with the development of a new Major League Soccer stadium.  Negotiated both the acquisition of the footprint and the necessary easements that "unlocked" the site. Also advised on negotiating a development and funding agreement between the Government of the District of Columbia and the Major League Soccer franchise as well as the ground lease between those parties.
  • Served as the lead counsel to the Government of the District of Columbia and the District of Columbia Sports and Entertainment Commission (DCSEC) for the development a new $611 million ballpark for a Major League Baseball franchise. Served as land use counsel, and negotiated the acquisition of the majority of the footprint not otherwise acquired through eminent domain. Also negotiated the design and construction agreements, and the completion guarantee agreement with the development entities. Also negotiated the construction administration agreement between DCSEC and the MLB franchise which governed the rights of the parties during the development of the ballpark, as well as various use agreements.
  • Represented the City of Kannapolis in a major redevelopment of its downtown district including the addition of a minor league baseball stadium and mixed-use properties. Assisted in structuring the public private partnership (P3), drafting the original MOU, master development agreement, and parking garage agreement (including advising on appropriate ordinance revisions), as well as advising on statutory authorities related to public bidding laws. Assisted with the disposition of publicly owned buildings and facilities to accommodate the redevelopment and provided all necessary environmental regulatory advice related to the brownfields process. Bond attorneys advised on the $52 million bond financing for the stadium project. Also assisted with financing documents, including separating out lots for the financing, and reassignment and modification of the master development agreement.

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