In an interview with the Charlotte Observer’s Rick Bonnell, Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper makes his initial pitch for a new retractable roof stadium to replace Bank of America Stadium. Tepper’s dream is a retractable roof stadium that would not only house the Panthers but could also host an NCAA Final Four.

“How the heck can you not have a Final Four in North Carolina when Indianapolis has one all the freakin’ time? It’s ridiculous. There is some pride involved here,” Tepper says.

That’s a pretty strong statement. Of course the question is where would the new stadium be located:

“If we can do something (in uptown), we would do that. To have something in Charlotte is great. If we can do it someplace near where we are, where so many people can walk to it, that’s a great place for a stadium. So you’d like it to be as close as where you are as you could in the future.

“There is different land around, so we may have to do something (elsewhere), but again it’s going to (have to) be with the city; we can’t do stuff by ourselves. It’s hard; you have to change a lot of zoning and other things.”

Always interesting to note the reader comments beneath a news article. The prevailing thought among readers here? We knew this was coming.