“We’ve seen more than 77,625 visitors come to Spartanburg to watch the Carolina Panthers practice this summer,” said Allen Smith, President of the Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce.
“That exceeds any previous Panthers Camp record, and sets a pretty high standard for 2016,” Smith stated. Smith noted the Spartanburg Convention & Visitors Bureau (SCVB) tracks annual training camp statistics, dating back more than 20 years.
The Panthers completed two days of joint practices with the Miami Dolphins, and now host a pre-season game against the Dolphins on Saturday at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
“The excitement surrounding this year’s team, back-to-back NFC South division championships, fan enhancements in partnership with Lowe’s, and the efforts of the Spartanburg community led to record attendance numbers,” said Panthers team President Danny Morrison. “In addition, our players were most appreciative of the tremendous support.”
The SCVB is conducting research again this year to gauge the spending and economic impact of visitors to training camp, and Smith said he expects it to exceed $6 million in 2015. The final report is due by mid-September.
“Attendance is up more than 58 percent from 2014, so we expect a significant increase in spending and impact to Spartanburg County this year,” said Smith.
Panthers Training Camp presented by Lowe’s is held at Wofford College, where team owner/founder Jerry Richardson played wide receiver and earned All-America football honors.
All training camp practices are free and open to the public, with each practice session lasting between 90 minutes and two hours.
The Spartanburg Convention & Visitors Bureau (SCVB) is the official destination marketing organization for the City and County of Spartanburg, South Carolina. The CVB was established in 1986 as a division of the Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce.
Located in the foothills of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, Spartanburg is known for its Revolutionary War battles, as well as a rich textile and agricultural history. Home to a thriving arts and culture community, Spartanburg also offers visitors plentiful outdoor recreation opportunities as well as stunning scenic views.
Originally called the Hub City for its railroad crossroads, Spartanburg is conveniently located at the junction of Interstates 26 and 85, making it easily accessible from Columbia, SC, Atlanta, GA, Asheville and Charlotte, NC.