City council appears to favor Knights move to Charlotte | Sports & Recreation

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV)- Charlotte is another step closer to having professional baseball in uptown after city council members appeared to support the latest deal to build a new stadium.

The Charlotte Knights presented council members a new proposal on Tuesday in a bid to move the team from Fort Mill into Charlotte.

The Knights have been trying for years to get everything in place to build a new stadium in Charlotte's 3rd Ward. The proposed site would be at the corner of South Mint and Third streets.

The latest proposal asks for the city to chip in $8.5 million to help in the move.

Most city council members indicated Tuesday they could support a plan to provide the money, but no formal vote is expected before June 11.

City staffers propose giving the team $7.25 million from hotel and motel tax revenues; the rest of the money would come from an uptown booster group, Center City Partners.

The Knights originally asked for $11 million from the city, but council members balked.

The Knights hope to have a stadium in uptown Charlotte by the 2014 season. The team has said a new stadium would double its annual attendance, to 600,000.

Supporters say moving the team to Charlotte could bring a $2.1 billion economic impact to the city.