The Rock Hill City Council approved the sale of about 25 acres at Palmetto Research Park to Novant Health on Monday, clearing the way for a medical campus the city estimates will draw more than $300 million in investment and create 255 full time jobs.
The decision repurposes one of York County’s most closely watched parcels, a high profile tract that has sat largely empty since plans for a Carolina Panthers training facility and headquarters collapsed. For Rock Hill and the surrounding communities, the deal promises expanded access to medical care and a major employer on land the city has spent years trying to redevelop.
The 25 acres sit within a 209 acre site along Interstate 77, accessible from Exit 81, at Palmetto Parkway and Mount Gallant Road. The city has targeted the research park for life sciences and medical uses, citing the stability and higher wages those industries bring.
“Novant Health has a longstanding history in our area, known for an exceptional standard of care,” said Mayor John Gettys. “We’re so pleased they’re choosing to grow their regional footprint at this premier site in Rock Hill.”
Under the agreement, Novant Health will have a due diligence period to investigate the site before closing on the purchase. WBTV reported that the deal could close by October. The city said it does not yet know when construction will begin.
Chris Bowe, president of the Novant Health Charlotte Region, said the purchase reflects the company’s commitment to expanding care in the area. “Novant Health has proudly served Rock Hill and the surrounding communities for many years through our specialty institutes, physician clinics, and more recently through our investment in Miracle Park,” Bowe said. The health system is based in Winston Salem, North Carolina.
A site with a complicated past
The land carries a contentious history. Tepper Sports and Entertainment had planned to build the Panthers’ practice facility and headquarters there before pulling out in 2022, leaving a dispute among the team, the city and York County. South Carolina Public Radio reported that the half built structure was torn down in 2023, and the property has been vacant since. The failed project also drew scrutiny over public money, including roughly $21 million in taxpayer funds tied to the facility, according to WCNC, which reported that no criminal charges resulted.
The city has worked to give the property a new identity since then. In April 2025, the Rock Hill Planning Commission unanimously recommended rezoning the tract for general industrial use, and the city rebranded it as Palmetto Research Park later that year.
Gettys said the city is continuing to pursue additional recruitment at the park as it builds out the life sciences vision.
The purchase and sale agreement still must move through the due diligence period before the deal is final, with closing expected by October.
