Former Panther files discrimination lawsuit against city of Shelby

SHELBY, N.C. — A former Carolina Panther is suing the city of Shelby over a failed youth sports complex.

Willie Green filed a discrimination and defamation lawsuit, but the city attorney claims, by law, the city can't be sued.

Green was one of the original Panthers before playing for the Denver Broncos.

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He wanted to build an $8 million sports complex in his hometown with a leasing agreement from the city.

Green said the city backed out.

In a lawsuit, Green said the city manager claimed that Green couldn't finance the complex and that he would unlawfully use taxpayers’ money to pay for it.

Green's attorney said he was denied a fair consideration of his business proposals because he is African-American and his company was minority-owned.

The Rev. Dante Murphy works for the Southern Coalition for Equal Protections Under Law.

He said the city manager is attacking Green's character.

"There are concerted efforts to keep minorities kind of on the outside when it comes to businesses,” Murphy said. “You have a former NFL football player who is trying to do some good things for the community, but he gets blocked at every opportunity.”

The city attorney said Monday in court that by law, the city can't be sued.

Cox Media Group