The Chapel Hill Town Council unanimously approved up to $98 million in bonds Wednesday to fund old and new athletic construction projects on UNC's campus.
Kristen Kirby represented McGuireWoods, the firm working with The Rams Club to establish the bonds, at the Town Council meeting on Wednesday.
The bond is essentially a loan approved by the Town of Chapel Hill that will provide The Rams Club the funds for improving UNC athletic facilities through BB&T bank. The Rams Club will have to pay back the money it receives from the Town with interest.
“We're here before you tonight because the federal tax code requires that there be an approval in principle of the issuance of the bonds by the highest elected body having jurisdiction over the issuer and over the location of the project,” Kirby said at the meeting.
Additionally, she said the town approving the issuance of the bonds doesn't have an impact on the town's liability and isn't necessarily an endorsement of the bonds.
The Educational Foundation, Inc., more commonly known as The Rams Club, previously had interim construction financing from BB&T and now will convert to permanent financing through the issuance of these tax-exempt bonds. BB&T will purchase the bonds immediately after they're issued, according to a letter McGuireWoods submitted on behalf of The Rams Club to the town.
The type of tax-exempt bonds being issued are commonly issued by municipal, county or state governments for infrastructure projects like school buildings and roads.
The Rams Club is a nonprofit whose mission is "to offer financial aid to worthy young men and women seeking an education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and to support University programs by providing services and funds for the construction of facilities or purchase of equipment.”
Diane Aldridge, chief financial officer and general counsel for The Rams Club, confirmed the bonds are tax-exempt because federal tax law allows nonprofit entities with a 501(c)(3) letter to borrow on a tax-exempt basis.
