Charlotte tries to lure another basketball tournament back. Here’s its pitch to CIAA
Charlotte is working to bring a longstanding basketball tournament back to town.
The city is working with the Charlotte Sports Foundation and Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority on a bid to host the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments from 2027 through 2029, spokespersons for the foundation and CRVA confirmed.
Charlotte was home to the Division II HBCU tournament from 2006 to 2020. That run generated an estimated $600 million in economic impact, tourism officials said at the time. And eight of the league’s 13 member schools are located in the Carolinas. But the CIAA moved the event to Baltimore in 2021 amid a drop in attendance and allegations of price gouging by some hotels.
Now, Charlotte leaders are making a run at bringing the tournament back to North Carolina, writing in a letter to the conference announcing an intent to bid that the event is “a significant and cherished part of our city’s story.”
“The CIAA Basketball Tournaments have always been more than games; they represent a celebration of excellence, tradition, and opportunity. Charlotte has long embraced these values, and we are committed to creating an environment where these priorities can thrive,” the letter says.
The effort to return the CIAA tournament to Charlotte was first reported by Axios Charlotte and HBCU Gameday.
Charlotte’s bid for CIAA tournaments
In the Jan. 27 letter announcing the bid — signed by City Council member Malcolm Graham, foundation executive director Danny Morrison and CRVA CEO Steve Bagwell — Charlotte leaders touted the city’s “dynamic blend of world-class venues, thriving cultural attractions, and unmatched hospitality.”
“Our infrastructure, accessibility, and commitment to guest experience make us an ideal partner for hosting a marquee event of this magnitude,” the letter says.
The letter does not provide additional details about Charlotte’s bid such as financial incentives or venue options. Graham, an alumnus of CIAA member school Johnson C. Smith University, told the Observer the city doesn’t want to “tip its hand” amid a competitive bid process but is prepared to work with the CRVA, state of North Carolina and other partners on its bid.
“We will circle the wagons with organizations and institutions that can really help us craft a bid that will be compelling,” he said.
It’s difficult to beat out an “incumbent” city for an event, but doing so would be a win for Charlotte’s economy and HBCU culture, Graham said.
“We will put out best foot forward,” he said.
The city isn’t a stranger to postseason basketball.
In addition to the CIAA’s earlier run, the ACC’s Men’s Basketball Tournament will return to the Spectrum Center for the 14th time in March. The Spectrum Center also hosted early round NCAA men’s basketball tournament games in 2024, with March Madness scheduled to return to uptown in 2027.
The CIAA will announce the host city for its 2027-2029 tournaments before the 2026 event, according to a previous statement on the bidding process. A conference spokesperson did not immediately respond to Observer questions about Charlotte’s intent to bid and the criteria for selecting a host city.
League Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams-Parker told the Observer earlier this year “there’s an opportunity” for the tournament to return to Charlotte, especially if there’s a unified bid bringing together the city, state and other “key leaders.”
“Ultimately we want to find or come back to a space that’s going to give us the best opportunity to give our student-athletes the best opportunity in a venue. Our fans the best opportunities in hotels at reasonable rates. And our fans to be a part of an experience that allows the CIAA to have exposure and not be lost in other things that don’t have any value to the CIAA,” she said. “So it’s a balance.”
Baltimore is slated to host the tournament through 2026. Spokespersons for the city of Baltimore and Baltimore’s tourism bureau did not immediately respond to Observer questions about their city’s future plans for the event.
Why did CIAA tournament leave Charlotte before?
The tournament’s 2019 decision to leave Charlotte for Baltimore followed slumping attendance numbers and allegations of price gouging by some local hotels, the Observer reported at the time.
In 2018, parts of the Spectrum Center were roped off to reduce capacity from 18,000 to about 10,700. And the Ritz-Carlton hotel agreed in 2015 to refund some customers and donate $75,000 to the CIAA Scholarship Fund over a 15% service charge in the hotel’s lounge during that year’s tournament.
After the announcement, City Council member James Mitchell told reporters the CRVA put together a “piss-poor bid” to keep the tournament in Charlotte and said the Charlotte Hornets didn’t want the event to stay at the Spectrum Center.
CIAA officials told WFAE in 2019 the price gouging allegations “left a bad taste for some of our fans” despite the city’s efforts to address issues. The league also said at the time fans were pushing for a move after more than a decade in the same place.
Despite the tournament’s departure, the CIAA has maintained its headquarters in Charlotte.
The tournament has remained on the minds of some in Charlotte despite the extended absence. Former Mayor Patrick Cannon called for the city to prioritize getting the event back at a Black History Month panel in early February.
Mayor Vi Lyles said ahead of the then-final tournament in Charlotte in 2020 the city would “always bid on the CIAA.”
The letter announcing the latest bid calls it “an opportunity to strengthen and renew the bond between the CIAA and the Charlotte community.”
“Our city’s diverse and welcoming community is eager to support and celebrate the CIAA, ensuring that its presence in Charlotte is met with the respect and enthusiasm it deserves,” it says.
This story was originally published February 13, 2025 at 11:02 AM with the headline "Charlotte tries to lure another basketball tournament back. Here’s its pitch to CIAA."
