CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) and the City of Charlotte have agreed to exclusively negotiate a broadened partnership to include the Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament in Charlotte, N.C. The decision comes on the heels of the 69th Annual Men’s Tournament and 39th Annual Women’s Tournament, which was held Feb. 25 – March 1, 2014 and was the ninth subsequent year the event has been held in the Queen City.
The new agreement would commit the tournaments to be held in Charlotte for at least the next six years beginning in 2015. In turn, the City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County and Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA) will provide various benefits, including $1.4 million in funding annually, proceeds from which will be distributed among the 12 conference colleges and universities. In addition, the CIAA will move its conference headquarters to Charlotte in the near future, with specific timing and location to be determined. The relocation will enable the conference, the CRVA and other Charlotte entities to more effectively partner in the community, providing increased visibility for the CIAA and helping to secure enhanced sponsorships benefitting the 12 member-institutions.
“We look forward to forging an even more enhanced, collaborative and positive partnership with the City of Charlotte,” says CIAA Commissioner Jacqie Carpenter. “It’s been a home that has truly embraced the tournament and we look forward to growing the momentum we’ve experienced in these last nine years with renewed vision and energy that will help to shape the next generation of this event.”
Last year, the tournament generated a substantial economic impact for the region with $29.86 million in direct spending and $47.17 million in economic impact. The study was conducted by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA) based on widely used best practices from leading economists and the hospitality and tourism industry. A 2014 study will begin soon and will be released upon completion.
“On the heels of such a tremendous tournament, this news couldn’t have come at a better time,” says Charlotte Mayor Patrick Cannon. “I still remember helping to recruit this event to the Queen City more than a decade ago as Mayor Pro Tem so being able to keep it here for six more years is a testament to the depth of our relationship with the CIAA. This economic generator, that attracts tens of thousands of visitors here and infuses millions of dollars into our local economy, will pay dividends for years to come.”
Touted as the third most attended basketball tournament among all NCAA divisions, the CIAA Tournament has become an integral event that the Charlotte community rallies around year after year. Most importantly, it has fostered an important legacy for the future through the funding it has provided in scholarships for the 12 member institutions, enabling students to attend CIAA schools. CIAA has consistently ranked as one of Charlotte’s largest events, only second behind the 2012 Democratic National Convention to date.
The conference and CRVA intend to formalize details of the partnership over the coming months. The conference also announced that new ticket, hotel and event details are already in the planning stages for the 2015 Tournament. Fans can go to TheCIAA.com to register to receive more details as soon as they are available – planned for early June.
2014 marked the ninth year that the Tournament has been hosted in Charlotte, utilizing Time Warner Cable Arena, the Charlotte Convention Center, thousands of hotel rooms across the region and restaurant, special event and nightlife venues. With Charlotte’s compact and accessible Center City footprint serving as one of the distinct advantages for the tournament, the week-long event drew fans for a succession of fan-friendly events that complemented regular tournament play including live media broadcasts like “The Yolanda Adams Morning Show,” programming at Fan Experience presented by Toyota, exhibitions, performances and more.
About the CIAA
Founded in 1912, the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) is the oldest African-American athletic conference and one of the largest Division II conferences in the country. The CIAA conducts 16 championships attended by more than 150,000 fans from around the country. Headquartered in Hampton, Va., the CIAA is governed by the Presidents and Chancellors of its 12 member-institutions: Bowie State University, Chowan University, Elizabeth City State University, Fayetteville State University, Johnson C. Smith University, The Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, Livingstone College, Saint Augustine's University, Shaw University, Virginia State University, Virginia Union University and Winston-Salem State University. For more information on the CIAA, visit theciaa.com, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
About Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority
The Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA) works to deliver experiences that uniquely enrich the lives of our visitors and residents. Through leadership in destination development, marketing and venue management expertise, the CRVA leads efforts to maximize the region’s economic potential through visitor spending, creating jobs and opportunities for the community. Brands supported by the CRVA include the Charlotte Convention Center, Time Warner Cable Arena, Bojangles’ Coliseum, Ovens Auditorium, NASCAR Hall of Fame and Visit Charlotte in conjunction with the region’s destination marketing brand, ‘Charlotte’s got a lot.’ For more information about Charlotte, visit charlottesgotalot.com.
COURTESY CIAA MEDIA RELATIONS
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