Charlotte officials have made a bid to bring back the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association basketball tournament to the city for the first time since 2020.
A letter signed by Charlotte City Council member Malcolm Graham, Danny Morrison from the Charlotte Sports Foundation, and Steve Bagwell from the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority shows the city is looking to lure the CIAA tournament back.
The CIAA tournament was hosted in Charlotte from 2006 to 2020 and featured both men’s and women’s teams from HBCUs. Since then, the tournament has moved north to Baltimore and is set to remain there until 2026.
Graham said city partners vying for the bid are aware of the challenges they may face in trying to host the tournament once again.
"Obviously, we recognize that lodging, facility rental, and those things are key ingredients, for a successful bid," Graham said. "So we'll work with them as much as we can to remedy those things.
Graham also noted that the growth of uptown with restaurants, newer hotels and the proximity to the Spectrum Center could be a difference-maker.
In 2019, CIAA officials told WFAE that there were many reasons for the move, including complaints of price gouging at hotels in Charlotte. The tournament generated $50 million a year for the city's economy. Axios Charlotte first reported the letter.