Charlotte Loses CIAA Tournament To Baltimore

CHARLOTTE, NC — The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association will move its tournament, which Charlotte has hosted since 2005, to Baltimore in 2021, the organization announced. It's the oldest African-American athletic conference in the nation, founded in 1912. The last time Baltimore hosted the tournament was in 1951.

The move is seen as a major economic loss for the Queen City, which saw an influx of about $50 million in tourism dollars last year.

Charlotte, Norfolk and Baltimore submitted bids for the event, which draws thousands of fans from around the country.

"The centrality of entertainment, the centrality of hotels...had a real impact on our decision," said Dr. James A. Anderson on behalf of the CIAA board of directors, at a press conference Tuesday, Jan. 8, in Baltimore.

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Mayor Catherine Pugh thanked the committee for selecting Baltimore, during the announcement at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum. "It's more than just basketball," Pugh said of the CIAA, explaining it provided a reason for people to come to the city and was also somewhat of a "fashion show."

The week-long event will be the "Super Bowl for Baltimore," Visit Baltimore President/CEO Al Hutchinson said. He noted the tournament was held in February, which can provide a boost for the hospitality industry during a traditionally challenging time of year.

In fact, there was a $50.5 million impact on Charlotte from the conference in 2018, according to the Charlotte Observer, which cited tourism data.

"This is an exciting time for the CIAA as we have an opportunity to bring the basketball tournament to a new market, moving it closer to many of our northern institutions who have traveled to Charlotte for more than a decade," CIAA Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams said in a statement.

The CIAA will be held in Baltimore from 2021 to 2023.

According to the Charlotte Observer, the CIAA is the latest of several high-profile organizations to move its tournaments out of state. The NBA and NCAA left North Carolina after it passed a law limiting legal protections for LGBTQ individuals in bathrooms. The law has since been rolled back, and athletic tournaments have returned to North Carolina.

Patch Editor Elizabeth Janney contributed.

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