Jafus (Thinker)
Well-Known Member
Posted By Bro. Askia Musa Afiba on the Onnidan site
Charlotte presses full court for CIAA
http://www.theciaa.com
Sports and business leaders make pitch
to school presidents to bring tournament here
http://www.thecharlottepost.com/sports.html
By Herbert L. White
herb.white@thecharlottepost.com
Charlotte's taking a big-league approach to landing the CIAA basketball tournament.
Mitchell
Government, business and hospitality officials took officials from several CIAA schools on a whirlwind tour of Charlotte that included the new downtown arena and the Bobcats-Orlando NBA game as guests of Bobcats owner Bob Johnson. Among the group was Johnson C. Smith President Dorothy Cowser Yancy, Elizabeth City State University Chancellor Mickey Burnim, chairman of the league's presidents committee and Charles Waddell, vice chancellor at Fayetteville State University and a former Carolina Panthers executive.
"We are really excited about the possibility of having the CIAA tournmament come to Charlotte," Yancy said. "We remain optimistic because our bid was competitive."
"They were just blown away" by the Charlotte presentation, Charlotte City Council member James Mitchell said. "It was impressive to see that the African American community is putting a lot of sweat equity into the tournament. Bob (Johnson) shook hands and let them know they're welcome here."
There's a lot riding on Charlotte's presentation. Next week, CIAA officials will decide whether to move the tournament here for 2006-08 or keep it in Raleigh, the host city since 1999.
Potential host cities were asked to submit bids guaranteeing a minimum of $1.3 million over three years for scholarships. Charlotte's bid of $1.52 million includes $225,000 pledged by African American businesses, with the remainder coming from corporate and private sources. Last year's tournament pumped $12 million into Raleigh's economy.
"We're showing them the money and we're showing them why they should come here," Mitchell said. "I'm excited because of the positive feedback we had from the chancellors.
The cost of hosting the CIAA is going up.
The league proposes a minimum of $600,000 in guaranteed scholarships be paid to the league annually throughout the three-year contract, nearly double the $340,000 Raleigh will pay in 2005, the final year of its deal.
Raleigh has grown the tournament into an economic bonanza, with cumulative attendance topping 100,000 for a week of games and tournament-related events. It's the No. 1 sports attraction in Raleigh, topping events at N.C. State University and the Aggie-Eagle Classic football game between N.C. A&T and N.C. Central universities.
In addition to scholarships, CIAA leaders want 400 free parking spaces at the tournament site for conference use and a minimum $75,000 in marketing and promotions. The tournament received $30,000 in marketing and promotions from the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Charlotte is banking on the proximity of 12 hotels, restaurants and other downtown attractions to the arena, something Raleigh's RBC Center doesn't have.
"Our whole thing is you can walk to the CIAA," Mitchell said. "You're going to walk to the tournament, you're going to walk to the hotel, you're going to walk to the restaurants."
League officials and Charlotte backers concede Raleigh's RBC Center, which has 40 skyboxes compared to Charlotte Coliseum's 14, was the difference-maker in 2001 when Charlotte lost out. But the new Charlotte arena, which opens in 2005, seats 20,200 for college basketball and contains 60 skyboxes and luxury suites.
The Bobcats will make 47 suites available to the league and school presidents, Mitchell said. The NBA team will also provide the presidents an office to conduct school business throughout the week.
Charlotte's 12 center city hotels - which have a combined 4,000 rooms - also agreed to lock their rates throughout the tournament's three-year stay.
Mitchell said Charlotte's combination of state of the art arena and amenities within walking distance will be hard to beat.
"Do I think the stars are lining up?" Mitchell asked. "Yes I do. "We showed them we want them. We put our best foot forward."
Charlotte presses full court for CIAA
http://www.theciaa.com
Sports and business leaders make pitch
to school presidents to bring tournament here
http://www.thecharlottepost.com/sports.html
By Herbert L. White
herb.white@thecharlottepost.com
Charlotte's taking a big-league approach to landing the CIAA basketball tournament.
Mitchell
Government, business and hospitality officials took officials from several CIAA schools on a whirlwind tour of Charlotte that included the new downtown arena and the Bobcats-Orlando NBA game as guests of Bobcats owner Bob Johnson. Among the group was Johnson C. Smith President Dorothy Cowser Yancy, Elizabeth City State University Chancellor Mickey Burnim, chairman of the league's presidents committee and Charles Waddell, vice chancellor at Fayetteville State University and a former Carolina Panthers executive.
"We are really excited about the possibility of having the CIAA tournmament come to Charlotte," Yancy said. "We remain optimistic because our bid was competitive."
"They were just blown away" by the Charlotte presentation, Charlotte City Council member James Mitchell said. "It was impressive to see that the African American community is putting a lot of sweat equity into the tournament. Bob (Johnson) shook hands and let them know they're welcome here."
There's a lot riding on Charlotte's presentation. Next week, CIAA officials will decide whether to move the tournament here for 2006-08 or keep it in Raleigh, the host city since 1999.
Potential host cities were asked to submit bids guaranteeing a minimum of $1.3 million over three years for scholarships. Charlotte's bid of $1.52 million includes $225,000 pledged by African American businesses, with the remainder coming from corporate and private sources. Last year's tournament pumped $12 million into Raleigh's economy.
"We're showing them the money and we're showing them why they should come here," Mitchell said. "I'm excited because of the positive feedback we had from the chancellors.
The cost of hosting the CIAA is going up.
The league proposes a minimum of $600,000 in guaranteed scholarships be paid to the league annually throughout the three-year contract, nearly double the $340,000 Raleigh will pay in 2005, the final year of its deal.
Raleigh has grown the tournament into an economic bonanza, with cumulative attendance topping 100,000 for a week of games and tournament-related events. It's the No. 1 sports attraction in Raleigh, topping events at N.C. State University and the Aggie-Eagle Classic football game between N.C. A&T and N.C. Central universities.
In addition to scholarships, CIAA leaders want 400 free parking spaces at the tournament site for conference use and a minimum $75,000 in marketing and promotions. The tournament received $30,000 in marketing and promotions from the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Charlotte is banking on the proximity of 12 hotels, restaurants and other downtown attractions to the arena, something Raleigh's RBC Center doesn't have.
"Our whole thing is you can walk to the CIAA," Mitchell said. "You're going to walk to the tournament, you're going to walk to the hotel, you're going to walk to the restaurants."
League officials and Charlotte backers concede Raleigh's RBC Center, which has 40 skyboxes compared to Charlotte Coliseum's 14, was the difference-maker in 2001 when Charlotte lost out. But the new Charlotte arena, which opens in 2005, seats 20,200 for college basketball and contains 60 skyboxes and luxury suites.
The Bobcats will make 47 suites available to the league and school presidents, Mitchell said. The NBA team will also provide the presidents an office to conduct school business throughout the week.
Charlotte's 12 center city hotels - which have a combined 4,000 rooms - also agreed to lock their rates throughout the tournament's three-year stay.
Mitchell said Charlotte's combination of state of the art arena and amenities within walking distance will be hard to beat.
"Do I think the stars are lining up?" Mitchell asked. "Yes I do. "We showed them we want them. We put our best foot forward."