CIAA Officials have confirmed that the historic tournament will no longer be played in Charlotte after 2020.
The historic tournament, which first started in 1946 and has been hosted in Charlotte since 2006, will be moving to the Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore, Maryland.
Even though 8 out of the CIAA’s 13 schools are located in North Carolina, attendance figures have continued to decline over the past few years. Additionally, violence and crime often spiked while the tournament was in town (last year over 100 shots were fired during a shootout between 2 rap entourages).
Local businesses and rideshare drivers will be the hardest hit. Every year, tens of thousands flock to our city to watch the tournament, stay in our hotels, and spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on food, drinks, and entertainment.
This year’s tournament will be held in Uptown Charlotte from February 25th through March 2nd.
What are your thoughts on the tournament leaving Charlotte?