CHARLOTTE, N.C. — There's no doubt about it. The CIAA is huge for Charlotte's economy.
But new CIAA Commissioner Jacqie Carpenter is asking whether it has been just as beneficial to the conference, which is facing a $200,000 deficit.
Options to get out of the red could include moving the conference to another city.
The current CIAA contract with Charlotte is up next year. Bidding will likely open to other cities this spring.
Dr. Diane Boardley Suber is president of Saint Augstine College in Raleigh and a CIAA board member.
“I would certainly like to see if we could get it back to Raleigh," she said.
Raleigh won the bid for the CIAA in 2000 and it stayed there until it moved to Charlotte in 2006.
City Councilman Patrick Cannon helped to bring the conference to Charlotte.
"When you start thinking about areas that it has been prior to Charlotte, those areas have not been what the fan experience has been really gravitating toward,” he said.
Cannon said that includes having hotels, restaurants, venues and public transportation all in walking distance of the arena.
Dr. Boardley Suber thinks the capital city could offer some real competition.
"Raleigh has done a tremendous overhauling of its downtown hotels, and there's a brand-new convention center," she said. "I acknowledge that transportation can be a challenge but I acknowledge that's something that can be met."
Cannon said he's willing to offer the CIAA financial incentives not only to stay in Charlotte, but to have a permanent presence.
"I am beyond open to doing what it takes to get to CIAA to stay and also to even try to land their headquarters here -- that's something else I've also had some discussions with the new commissioner about in weeks past,” he said.
The CIAA headquarters is in Hampton, Va.
Cannon said to sweeten the pot even more, he also plans to reach out to the businesses in Charlotte to ask if they would be willing to donate money to the CIAA for scholarships or donate venues for tournament events.