The CIAA and the city of Charlotte yesterday agreed to exclusively negotiate a broadened partnership to keep the NCAA Division II conference's men's and women's basketball tournaments in the city. The new six-year deal begins in '15. The conference also will move its HQs to Charlotte, with timing and location TBD (CIAA). In Charlotte, Steve Harrison in a front-page piece reports the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority "agreed to increase its payment to the athletic association" from $1M to $1.4M annually, "as well as other increased financial benefits." The CIAA had previously said that it "wanted to issue a formal request for proposals to cities interested in hosting the event," but Charlotte’s "more lucrative financial package helped persuade the CIAA to stay." Charlotte and Mecklenburg County each "paid $200,000 a year to help the CRVA" with the $1M commitment. The two governments "pay for the tournament out of general revenues, which can be used for services such as roads and schools." It is "likely the CRVA will ask the city and county to increase their financial commitment." In addition to the $1.4M and free use of the Charlotte Convention Center, the CRVA could "contribute more money to the CIAA to help it pay for staffing Time Warner Cable Arena" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 3/4). CIAA Commissioner Jacqie Carpenter last week said that "as many as 10 cities showed interest," and that Atlanta, Baltimore, Brooklyn, Greensboro, Raleigh and DC "indicated they would submit bids" (WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL, 3/4).
