In addition to the CIAA’s earlier run, the ACC’s Men’s Basketball Tournament will return to the Spectrum Center for the 14th time in March. The Spectrum Center also hosted early round NCAA men’s basketball tournament games in 2024, with March Madness scheduled to return to uptown in 2027.

Charlotte is preparing its bid to reclaim the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association's Men's and Women's Basketball Tournament for 2027, 2028 and 2029. Why it matters: The CIAA tournament is an annual celebration of Black culture and HBCU pride,

After losing the bid to host the CIAA basketball tournaments to Baltimore, the city of Charlotte plans to bid for hosting the CIAA from 2027-2029. Charlotte was the host site of the tournaments from 2006 to 2020 until Baltimore outbid them in 2019 for the rights.

The CIAA Tournament stands as a hallmark event, blending high-caliber Division II basketball with a week-long array of festivities, including concerts, parties, and cultural exhibitions. During its 15-year tenure in Charlotte from 2006 to 2020,

Charlotte last hosted the Historically Black Division II conference’s events in 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last week, during a forum including Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles and former mayors Harvey Gantt and Patrick Cannon, Cannon told the audience that the city needs to bring back the CIAA both for its economic might and because of the rich cultural history it brings with the presence of HBCU schools, teams and fans.