Due Factor
Posted May 15, 2005, 12:07 PM ET

The city of Charlotte needs a win.

The Charlotte Sports Commission and other city leaders have not been beating their chests lately. Charlotte has been the runner-up for too many prestigious sporting events in the past few months.

The ACC has decided to take their inaugural football championship to Jacksonville, Florida...Charlotte was a distant second.

The ACC also decided that their men's basketball tournament will concentrate on the bigger arenas and domes in other cities in the South...Charlotte's brand new arena does not meet the criteria.

Even the Bassmasters Fishing Championship shrugged off the Queen City for an earlier date and location. Charlotte and all the fishing fans lose out again.

The good news is that the month of May is an exciting time in Charlotte with the Wachovia Championship at Quail Hollow and the ubiquitous racing action starting this week at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Many sports fans have been too busy to realize that Charlotte is being left at the altar.

However, the biggest catch for the city of Charlotte is right in front of them. The NASCAR Hall of Fame.

The city of Charlotte is battling with Atlanta and Kansas City for the right to be the home of "The Hall". Since the majority of the race teams call this area home, and given the great facilities at LMS, where else would you want to locate the NASCAR Hall of Fame? Even Mayor McCrory has elected to use the term, "NASCAR Valley", in many of his canned responses surrounding Charlotte's bid.

Personally, this looks to be a no-brainer for Charlotte...and that might be the bad news. What if Charlotte fails to land this one? Who takes the blame if Charlotte loses out to Kansas City or Atlanta?

By the way, I'm sorry...no disrespect to KC or Atlanta, but why are either markets in the running for this one? Daytona Beach, I understand...but no way KC and Atlanta are better equipped to beat out Charlotte....remember...we're NASCAR Valley!

Unfortunately for Charlotte leaders they are in a no-win situation. They should and must win this race. It is a natural fit given the demographics, history, economics and interest of NASCAR in the Charlotte market. Surely, the city leaders can't drop the ball...err...fuel can on this one.

If Charlotte fails in landing this one, maybe we can begin the all-out effort in landing the North Carolina-South Carolina football game...I'm sure listening to Steve Spurrier will help drown out the sorrows of another lost effort by the city.

And if Charlotte wins the right to host "The Hall", I'm sure the cranked up noise of those stock cars and the race fans will drown out the talk of Steve Spurrier wanting to play UNC in Charlotte.

Either way, both "The Hall" and the "Carolina Showdown", are perfect fits for Charlotte.

Now as a good change of pace, let's go close the deal on both of them!