Going, Going, Gone...
Posted May 18, 2006, 7:22 AM ET

The big news from the ACC meetings this week surrounded the conference's crown jewel, the men's basketball tournament.

Commissioner John Swofford announced the future sites and dates of the tourney, and the results left the city of Charlotte empty-handed. While the Queen City was hit with a body blow from the ACC, the good people of Greensboro are laughing all the way to the bank. For the cities in line to host the event, this is an event that guarantees a huge economic impact for the region. If this announcement was Christmas, Charlotte just got handed a giant lump of coal.

The rotation for the ACC Tourney was already set through 2010; the news from the Commish states that Greensboro will host the event in 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2015. Atlanta gets the tourney in 2012.

So where does that leave Charlotte and their brand new state-of-the-art arena? Out in the cold. Given the needs of the ACC with their new 12-team league, it is ironic that the "old" Charlotte Coliseum with its 24,000 seats would be a better fit for the ACC than the "new" arena in Uptown Charlotte.

Everyone raves about the new arena in Charlotte, and it is spectacular. But the ACC decision comes down to pure numbers...in this case it evolves around seating capacity. The new Charlotte arena falls short in that department when compared to the Greensboro Coliseum and certainly the Georgia Dome.

Charlotte city officials will insist that the news allows them to concentrate on the CIAA Tournament and also the chance to host NCAA regionals, and that is true. But this week's news is a huge bummer for Charlotte. Many proponents of the new arena argued that the facility would guarantee Charlotte's place in the ACC Tournament rotation...and as we now know, that isn't the case.

Next year the ACC Tournament moves to Tampa, and in 2008 returns to Charlotte. I hope that the conference members and fans enjoy their stay in Charlotte. I know they will love the "Uptown" Arena. But once the '08 tourney ends, we might not see those folks around here for a long, long time.

Instead of the ACC Basketball Tournament, maybe the city of Charlotte can go after the other big catch....the conference football title game. Personally, I'd rather have that game in Charlotte anyhow. Now, if we can only get Jerry Richardson to lower his rental fee on the stadium....hmmm....nevermind.

Hey, ACC Basketball Tournament...it has been nice knowing ya'. And this just in, too...on your way out, don't let the brand new state-of-the-art arena door hit in you in the ass.