City of Charlotte issued the following announcement on Sept. 25.
The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Board of Directors announced Tuesday it has selected Charlotte as the future home of its headquarters operation, continuing the strong legacy of a North Carolina-based ACC.
The ACC is a collegiate athletic conference with 15 member schools across 10 states that reside primarily along the east coast. Founded in Greensboro 70 years ago, the conference sponsors 27 sports with nearly 10,000 student-athletes competing at the highest level academically and athletically.
"Today is a transformational day for the ACC and for our 15 world class institutions. We truly appreciate the state of North Carolina for its dedication to keeping the conference headquarters in the state, and the Charlotte leadership for their commitment and ongoing partnership," said ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, Ph.D. "After a comprehensive, inclusive and deliberate process, the Board decided that Charlotte – an amazing and vibrant community – not only meets, but exceeds, the needs of the ACC. Our new home will provide both known and unknown benefits to our student-athletes, member schools and conference office staff. The decision to relocate from Greensboro was a difficult one, and the entire city and its first-class representatives will always hold an incredibly special place in the history and legacy of the ACC."
"I'm very excited and happy to welcome the Atlantic Coast Conference as Charlotte's newest resident," said Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles. "Charlotte is one of the best sports towns in the country and a growing destination for sports events so having the ACC call Charlotte home bolsters our reputation nationally. As anyone knows, you always want to have family close by or be able to visit easily and Charlotte's central location in the region combined with Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, makes the Queen City the perfect place for the ACC to call home and continue its great legacy."
The ACC's 50 employees and headquarters operation will locate in the Legacy Union complex in Uptown Charlotte, complete with a state-of-the-art gameday operations studio and modern production studio.
"We are thrilled to welcome the ACC to Uptown Charlotte," said Michael J. Smith, president and CEO of Charlotte Center City Partners. "The ACC will be able to continue to grow its incredible brand in North Carolina by tapping into the talent, partnerships, and innovative spirit that make Charlotte's thriving urban core such a dynamic place."
"Mecklenburg County is excited about the opportunity to partner with the ACC on bringing their headquarters to our County. We are confident we can support their efforts to grow their brand nationally and leverage the first-class recreational assets our community has to offer," said George Dunlap, Chairman, Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners.
"Today's announcement affirms the ACC's commitment to a dynamic-growth future for its athletes and its universities, fuels Charlotte's increasing prominence as a premier sports hub,
and exemplifies our community's strength in collaborating. This was a true team effort, and we're proud of the collective hustle that led to the ACC's decision to call Charlotte home," said Janet LaBar, president and chief executive officer of the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance.
"The ACC has been a valued partner for many years, adding to Charlotte's impressive resume and appeal as a host city. With this move, we're expanding our community's already strong youth and amateur sports infrastructure, which is such an important contributor to our region's $7.8 billion visitor economy," said Tom Murray, chief executive officer, Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority.
The project was a collaborative effort between the City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, the North Carolina Department of Commerce, Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, Charlotte Center City Partners, the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, House Speaker Tim Moore, Senate Pro Tempore Phil Berger, and the North Carolina General Assembly.
Original source can be found here.
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