ACC is moving its headquarters to Charlotte
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The Atlantic Coast Conference is officially moving its headquarters to Charlotte from Greensboro, its home since the conference’s inception in 1953.
Details: The ACC’s 50 employees and HQ operation will be in the Legacy Union complex in Uptown, “complete with a state-of-the-art gameday operations studio and modern production studio,” read a statement from the city of Charlotte.
- The ACC board of directors made the decision on Tuesday morning to relocate to Charlotte, per the city.
- In selecting Charlotte, the ACC looked at a number of factors, including East Coast time zone, population size, growth and diversity of population, a large hub airport, financial considerations and “anticipated benefit to the overall ACC brand.”
Why it matters: Charlotte is a sports mecca — and landing the ACC headquarters further cements that position. It’s home to three major-league sports franchises, college sports and ESPN offices. Charlotte also routinely hosts major sporting events such as the Presidents Cup and the upcoming Jumpman Classic.
Backstory: The ACC began “a comprehensive review” last fall to determine whether to keep its headquarters in Greensboro. Charlotte began vying to be the conference’s new home right away.
- The effort to land the ACC was a huge one and included local governments, hospitality boosters, the Charlotte Sports Foundation and tech recruiters such as Carolina Fintech Hub.
- City councilman Tariq Bokhari, executive director of Carolina Fintech Hub, says he spent time with the N.C. General Assembly in the recruiting process, touting Charlotte’s capabilities.
“It became evident to me that it’s not between Greensboro and Charlotte. The question was will North Carolina retain (the ACC)? Or was it going to go somewhere like Florida?” Bokhari told Axios.
Incentives: North Carolina lawmakers created a package of $15 million in incentives for the ACC to stay in state, as CBJ reported.
What he’s saying: “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,” ACC commissioner Jim Phillips said in the statement. “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.”
Zoom out: Charlotte is also home to other collegiate conferences, including the Big South and the CIAA.
Timeline: The move will take place sometime in 2023.
The Richmond Times-Dispatch first reported news of the relocation.
Editor’s note: We updated this story with quotes and details about the ACC’s decision.