Greensboro to host various ACC Championships over the next several years (2024)

WXII 12 NEWS. THIS IS BREAKING NEWS. I’M LINDSEY KLEIN AND WE ARE COMING ON THE AIR AS GREENSBORO CITY OFFICIALS ARE NOW IN A PRESS CONFERENCE REACTING TO THE ACC COMMISSIONER’S ANNOUNCEMENT OF FUTURE CHAMPIONSHIPS THROUGH 2030. THERE’S A LOT TO UNPACK HERE, AND THE COVETED MEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT WILL ONLY BE IN GREENSBORO IN 2027 AND 2029. THE WOMEN’S TOURNAMENT WILL BE IN GREENSBORO THIS YEAR. AS PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED IN 2025. SO LET’S LISTEN INTO CITY LEADERS AS THEY REACT TO THE NEWS RIGHT NOW IN GREENSBORO. ALL OF THE OTHER SPORTS THAT WE ATTRACT HERE TO THE CITY OF GREENSBORO. SO TOURNAMENT TOWN IS IS ALIVE AND WELL. WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT WHAT’S COMING UP, AND WE. KNOW THAT WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO A GREAT JOB FOR THE ACC COACHES, ATHLETES AND FOR THEIR FANS. UM, I KNOW THAT WE ALWAYS HEAR FROM THE FANS THAT THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST EXPERIENCES THAT THEY HAVE WHEN THEY COME TO GREENSBORO, AND WE KNOW THAT OUR TOURNAMENTS ARE EXTREMELY PROFITABLE FOR THE ACC AND THEIR MEMBER SCHOOLS, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THAT RELATIONSHIP. SO I’M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO RICHARD BEARD, WHO IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE GREENSBORO SPORTS FOUNDATION. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, IT IS A GREAT DAY FOR GREENSBORO AND TOURNAMENT TOWN TO HAVE THESE 15, UH, ACC CHAMPIONSHIP TRIPS ANNOUNCED. YOU KNOW, UH, BACK IN JUNE OF 2021 WHEN THE MAYOR WAS CONTACTED BY THE ACC ABOUT, UH, A POTENTIAL MOVE OF THE HEADQUARTERS, THEY WERE, UH, CERTAINLY A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT FELT LIKE THAT. IF WE LOSE THE HEADQUARTERS, WE WOULD NEVER SEE SOME OF THESE CHAMPIONSHIPS RETURN. AND I’LL SAY THAT, UH, WE HAD AN INCREDIBLE GROUP OF COMMUNITY LEADERS THAT HAD THE VISION THAT WE NEEDED TO STAY IN THE ROTATION OF THESE ACC CHAMPIONSHIPS, WITH OR WITHOUT THE HEADQUARTERS. AND TODAY WE GET TO CELEBRATE THIS VISION AND THE SUCCESS OF THIS. I ALSO WANT TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION SOMEONE IN THE ROOM THAT DESERVES A LOT OF CREDIT FOR TODAY AND THAT’S SCOTT JOHNSON, OUR, UH, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, UH, DEPUTY MANAGER OF THE GREENSBORO COLISEUM, WHO DID ALL THE HARD NEGOTIATING WITH THE ACC AND IN A VERY, VERY QUICK, UH, TIME TIMELINE. AND, UH, HE, HE, UH, STAYED ON IT AND DID A GREAT JOB. AND WE’RE HERE TODAY TO CELEBRATE THAT. I DO WANT TO POINT OUT A FEW HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT WE’VE HEARD TODAY. AND, UH, AS MANY OF YOU ALL HEARD, AND AS WE’VE BEEN PLANNING FOR SOME TIME, 2024, UH, UH, IN A FEW WEEKS, WE’RE GOING TO CERTAINLY HAVE THE ACC SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS THAT WE’VE BEEN SO BLESSED TO HOST FOR MANY YEARS AND WILL CONTINUE, BUT, UH GREENSBORO HAVE THE FIRST EVER ACC GYMNAST ON MARCH, UH, THE COMPETITION, I BELIEVE, IS MARCH 23RD. AND IF YOU’RE KEEPING UP WITH ACC GYMNASTICS, UH, THERE ARE ONLY ABOUT FOUR SCHOOLS THAT PARTICIPATE NOW. BUT THE, UH, CROWN. KIDS THAT HAVE BEEN ATTENDING THESE GYMNASTICS HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE. AND WE’RE ALREADY HEARING THAT TICKET SALES FOR THE FIRST EVER ACC GYMNASTICS IN GREENSBORO IS, UH, IS IS BETTER THAN I BELIEVE THAT THEY EXPECT. AND THAT COMES FROM, UH, OUR SUCCESS WITH USA GYMNASTICS AND SOME OF THE GREAT EVENTS WE’VE HAD HERE IN, UH, IN THE GREENSBORO COLISEUM FOR GYMNASTICS AND, UH, AND, AND WHEN THE ACC, UH, NEEDED A LOCATION TO HAVE THEIR FIRST EVER WHO DO THEY CALL? BUT THEY CALLED GREENSBORO. I ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THE 2027, UH, MEN’S TOURNAMENT, UH, WILL BE THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF OUR FIRST, UH, ACC CHAMPIONSHIP HERE IN THE GREENSBORO COLISEUM. AND THAT’S IMPORTANT BECAUSE THIS FACILITY HAS BEEN EXPANDED TWICE, UH, PRIMARILY FOR THE MEN’S ACC TOURNAMENT. SO, UH, WE HAVE THE GREENSBORO COLISEUM. HERE. UH, AND, UH, THIS GREAT ASSET TO THE COMMUNTY BECAUSE OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THESE ACC CHAMPIONSHIPS AND, UH, THE CITY WHO HAS HOSTED MORE CHAMPIONSHIPS THAN ANY ANYWHERE ELSE WITHIN THE FOOTPRINT. AND WE’RE VERY PROUD OF THAT. UH, LASTLY, I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT 2029, UH, UH, FOR THE MEDIA BECAUSE, UH, UH, NOT ONLY DID THEY ANNOUNCE TODAY THAT WE HAVE THREE ACC CHAMPIONSHIPS. WITH, UH, MEN’S AND WOMEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING, MEN’S BASKETBALL WILL COME. BACK AND WOMEN’S GOLF, BUT THAT YEAR IS AN EPIC YEAR FOR OUR GREENSBORO AND TOURNAMENT TOWN AND OUR SPORTS TOURISM. BECAUSE, UH, THAT SAME YEAR WILL BE HOSTING, UH, THE WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMES. UH, FIRST TIME IT’S BEEN IN THE UNITED STATES SINCE 1993. AND COMING OFF OF THE 2028 OLYMPICS IN LA, THAT SHOULD REALLY BRING A LOT OF ATTENTION TO THIS COMMUNITY, AND WE NEED TO BE PROUD OF THAT. BUT THEN TWO WEEKS AFTER THE WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMES WILL HAVE THE AAU JUNIOR OLYMPICS, WHICH WILL BE HOSTED IN GREENSBORO, UH, THIS SUMMER 2024, THANKS TO THE CVB AND HENRY FOURIER’S LEADERSHIP, WE HAVE HOSTED THE AAU JUNIOR OLYMPICS IN UH, 20. UH UH, LET’S SEE, IT WAS 2019, 2022, 2024, AND THEN WE’LL HAVE IT IN 29 AND 2033. AND, UH, JUST TO HIGHLIGHT, UH, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT AAU JUNIOR OLYMPICS, OVER 18,000 ATHLETES COME TO THE COMMUNITY FOR THAT. AND THAT’S NOT AN EXAGGERATED NUMBER. 18,015 THOUSAND OF THEM AT, AT AT UH, UH, IN TRACK AND FIELD, WHICH IS KNOWN EACH YEAR AS THE WORLD’S LARGEST TRACK AND FIELD EVENT, THE AAU JUNIOR OLYMPICS EVERY YEAR. SO, SO, UH, WE’VE GOT A LOT TO BE PROUD OF. UH, WHEN IT COMES TO SPORTS TOURISM AND THESE CHAMPIONSHIPS. AND LASTLY, I’LL SAY THAT THE REASON THAT, UH, WE ARE SO SUCCESSFUL IS BECAUSE OF THE INCREDIBLE FACILITIES THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS HERE, AND IT’S JUST ANOTHER POINT THAT WE HAVE TO KEEP THESE FACILITIES, UH, UP TO PAR. AND COMPETING WITH CITIES LIKE CHARLOTTE, LIKE RALEIGH, CARY AND THESE OTHER LOCATIONS THAT HAVE SEEN THE SUCCESS OF TOURNAMENT TOWN AND SPORTS TOURISM IN GREENSBORO AND THESE OTHER COMMUNITIES ARE FOLLOWING SUIT BY TRYING TO CATCH UP AND EXCEED US IN CERTAIN POINTS. SO SO WE’RE GOING TO CONTINUE AS A COMMUNITY TO TO IMPROVE OUR FACILITIES, ENHANCE OUR FACILITIES AND EXPAND OUR FACILITIES. SO WITH THAT, I GUESS WE’LL TURN IT OVER TO QUESTIONS. THEN WE HAVE QUESTIONS FOR RICHARD, OR WE CAN BRING THE MAYOR BACK UP HERE FOR THE RECORD, TO TO VOTE YOU, RICHARD, AND THE MAYOR. UH, WE GAVE A PERCENTAGE OF WHAT YOU GOT OUT OF WHAT THIS ANNOUNCEMENT BROUGHT TODAY. IS THAT A NUMBER YOU’RE HAPPY WITH, OR SATISFIED WITH, OR IS IT SOMETHING YOU JUST WISH? MAYBE A COUPLE MORE EVENTS COULD HAVE BEEN BROUGHT THIS WAY. WELL, OF COURSE, YOU ALWAYS WANT MORE, RIGHT? I MEAN, IF WE COULD HAVE GOTTEN THEM ALL, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN HAPPY WITH THAT. I DO HAVE TO SAY, I AM PERSONALLY DISAPPOINTED THAT WE DID NOT GET THE MEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT FOR 2028, WHICH WILL BE THEIR 75TH ANNIVERSARY. WE PLAYED THE 50, THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY LEE HERE IN GREENSBORO DID A PHENOMENAL JOB. THEY WERE FOUNDED HERE IN GREENSBORO THIS IS REALLY, UM, WHAT THE ACC IS ALL ABOUT. AND TO PLAY IT SOMEWHERE ELSE, I THINK TO ME IS EXTREMELY HEARTBREAKING. I’D LIKE TO ADD TO THAT. I MEAN, THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, YES, WE WE ALWAYS WANT TO HAVE MORE AND WE’D LIKE TO HAVE THEM ALL, BUT THAT’S NOT REALISTIC. BUT IT DOES IDENTIFY SOME OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE. AND YOU KNOW, I TALK A LOT ABOUT FACILITIES, BUT, UH, I LOOK THROUGH THE LIST AT SOME OF THE CHAMPIONSHIPS THAT ARE GOING TO OTHER COMMUNITIES AND, YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF, UH, HURTS A LITTLE BIT, BUT BUT IT GIVES US OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE OUR FACILITIES AND TO BE ABLE TO ATTRACT, UH, MORE. AND THERE ARE A FEW POCKETS WITHIN THE SCHEDULE THAT MAYBE WE CAN GRAB 1 OR 2 OTHER CHAMPIONSHIPS ALONG THE WAY. TIMBERLAKE WFM NEWS TWO. WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THOSE IMPROVEMENTS AND ENHANCEMENTS, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING IN MIND AS WHAT YOU WANT TO FOCUS ON MOVING FORWARD TO, TO TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY OR HERE AT THE COLISEUM OR THE COLISEUM AND THE SPORTING FACILITIES? WELL, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE CAN LOOK RIGHT OVER HERE AND SEE WHAT A WORLD CLASS FACILITY THAT’S KEPT, UH, PRISTINE. AT ALL TIMES DOES FOR A COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, OUR AQUATIC CENTER. AND THE REASON THAT THE ACC CONTINUES. TO COME BACK TO OUR AQUATIC CENTER, YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE ACC SCHOOLS, THEY HAVE A LOT OF OLYMPIANS ON THEIR TEAMS OR POTENTIAL OLYMPIANS. AND THESE OLYMPIANS ARE POTENTIAL OLYMPIANS ARE SWIMMING IN A LOT OF OTHER, UH, UH, EVENTS HERE. US SWIMMING CONSIDERS OUR AQUATIC CENTER ONE OF ONLY FOUR IN THE COUNTRY THAT CAN HOST SOME OF THESE EVENTS. SO THAT’S A GOOD EXAMPLE OF, UH, YOU KNOW, BUILD IT AND BUILD IT. RIGHT. AND THEY WILL COME. BUT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO INVEST, YOU KNOW, THIS THE THE THE ARENA IS WE’VE EXPANDED IT TWICE FROM THE ORIGINAL ARENA. AND SO SCOTT AND MATT BROWN AND THEIR AND THEIR GREAT STAFF DO A GREAT JOB TO KEEP IT RELEVANT. BUT UH, THERE’S SOME YOU KNOW, THERE’S SOME IMPROVEMENTS TO THIS FACILITY THAT YOU JUST DON’T SEE WHEN YOU’RE DRIVING BY BECAUSE, UH, THE, THE SOME OF THE, UH, UH, SOFFIT OR THE EFFORTS THAT SURROUNDS THE TOP OF THIS ARENA IS, UH, 25, 30 YEARS OLD WITH A 20 YEAR EXPECTANCY. SO, SO IT’S JUST TO KEEP IT RELEVANT AND, UH, BUT ALSO TO INVEST IN OTHER, OTHER FACILITY THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY THAT WE CAN HOST THESE CHAMPIONSHIPS. CITY OF GREENSBORO MADE A GREAT, UH, DECISION TO INVEST, UH, AMERICAN RESCUE FUNDS INTO IMPROVING BRYANT PARK SOCCER COMPLEX. AND THAT’S ONGOING RIGHT NOW WITH NEW LIGHTS AND SOME ADDITIONAL TURF. AND THAT WILL NOT ONLY HELP THE LOCAL SOCCER COMMUNITY AND OUR KIDS THAT ARE PLAYING OUT THERE OR SOME ADULTS THAT PLAY OUT THERE, UH, THAT ARE STANDING IN THIS ROOM. BUT IT HELPS US RECRUIT OTHER, UH, NATIONAL EVENTS AND HEADS AND BEDS. WE’RE ALL ABOUT HEADS AND BEDS, YOU KNOW. CAN WE ATTRACT THESE EVENTS THAT ARE GOING TO BRING PEOPLE HERE THAT ARE GOING TO ENJOY OUR COMMUNITY AND SPEND MONEY AND GO BACK HOME AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE’VE BEEN VERY OPEN ABOUT THE CHALLENGES THAT WE’RE FACING WITH SOME OF OUR FACILITIES. THEY DO HAVE SOME AGE ON THEM. THEY HAVE BEEN WELL MAINTAINED OVER THE YEARS, BUT THEY ARE ENDING THEIR GETTING CLOSE TO THE END OF THEIR USEFUL LIFE. WE KNOW THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SOME SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS, AND WE’RE LOOKING AT REVENUE STREAMS THAT WOULD MAKE THAT POSSIBLE. THIS IS A WONDERFUL BUILDING. IT IT IS ALWAYS BEEN EXPANDED TO MEET NEEDS OF THE ACC. AS YOU KNOW, THE ARENA HAS GOTTEN SOME AGE ON IT. THEY’VE ADDED NEW NEW RESTROOMS, NEW NEW BOXES. UM, NEW LOCKER ROOMS. THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF INVESTMENTS OVER THE YEARS, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SOME MORE INVESTMENTS, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOCCER. AWFUL LOT OF KIDS ARE PLAYING SOCCER, RIGHT NOW. WE DO HAVE GREAT FACILITIES AT BRYANT PARK, BUT THEY’RE BEGINNING TO SHOW SOME AGE ON THEM. SO YOU KNOW, WE’RE REALISTIC. WE KNOW THAT WE WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO INVEST IN THESE FACILITIES, JUST LIKE WE CONTINUE TO INVEST IN THE AQUATIC CENTER. UM, WE SAW THE NEED FOR A FOURTH POOL, AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET THAT IN AN UNDER BUDGET. AND WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO SOME SIMILAR THINGS TO THESE OTHER FACILITIES. GOOD QUESTION FOR BOTH OF YOU. UM, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL. TOURNAMENT LEAVING AFTER 2025? YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I AM REALLY PROUD OF THE WAY THAT THE GREENSBORO COLISEUM HAS RUN THE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT. WHEN YOU WALK INTO THE WOMEN’S OR THE MEN’S, YOU DON’T REALLY KNOW WHICH IS WHICH, EXCEPT MAYBE FOR THE COLOR ON THE FLOOR. UM, BECAUSE WE WE DID THE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT TO THE SAME STANDARD THAT WE DID TO THE MEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT. AND THAT’S REALLY BEFORE IT WAS COOL TO DO THAT. WE REALLY WERE THE THE TRENDS SETTERS. WE WANTED THE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PLAYERS TO KNOW THAT. WE WERE EXCITED TO HAVE THEM HERE. UH, THEIR COACHES AND THEIR FANS. AND I THINK ANY OTHER PLACE THAT IS GOING TO TRY TO REPLICATE WHAT WE’RE DOING, IT’S GOING TO FIND IT’S GOING TO FIND IT VERY DIFFICULT. IT’S VERY EXPENSIVE TO RUN A TOURNAMENT OF THAT QUALITY. UM, AND NOT SCRIMP ON THE, THE EXTRAS THAT WE’RE ADDING FOR THE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM. SO I REALLY FEEL THAT THEY WILL BE BACK BECAUSE WE HAVE SET THE STANDARD WHEN IT COMES TO THAT TOURNAMENT. AND A FOLLOW UP QUESTION TO THAT IS IT SAYS IN 2027 IT WILL BE IN CHARLOTTE. DO YOU KNOW WHERE IT’S GOING TO BE IN 2026? NOT WE DON’T HAVE THAT INFORMATION. YES. NOT NORTH CAROLINA CHAMPIONSHIPS. YEAH. ONE THING I WANT TO SAY ABOUT THE WOMEN’S I MEAN, WE YOU KNOW, IN MARCH WE HAVE THE 24. IT WILL BE THE 24TH TIME WE’VE HOSTED THE WOMEN’S TOURNAMENT. GREENSBORO AND THE ACC STAFF WILL TELL YOU, I MEAN, GREENSBORO HAS, UH, BEEN A GREAT PARTNER TO BUILD THAT INTO THE PREMIER WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT IN THE COUNTRY THAT OTHER CONFERENCES, INCLUDING THE SEC AND THE BIG TEN, ARE MODELING AFTER WHAT GREENSBORO HAS PARTNERED WITH THE ACC TO DO IN NEXT YEAR, WE’LL CELEBRATE THE 25TH. BUT IT’S A NEW, UH, FINANCIAL MODEL THAT THEY’RE EXPLORING. SO WE’RE HOPING THAT WE’LL HAVE FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES. DO YOU PLAN TO GO AFTER 26, THE WOMEN’S AND 26, OR IS THAT NOT UP FOR YOUR MEDIA? I’M GOING TO LET SCOTT IF HE WANTS TO ADDRESS THAT. HE DOES ALL THE HARD NEGOTIATING. BUT YEAH, RICHARD MENTIONED THAT WE’RE IN A NEW FINANCIAL MODEL. SO WE’RE TRYING TO ASK FOR TWO YEARS. WOULD WE LIKE 26 AND 28? YES. WE JUST HAVE TO GO THROUGH A PROCESS AND SEE AND WE’LL WE’LL CHASE IT. UM, WE HAVE OTHER DECISIONS IN OTHER. AND MORE QUESTIONS THAT WE CAN USE ONE ON ONES IS IF ANYBODY HAS REQUESTS. THANKS TO ALL FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU ALL. GOOD JOB GUYS. ALL RIGHT. YOU HAVE BEEN LISTENING TO GREENSBORO CITY OFFICIALS REACTING TO THE ACC’S ANNOUNCEMENT OF WHERE FUTURE CHAMPIONSHIPS ARE GOING TO BE HELD FROM HERE ON OUT. THE MEN’S TOURNAMENT WILL BE IN GREENSBORO 2027 AND 2029. THE WOMEN’S WILL BE THERE THIS YEAR AND THEN AGAIN IN 2025. AND WE DO HAVE SOME MORE BREAKING NEWS TO INFORM YOU ON THIS TIME FROM WASHINGTON. SPECIAL COUNSEL ROBERT HIRSCH SAYS THERE’S EVIDENCE PRESIDENT BIDEN, QUOTE, WILLFULLY RETAINED AND DISCLOSED CLASSIFIED MATERIALS AFTER HIS TIME IN OFFICE AS THE VICE PRESIDENT. WHILE THE SPECIAL COUNSEL SAYS THE PRESIDENT’S PRACTICE IS, QUOTE, PRESENTS SERIOUS RISKS FOR NATIONAL SECURITY, HE WILL NOT BE CHARGED. YOU CAN TUNE IN TO WXII 12 NEWS AT 4:00 FOR THE LATEST. REGARDING THESE BREAKING STORIES. FOR NOW, WE’RE GOING TO SE