Sport Venue Questions
Does hosting a sports event in the Triangle require the participation of Durham, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill?
No, each city has more than enough facilities and guest rooms to host major sports events. Occasionally, a group will find it convenient to hold an event in Chapel Hill with guest rooms in Durham, because the two are located more closely together than Durham with Raleigh. All but mega-size groups find the commuting distances too far to attempt to hold a multi-city event across the Triangle. In fact, even groups like the 1999 Special Olympics World Summer Games did it for novelty; the event could have been hosted solely in Raleigh and its suburbs or by Durham and Chapel Hill combined.
What are the economic impacts of multi-city mega-events?
Sports events can have a huge impact on a community, improving quality of life for residents, increasing visitor-related spending, and increasing the potential for a residual “billboard” effect. But economists have long encouraged a cautious approach to estimating the impact of mega-events. Click here for more detailed answers.
How does Durham decide on which events to pursue?
Click here to see the criteria and process Durham uses when deciding to bid on sports events. Click here to see the criteria and process used regionally when deciding to bid on multi-city mega-events.
Why does Durham decline to bid on some sports events?
Durham will decline because of scheduling conflicts or if the events aren't manageable or a good fit in terms of size.
What sports teams are based in Durham?
The famous Durham Bulls, a Triple-A International League baseball club and affiliate of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, play at Downtown’s Durham Bulls Athletic Park. The Duke University Blue Devil championship teams call Durham home and play at such venues as fabled Cameron Indoor Stadium. The North Carolina Central University Eagles, whose teams have included the 1989 national champion men's basketball team, play home games in venues just south of Downtown Durham.
Does visitation to the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Basketball Tournament held annually in Raleigh spill over into Durham?
There are more than enough rooms in Raleigh and the other communities in Wake County to host this event. However, there is bound to be a displacement effect, where people hoping to visit Raleigh will stay in nearby Durham or Chapel Hill, either for convenience or to avoid the crowds. Beginning in 2006, the CIAA Basketball Tournament will be held in Charlotte.
What is the largest spectator event that Durham can accommodate?
Duke University's Wallace Wade Stadium at 35,000 seats is the largest sports facility in Durham.
What famous athletes have played in Durham?
Baseball Hall of Famer Joe Morgan played for the Durham Bulls, and fellow Hall of Famer Dick Groat played for the Duke Blue Devils. Dewayne Washington now plays in the NFL, and Rodney Rogers, Christian Laettner, Danny Ferry, and Grant Hill moved on to the NBA. Roger Craig, the only person to play, coach, and manage in the World Series, is from Durham. Sam Jones, the first African-American to be drafted by the NBA in the first round, once played at North Carolina Central University (NCCU), and David Young, an NCCU standout, was selected in the second round of the 2004 NBA Draft. The list goes on and on…
