CIAA tournaments provide economic boosts for Baltimore businesses
A dozen HBCU men's and women's basketball teams, and thousands of fans, have flocked to Baltimore this week for the annual CIAA tournaments at CFG Bank Arena.
However, it's the culture, the bands, and the influx of fans and alumni that make this a week-long celebration.
"Folks can see the food scene, they can see our history," said Al Hutchinson, the President and CEO of Visit Baltimore. "There's no doubt we are a basketball mecca, right? We've got great basketball history, but as fans come in from all around the country, we want them to really appreciate the greatness of this city."
Baltimore leaders look forward to the economic boost for local businesses. This is the fifth year Charm City has hosted the CIAA tournaments after it moved from Charlotte.
During a time when business is usually slow downtown, Visit Baltimore created directories for hotels and small Black-owned businesses to cash in on the expected $1.4 million economic impact.
"Get out into our neighborhoods, visit our attractions, everything we have to offer," Hutchinson said. "It's more than basketball, we really want to celebrate the greatness of Charm City."
In 2024, the CIAA tournaments generated $32.5 million and created 1,315 part-time and full-time jobs, officials said. The event also generated $3.1 million in state and local taxes.
Stay at the Lord Baltimore Hotel
Fans will be staying at hotels across downtown Baltimore, many of which are already sold out, but at the Lord Baltimore Hotel, a set of fans will enjoy a curated room that brings Black Baltimore to life.
"We are blessed here that we've got some alumni groups, and alumni groups are way fun," said Lee Johnson-Lowe, with the Lord Baltimore Hotel. "They really enjoy the hotel. We have a lot of elements here at the hotel with our theater where we do magic shows and murder mysteries."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
25 minutes ago
- Yahoo
"The only white guy that was mentioned in the barbershop" - Magic Johnson says Larry Bird was well-respected in Black communities
"The only white guy that was mentioned in the barbershop" - Magic Johnson says Larry Bird was well-respected in Black communities originally appeared on Basketball Network. Magic Johnson transcended his status as a celebrated NBA superstar and became a beloved figure within Black communities. He emerged as a powerful role model for his fellow African Americans and is still inspiring them to this very day. Advertisement As per Earvin, his former archrival, Larry Bird, also earned the same respect and admiration from Black communities during their playing careers. Johnson once revealed that Larry Legend was not viewed by Black NBA fans through the lens of racial stereotypes. Instead, Magic noted that they recognized the Boston Celtics legend for his exceptional skills. In fact, they often laud him for his greatness. "His game, you see, Larry Bird was the only [white] guy that was mentioned in the barbershop. 'Cause that's where all the talking in our community is, the barbershop or on the playground," Earvin once said via ESPN. Magic gave Bird the utmost respect Johnson and Bird were strikingly contrasting in terms of appearance and qualities as players. Despite their differences, Magic never had disdain for Larry. Instead, he even admired his nemesis for his remarkable talent and competitive spirit. Advertisement From the very moment Johnson and Bird first faced each other on the hardwood, it was clear that both players were meant to change the game forever. They possessed a unique set of skills that separated them from the rest, and they were eager to dominate each other. Their opposite styles and approaches to the game made for a captivating rivalry. However, it never escalated to animosity. Magic had always given "Larry Legend" the utmost respect he deserved as a competitor. "Larry and I have an unusual relationship. We've been both competitors and good friends for many years. I have tremendous respect for Larry. He won't quit; he has the will to win. I spent a lot of sleepless nights preparing for him. That's respect," Magic wrote on a classic Skybox NBA card of Bird. "The highest respect you can pay to any player is that you fear him. Larry's the only player I feared," the Los Angeles Lakers icon continued. Related: "Lot of teammates don't be as close as us three are after basketball" - Gary Payton on why he keeps close ties with his old SuperSonics teammates Bird didn't need to be Black to be a great player For decades, the NBA has been predominantly Black. Currently available online data from 2023 states that the league has approximately 70.4% African American players. Nevertheless, Bird never felt intimidated or out of place. Advertisement Bird has always believed that basketball is a Black man's game. However, he never let this lingering thought affect his mentality and drive as a player. He recognized early on that he did not have the innate athleticism that many of his Black peers possessed. Rather than allowing this realization to affect him, The Hick from French Lick focused on working on other aspects of his game. Bird dedicated himself to improving his shooting accuracy, playmaking skills and mastering the fundamentals. Through relentless practice and determination, Larry quickly transformed his game, earning a reputation as one of the premier players of his generation. Before long, Bird's exceptional work ethic and strategic mindset allowed him to break into the elite ranks of Black NBA players, including Magic. Today, Bird is revered by basketball fans from all walks of life and ethnicities. Related: Quinn Buckner reveals Larry Bird only watches Nikola Jokic play: "Larry said there is only one guy that he watches play" This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 12, 2025, where it first appeared.
American Press
2 hours ago
- American Press
Lawmakers approve budget and teacher pay push as session wraps up
Lawmakers approve budget and teacher pay push as session wraps up Published 5:12 pm Thursday, June 12, 2025 By Anna Puleo | LSU Manship School News Service BATON ROUGE — The Louisiana House voted 98-1 Thursday to give final legislative approval to $53.5 billion budget package for the upcoming fiscal year without objecting to any of the major changes that the Senate had made earlier this week. With three hours to go in the session, lawmakers also agreed to ask voters to approve a constitutional amendment in a new attempt to fund permanent salary raises for K-12 public school teachers and support staff. Email newsletter signup Voters had rejected a long and complicated amendment in March that could have provided funding for permanent raises. Under the latest plan, voter approval could lead to salary increases of $2,250 for teachers and $1,225 for staff members. The proposed constitutional amendment would dissolve three state education trust funds and used $2 billion to pay down debt on teacher retirement plans. That would save parishes enough money to provide the raises. While waiting to see if voters approve the amendment, the state will pay stipends of $2,000 to teachers and $1,000 to support staff at K-12 schools for a third year in a row. The state budget and the new teacher pay plan both passed on the final day of a legislative session that also saw significant changes in car insurance regulation designed to lower some of the highest annual premiums in the nation. Other high-profile legislation stalled during the session. A bill to reinforce President Donald Trump's ban on diversity, equity and inclusion programs at public agencies and colleges failed after the Senate declined to take it up, even as similar bans gained traction in other Republican- led states. The bill had narrowly passed the House after a lengthy debate during which Black lawmakers called it 'racially oppressive.' Gov. Jeff Landry's push to more than double funding for his LA GATOR private school voucher program also failed. The House had approved the $93.5 million that Landry sought to sharply increase the number of families that could use public funds to send their children to private schools. During the session, the Senate limited funding on the vouchers to $43.5 million, and the House acquiesced. That funding will allow students already enrolled in private schools under the similar program to stay there, but there will not be any money for new families to join, as Landry had envisioned. Lawmakers approved another national conservative priority — the 'Make America Healthy Again' efforts led by Trump and health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The bill bans ultra-processed ingredients, such as artificial dyes and synthetic additives, in meals served in schools that receive state funding, starting in the 2027-28 school year. All bills that passed now go to Landry for his approval or veto. The budget bill would take effect on July 1. The governor has the power to veto individual items in it. As part of the budget, lawmakers agreed to spend $1.2 billion in one-time money from the state's Revenue Stabilization Trust Fund–which collects corporate and severance taxes — on transportation projects, economic development, water system upgrades, college maintenance and criminal justice infrastructure. They also approved using $1.1 billion in extra cash for short-term needs like infrastructure projects, debt payments and deposits into state savings accounts. That total includes last year's surplus, additional general fund dollars recognized by the state's revenue forecasting panel, and unspent agency money, either because fewer people used certain programs or agencies found other ways to cover costs. The stipends for the K-12 teachers and support workers will cost $199 million. The Senate also restored $30 million for high-dose tutoring programs that had been cut in the House's version. Legislative leaders were reluctant to expand spending in other areas, like for Landry's signature voucher plan to pay for more students to go to private schools. Some lawmakers are concerned that potential cuts in federal Medicaid spending and federal disaster-relief could force the state to absorb hundreds of millions in additional costs. The House approved a resolution on Thursday by Appropriations Chair Jack McFarland, R-Jonesboro, urging Congress not to cut Medicaid funding in a way that would hurt the state. Legislators from rural areas also expressed concern that expanding private school vouchers could eventually cut into support for public school district. Some lawmakers noted that the final level of spending on the LA GATOR program was not a cut but rather keeping funding flat. 'We always use the word cut,' Rep. Eric Tarver, R- Lake Charles, said. 'When really we mean it just isn't an increase.' The Legislature also passed a supplemental spending bill for the current fiscal year with about $130 million, mostly in lawmakers' earmarks for projects in their districts. Taking steps to try to bring down auto insurance rates was another major focus during the session. Landry signed a package aimed at lowering premiums by limiting certain lawsuits and increasing oversight of insurers. However, on Wednesday, he vetoed Senate Bill 111, which would have restricted when policyholders can sue insurers for bad faith. Landry said the bill risked making it easier for companies to deny claims, leaving policyholders with fewer options to challenge delays, especially after major disasters. Landry had said at the start of the session that he was seeking a balanced approach in trying to cut rates. He also persuaded lawmakers to give the insurance commissioner more power to block companies from charging auto insurance rates that appeared excessive. Featured Local Savings
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Disney, Universal Slam AI Company As 'Bottomless Pit Of Plagiarism' In Scathing Lawsuit
Disney and NBCUniversal joined forces in the first lawsuit of its kind against the artificial intelligence image company Midjourney on Wednesday, accusing it of copyright infringement. 'We are bringing this action today to protect the hard work of all the artists whose work entertains and inspires us and the significant investment we make in our content,' Kimberly Harris, NBCUniversal's executive vice president, told CNBC. The companies' lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, alleges that Midjourney sought 'to reap the rewards' of Disney and Universal-copyrighted characters by selling an AI image-generating service 'that functions as a virtual vending machine, generating endless unauthorized copies' of their copyrighted works. 'Midjourney is the quintessential copyright free-rider and a bottomless pit of plagiarism,' the lawsuit reads. 'Piracy is piracy, and whether an infringing image or video is made with AI or another technology does not make it any less infringing.' Midjourney did not immediately respond to HuffPost's request for comment. The AI company made $300 million last year from its image service, which allowed subscribers to simply enter a text prompt to request any of the Disney or Universal characters to perform an action, according to the lawsuit. The AI then generates and displays a high-quality image of the character. The lawsuit lists several Disney or Universal-owned characters Midjourney generated, including Shrek, Darth Vader, Thanos from the 'Avengers' series, and the Minions characters from 'Despicable Me.' Horacio Gutierrez, chief legal and compliance officer for The Walt Disney Company, said in a statement to HuffPost that Disney's 'world-class IP is built on decades of financial investment, creativity and innovation—investments only made possible by the incentives embodied in copyright law that give creators the exclusive right to profit from their works.' He added, 'We are bullish on the promise of AI technology and optimistic about how it can be used responsibly as a tool to further human creativity.' The lawsuit contends that 'Midjourney could easily stop its theft and exploitation' of intellectual property since the AI service controls what copyrighted content it selects. However, Midjourney chose not to use copyright protection measures, even when Disney and Universal sent cease-and-desist letters, according to the suit. The lawsuit accuses Midjourney of promoting its AI tools using Disney and Universal characters, and says the AI company has already begun using such characters to train its video service. The companies are now asking for a jury trial to determine damages, which could include some of Midjourney's profits. 'Midjourney's bootlegging business model and defiance of U.S copyright law are not only an attack on Disney, Universal, and the hard-working creative community that brings the magic of movies to life, but are also a broader threat to the American motion picture industry which has created millions of jobs and contributed more than $260 billion to the nation's economy,' the lawsuit reads. College Student Allegedly Created Undressed Images Of Classmates With AI, Then Sold Them Top AI CEO Warns Lawmakers To Prepare For Tech To Gut Entry-Level Office Jobs Chicago Sun-Times Faces Backlash After Promoting Fake Books In AI-Generated Summer Reading List
