Latest news with #AlHutchinson
CBS News
26-02-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Black-owned Baltimore businesses benefitting from CIAA tournaments
This week's CIAA basketball tournament is bringing big opportunities for Black-owned businesses in Baltimore. Visit Baltimore, the city's tourism organization, is celebrating the city's rich Black culture and navigating paths for visitors to explore. "Folks come here and enjoy the basketball but they also enjoy our small businesses, especially our Black-owned businesses in Baltimore," said Al Hutchinson, the President & CEO of Visit Baltimore. "It really uplifts the community. It gets people excited about coming out and supporting the student athletes." The CIAA is the oldest Black athletics conference in the country. Its men's and women's basketball tournaments run through March 1. Celebrating Baltimore Baltimore is the host of the CIAA Tournament for the fifth year after moving from Charlotte. For a full week, thousands of fans and alumni are celebrating their Historically Black Colleges and Universities in one setting. However, the impact goes far beyond the basketball court. Al Hutchinson, from Visit Baltimore, is using the momentum to highlight Black entrepreneurs through the "Bop pass." Bop, slang for a long walk, is a free digital passport offering discounts at more than 40 local businesses, museums, and restaurants. "We really want to push them all over Baltimore, celebrating the greatness of the Black business community in the city, and earn some points while you do it, have fun with it," Hutchinson said. One of those Black businesses showcases is Black Acres Roastery in Lexington Market. "It gives us an opportunity to be on a larger platform and to showcase what we do as a local business, just not for the local people, but the people that are coming in and may not make it here," said Travis Bell, the founder of Black Acres Roastery. And, don't miss out on Harp Vision, a vegan home and body care business created to find natural solutions to everyday skincare needs. "We offer vegan soaps, plant-based skin cream, and deodorant and lip balm as well," said April Harper, the co-founder Harp Vision. Tourism boost The CIAA Tournament is a major boost to tourism in the Baltimore area. In 2024, the week-long events generated $32.55 million. "This brings visibility to our business and other small businesses as well," Harper said. CIAA Week is not just about selling products, but it's also about the community by showcasing Charm City's diversity and bringing people together. "Just being able to work with other makers in Baltimore, to showcase what we do and the hard work that we put into our businesses here in Baltimore," Bell said.
CBS News
26-02-2025
- Business
- CBS News
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."
