The Atlantic Coast Conference says it is now looking at options for relocating its headquarters outside of its longtime home in Greensboro.
The league said Tuesday its Board of Directors will expand the evaluation process to include cities elsewhere. That comes roughly two weeks after commissioner Jim Phillips said the league was limiting its evaluation solely to Greensboro — where the league was founded in 1953 — in a first phase.
In a statement, board chair and Duke President Vincent E. Price said Greensboro “will be given thorough consideration” to remain home to the league headquarters “for years to come.” But the league’s statement also outlined criteria for interested potential cities such as being located in the Eastern time zone, access to a hub airport with accessibility to all league schools and financial considerations.
The ACC has hired the Newmark Group as independent consultant to lead the evaluation for a potential headquarters relocation. Newmark will present its analysis to the board upon completion.
Phillips, who took over for retiring John Swofford earlier this year, said the discussion is part of an overall assessment of the ACC’s structure that includes staffing along with the responsibilities and roles of the office.
At the ACC Tip-Off event for basketball — a media day of sorts held in Charlotte earlier this month — Phillips said he had heard "inklings" the conference might move before he was hired. He added that, at that time, they were evaluating Greensboro.
"We hired Newmark, and we are in that first phase with them. The assessment right now is just of Greensboro, either staying where we're at in Greensboro in the same building or another part of Greensboro," Phillips said on Oct. 12. "The (ACC school) presidents will decide if there is a phase two, which would mean we would start to talk with other cities. I have not had one conversation with any city. I have not. And that's the gospel. I have not."
WUNC's Mitchell Northam contributed to this report.