Charlotte’s bid to host the WTA Finals “now includes a request for incentives from a state-backed events fund,” according to sources cited by Erik Spanberg of CHARLOTTE BUSINESS JOURNAL. A North Carolina Department of Commerce representative said that Charlotte “has asked for an unspecified amount” as part of its pitch to bring the event to Spectrum Center next year. Spanberg writes that a portion of the state’s sports betting tax revenue “provides the money for the incentives fund,” which is “reserved for local organizing partnerships and site selection groups to offset qualifying expenses as part of tourism-oriented special events.” The week-long WTA Finals has been staged in Riyadh since 2024 and will “wrap up a three-year run there in November.” The WTA wants to bring the event -- which has “struggled to find solid footing in recent years” -- back to the U.S., “in part, to better align with TV time zones likely to bring the largest audiences.” Charlotte, if successful in its pitch, would “host the WTA Finals for three years beginning in November 2027” (CHARLOTTE BUSINESS JOURNAL, 5/18).
Report: Charlotte seeks state incentives for WTA Finals bid
