//Creating the point
CLLocationCoordinate2D centerPoint;
 centerPoint.latitude = 36.966029;
 centerPoint.longitude = -121.977739;

//print out its contents
NSLog(@"Coords should be: lat %f,long %f ", centerPoint.latitude,centerPoint.longitude);

// create the map view
_map = [[RMMapView alloc]
            initWithFrame: self.view.bounds
            andTilesource:cartoSource
            centerCoordinate:centerPoint
            zoomLevel:6
            maxZoomLevel:18
            minZoomLevel:1
            backgroundImage:nil];

//print out its centerCoordinates
NSLog(@"NEW coords: lat %f,long %f ", _map.centerCoordinate.latitude,_map.centerCoordinate.longitude);

//set the center coordinates AGAIN
[_map setCenterCoordinate:centerPoint animated:0];

//print out centerCoordinates
NSLog(@"NEW coords: lat %f,long %f ", _map.centerCoordinate.latitude,_map.centerCoordinate.longitude);

Coords should be: lat 36.966029,long -121.977739 
NEW coords: lat 0.000000,long 0.000000 
NEW coords: lat 0.000000,long 0.000000 
NEW coords: lat 0.000000,long 0.00 000