Cabarrus tourism officials highlight $624 million visitor spending, ask commissioners to note FY26 growth

Cabarrus County tourism officials told the Board of Commissioners on May 5 that visitors spent about $624,000,000 in the county in 2023 and that occupancy-tax collections and hotel performance are up as the authority prepares a FY2026 budget proposal.

The tourism presentation, given by Donna Carpenter and John Mills to the Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners, summarized visitor spending, hotel inventory and marketing efforts; it also outlined planned FY2026 occupancy-tax revenues and spending plans tied to sales and marketing, personnel and sports development. Because the board did not have a quorum, commissioners only received the briefing and no formal vote was taken.

Carpenter said Cabarrus County has 30 hotels and about 3,000 room nights available in the market. She described occupancy tax as a visitor-paid levy that the county collects and remits to the visitor bureau and said state law limits how occupancy-tax proceeds may be spent: "it can only be spent on tourism related items." The presentation cited an estimate that visitor spending translates to a $171.51 per-resident tax savings, a metric the tourism authority tracks to show local benefit.

John Mills reviewed recent occupancy trends and the FY2026 revenue outlook. He told commissioners collections were running about 25% ahead of pre-pandemic levels and said 2024 recorded a 74% hotel occupancy rate and a record average daily rate of $116. Mills said occupancy-tax receipts drive about 96% of the bureau's budget and that the county retains a 5% administrative fee; he said that fee equates to roughly $367,000 for the county in the coming year. Mills also described how the bureau targets marketing to top feeder markets (Raleigh, Greenville, Greensboro, Florence SC, Columbia SC and Atlanta) using data on visitor origins and spending.

Carpenter and Mills highlighted destination development projects the authority supported with occupancy-tax funds, including high-school turf installations and the Mondo track at J.M. Robinson High School; they said the turf and track projects delivered ancillary benefits to student athletes and helped attract events. The presentation also noted the tourism authority funded a feasibility study tied to a flyover at the Concord Mills Mall area and referenced work with N.C. Department of Transportation on exit and bridge improvements at Exit 49 to address congestion and preserve sales tax revenue from that corridor.

The bureau previewed FY2026 spending priorities, saying roughly 28% of its budget goes to salaries and wages (lower than peer averages) while a larger-than-peer share goes to sales and marketing to win events. Mills also noted hotel development in the market: a dual-brand hotel under construction (advertised as Home2 Suites and TRU by Hilton) with about 188 rooms and planned remodeling at the nearby Embassy Suites.

No decisions were made; the presentation was for information only because the board lacked a quorum. Commissioners present thanked the presenters and acknowledged the bureau’s board members who serve on the authority.