Wilson County tourism director cites $370.8 million in visitor spending, points to hotel pipeline and major events
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Summary
Director Johnson told the Wilson County Tourism Board that an economic-impact report shows $370.8 million in visitor spending and $92.4 million in lodging spend, and highlighted 10–12 incoming hotels and major events such as races at Nashville Superspeedway and the Music City Grand Prix.
Director Johnson, the county tourism director, told the Wilson County Tourism Board that an economic-impact report shows Wilson County recorded $370,800,000 in visitor spending and about $38,000,000 in state and local taxes tied to tourism. "We had $370,800,000 in visitor spending," Johnson said, adding that lodging spend totaled $92,400,000 — "up 79% from 2018 pre-COVID" — which generates nearly $5,000,000 in hotel/motel taxes.
Johnson outlined the tourism office’s three-part workplan: recruiting events to the county, supporting local events and businesses, and marketing Wilson County. He cited a pipeline of 10 to 12 new hotels identified via CoStar, including a Home2 Suites by the airport and a Comfort Suites on Franklin Road, and said the incoming properties should produce additional hotel-tax revenue.
Johnson highlighted partnerships and events that drive occupancy: ongoing work with the AgCenter for large expos, a potential large fly-fishing exposition, the Heartland Network’s barbecue programming at Fiddlers Grove, the TriStar Kennel Club dog show (now considering an additional day), and the NASCAR events at Nashville Superspeedway. "The speedway is our probably one of our best assets, our number one tax revenue for visitor spending that we have right now," he said.
In audience questions, an attendee asked how long the NASCAR contract runs. Johnson said the race was originally a three-year agreement and that the promoter signed on for an additional three years, with renegotiation possible after that term: "It was three years originally. They signed on for an additional three." He also acknowledged some hotel projects have faced permitting and construction delays, said he spoke this week with a general manager who expects the airport-area hotel to open this month, and offered to follow up with ownership details via CoStar.
Why it matters: the figures Johnson cited quantify tourism’s contribution to the county tax base and underscore why the office is pursuing new hotels and event recruitment. Johnson also flagged a potential funding gap when ARPA funds expire at the end of the year, noting the county will need to consider future investment to sustain growth.
The tourism office asked the public to follow its updates on social media and said it will continue outreach to partners, including the local chambers and event promoters. The board did not take further formal action on the presentation during the meeting.