Vance County outlines 20-acre convention/welcome center plan near I‑85 to boost Henderson tourism

Pam Hester, Vance County Tourism Director, told the Henderson City Council on Aug. 8 that the county is advancing plans for a 20-acre convention and welcome center on Parham Road, across I‑85 from the old Howard Johnsons motel. Hester said the project is funded through the 6% hotel-occupancy tax and that this year has produced the highest occupancy-tax revenue on record despite a decline in available rooms.

Hester described the facility as a multiuse complex that would include office space for the tourism office and others, a commercial kitchen capable of serving multiple events simultaneously, and a hotel. She said the facility is being planned to accommodate about 700 people for dinners and up to 1,400 in classroom seating. "Kerr Lake is the largest manmade lake in the East," Hester said, and she framed the center as a driver to bring larger events — trade shows, robotics competitions, fishing tournaments and indoor graduations for Vance‑Granville Community College — to the Henderson area.

Hester said the tourism office purchased the 20-acre parcel in 2012 and that the project has moved "quickly" in recent weeks; she expects the project to go out for bid within about four weeks and to be completed within 18 months to two years if development proceeds on schedule. A second phase would convert nine acres of the site that cannot be built on into playgrounds and greenways, and staff are investigating electric-vehicle charging stations in portions of the parking area. Hester said no restaurant is planned for the parcel because of site constraints.

Council members asked for additional details about the site and private-interest in the hotel portion. Council Member Lamont Noel confirmed the site will front onto I‑85; City Manager Edward Blackmon said tourism staff had already met with two investors and that a developer owns roughly 50 adjacent acres. Council Member Jason Spriggs suggested the city explore delivery-service options from local restaurants to serve conference guests.

The tourism office did not provide an estimate of project cost in the presentation; Hester said the county will seek construction bids in the coming weeks and did not specify funding commitments beyond the hotel-occupancy tax revenues. The county intends the center to increase overnight stays and event-driven visitation to Henderson and nearby communities.