Top Takeaway:
The Cabarrus County CVB continues to thoughtfully invest visitor tax dollars in sports tourism projects that simultaneously boost economic impact while enhancing facilities for local students including a new video display at the Jay. M Robinson Mondo Track & Field Facility in Concord.

August 16, 2024

To further enhance the economic impact generated by sports tourism in Cabarrus County, an LED video display will be added to the Jay. M Robinson Mondo Track & Field Facility in Concord.

The new feature will allow the venue to host a wider range of track and field competitions that require a video display for timing and scoring purposes. While serving as an important asset for tourism, the enhancement offers an additional benefit for other sports being played at the facility.

To date, the venue has hosted several events which have generated a total of more than $5.8 million in economic impact in Cabarrus County including the USA South Conference Championship, 2024 AAU District Championship, and 2024 North Carolina USATF State Youth Championship.

Rendering of the video display to be installed at the Jay M. Robinson Mondo Track & Field Facility in Concord. –
Photo credit: Nevco

The video display will be installed in September 2024 on the campus of Jay M. Robinson High School to accompany the venue’s state-of-the-art Mondo track which was completed in October 2023. The school was selected as the location for the track based on its proximity to area hotels.

The project is just one example of how the Cabarrus County Convention & Visitors Bureau continues to thoughtfully invest visitor dollars into our community through strong partnerships.

After identifying a unique opportunity to simultaneously enhance the area’s tourism assets and school facilities, the Cabarrus County CVB first partnered with Cabarrus County Government and Cabarrus County Schools to expand the destination’s offerings for amateur sports with the installation of new turf fields at local high schools. Completed in 2021, the dual-purpose project provided new venues for tournaments that bring positive economic impact as well as an ancillary benefit to student athletes.

Student athletes from Cox Mill High School, Jay M. Robinson High School and West Cabarrus High School help cut the ribbon on Cabarrus County’s new turf fields at a ceremony held in October 2021.

The collaboration that brought the turf fields to fruition paved the way for development of the Mondo track and field facility.

Like the turf and track projects, the video display was funded through allocated occupancy tax dollars dedicated to enhancing sports facilities in the destination. Different from resident property taxes, hotel occupancy taxes are locally imposed taxes paid by guests who occupy hotels, short-term rentals, or other lodging for less than 90 days.

Celebrating 35 years in 2024, the Cabarrus County CVB was created in 1989 when the North Carolina Legislature enacted legislation authorizing Cabarrus County to levy a room tax and establish a Tourism Authority. The 6% occupancy tax is paid by visitors to Cabarrus County hotels and makes up the organization’s budget which can only be used for tourism related expenditures. Of that budget, Cabarrus County Government retains 5% for Sports Development.

“I’d like to recognize the Cabarrus County CVB’s 12-member Board of Directors who had the vision to invest in these projects which serve so many,” said Cabarrus County CVB President and CEO Donna Carpenter. “We’ve already seen the positive impact they’ve generated and look forward to seeing that impact grow well into the future.”

These strategic investments in sports facilities have elevated Cabarrus County, North Carolina to a premier destination for sports events. The destination has already been recognized by the sports events industry as the Jay M. Robinson Mondo Track & Field Facility was nominated for a 2024 SportsTravel Award in the category of Best New or Renovated Sports Venue. Winners will be announced during the TEAMS ’24 Conference & Expo, September 23-26, 2024.

The video display is being produced by Nevco Integrated Display and Scoring Solutions.

Learn more about the economic contribution of tourism in Cabarrus County here.