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November 22, 2017Statement by Donna Carpenter, President/CEO
(September 11, 2011) Concord, NC – After much research, evaluation and discussion with bureau stakeholders, the Cabarrus County Convention and Visitors Bureau is excited to announce that it will be relocating its offices and primary visitor information center to Bruton Smith Boulevard at Interstate-85, Exit 49.
This relocation will be beneficial in achieving our organizational mission to “drive visitation to Cabarrus County to generate the maximum impact through hotel stays and visitor spending” in three ways:
• Amplifying our services as an information resource for visitors
• Increasing our impact on visitor spending throughout the county
• Enhancing organizational interaction with local hospitality partners
By relocating our offices and visitor information center to the county’s most densely trafficked district, we become more visible and accessible to visitors. Our goal is to be a resource for the visitor and the best way to accomplish this is by going where the visitors are.
We have reached out to other CVBs who have gone through similar relocations to get anecdotal feedback and best practices. In fact, a nearby North Carolina convention and visitors bureau recently made a similar move, with fantastic results. Since relocating, visitor foot traffic has increased 25-30%, reaching a record number of visitors in 2010, nearly 200,000 annually.
By not capitalizing on the heavy visitation that the Exit 49 area receives, we are missing a massive opportunity to educate the visitor on everything that Cabarrus County has to offer and driving traffic to those attractions as well. As a destination, we are so lucky to have such a vivid racing experience that draws millions of fans each year. But Cabarrus County has more than motorsports and our organization is dedicated to promoting the entire visitor experience, from NASCAR and shopping at Concord Mills to Kannapolis Intimidators baseball and Reed Gold Mine, the site of the first documented discovery of gold in the United States. What an opportunity this will be to tell race fans in town for the Coca Cola 600 about Historic Downtown Concord and the recent restoration of the Coca Cola mural dating from the early 19th century.
We will be able educate visitors who are already here on the art galleries in Historic Downtown Concord, the Farmer’s Market at the North Carolina Research Campus and the annual 4th of July celebration in Harrisburg which draws more than 75,000 people. These are a few of the many wonderful attractions found here in Cabarrus County for visitors to enjoy.
The Cabarrus CVB is the tourism authority of Cabarrus County and a centralized voice for the county’s hospitality industry. As such, our location is a critical component of our success. With our staff offices at Exit 49, we will see increased opportunities to assist our hotel partners, attractions, and restaurants. As the tourism authority in Cabarrus County, the Bureau’s relationships with these local hospitality partners are crucial to Cabarrus County’s continued success as a destination.
The current CVB offices and visitor center at 3003 Dale Earnhardt Blvd. in Kannapolis are leased from the Cabarrus Regional Chamber of Commerce. As an organization, we are committed to our continuing partnership with the Cabarrus Regional Chamber of Commerce and Cabarrus Economic Development. We will continue to work together to achieve our common goals for the growth of Cabarrus County.
We are extremely excited about taking our organization to the next level with this relocation and providing even better services to visitors and hospitality partners in Cabarrus County.
As a destination marketing organization, the Cabarrus County Convention and Visitors Bureau is dedicated to promoting Cabarrus County as a visitor destination and enhancing the complete visitor experience. We also represent and support the interests of the local tourism industry and promote public awareness of the importance of tourism. Visit our website at visitcabarrus.com for more information.
