Enhancements to the travel experience in Cabarrus County continue with the opening of the flyover bridge at Concord Mills.
Local leaders gathered for a ribbon cutting on Monday morning to mark the opening of the bridge which occurred at the end of November prior to Black Friday. Representatives from the Cabarrus County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Concord Mills, the City of Concord, and the North Carolina Department of Transportation were in attendance.
“This is an important enhancement to Cabarrus County’s infrastructure,” said Cabarrus County CVB President and CEO Donna Carpenter. “We’re grateful to the CVB’s prior Board of Directors for their vision of spearheading a study to resolve an issue impacting both visitors and locals. Our organization remains committed to the progress of this destination and we look forward to future developments that improve quality of life in our community.”
In addition to aiding visitors to the area, the enhanced travel experience along Concord Mills Boulevard is also a benefit to residents who frequent the thoroughfare.
“The new flyover bridge is a welcome improvement that will ease congestion for residents and visitors coming to Concord for premier shopping, dining, and entertainment experiences,” said City of Concord Mayor Bill Dusch. “We are a growing city known for its high performance living and look forward to continued work with our state and local partners on projects like this that enhance our infrastructure, grow our commerce, and create the best quality of place for residents to live, work, and play.”
Concord Mills is North Carolina’s largest outlet and value retail shopping center and attracts guests year-round making it an invaluable asset to Cabarrus County’s tourism industry.
“As proud members of the Cabarrus County community, we are thrilled by the addition of the flyover bridge,” said James Ross, Concord Mills General Manager. “We are confident this enhancement will improve the experience of shoppers and visitors who frequent Concord Mills, and we look forward to partnering with Cabarrus CVB on future projects.”
As the area’s official destination marketing organization, the Cabarrus County CVB also embraces a role in destination management. The organization’s research-based strategic plan identifies opportunities for improvements like the flyover bridge and serves as a road map to developing Cabarrus County as a premier travel destination.
“Long-term planning for the betterment of our destination has been and continues to be the Board’s primary focus,” said Owen Parker, Chair of the Cabarrus County CVB Board of Directors and General Manager of Hilton Garden Inn Charlotte/Concord. “From awareness to workforce development, several strategic initiatives guide our efforts, and the completion of this project is a major step forward for mobility in Cabarrus County.”
In 2020, tourism in Cabarrus County generated $287.5 million in visitor spending. For more information on the contribution of tourism in Cabarrus County, view “The Economic Impact of Travel on North Carolina Counties”—a study prepared for Visit North Carolina by Tourism Economics.
Photo (pictured from left to right): Brett Canipe, Division 10 Engineer, NCDOT / Terry Crawford, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Concord / Mayor Bill Dusch, City of Concord / Donna Carpenter, President and CEO, Cabarrus County CVB / Lloyd Payne, City Manager, City of Concord / James Ross, General Manager, Concord Mills