Aug. 12. Visitor spending in Cabarrus County hit $400 million last year, up 7.6 percent from 2013 levels.  The Cabarrus increase was the second-highest percentage gain in the state.

Cabarrus County lodging experienced a 12 percent increase in room demand in 2014. The tourism business, driven in large part by the Speedway, generated $28.95 million in state and local tax revenues in 2014.

Donna Carpenter, CEO of the Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the travel business directly employs more than 4,190 people in Cabarrus. Out of all 100 counties in North Carolina, Cabarrus saw the largest year-over-year increase in direct tourism employment: 5.3 percent.

Total payroll generated by the tourism industry in Cabarrus County was $87.06 million.

Tourism officials say value and exclusive offerings at Charlotte Motor Speedway continue to draw dedicated race fans to the 1.5-mile superspeedway, zMAX Dragway and The Dirt Track. The Mustang 50th anniversary in 2014 generated more than $8 million in economic impact in Cabarrus County.

The Sea Life Aquarium was new last year at Concord Mills.

The statistics come from the U.S. Travel Association’s  “2014 Economic Impact of Travel on North Carolina Counties.”