Cabarrus County
What you should know
The communities of Concord and Kannapolis are a half-hour’s drive from the Charlotte Airport and minutes from downtown Charlotte. The area has the world’s largest concentration of NASCAR attractions. The state-of-the-art Concord Convention Center & Embassy Suites Hotel Resort recently opened, and there are several unusual facilities in the area.
High-speed adventures
Lowe’s Motor Speedway draws a half-million spectators to town during NASCAR event weeks in May and October. It has two 22,000-sq. ft. facilities for trade shows, meetings, banquets and special events; other on-site venues include a 100-seat media center. The track also offers driving schools and ride-along programs. Concord Motorsports Park has two racing tracks, VIP suites and film production facilities. Groups can book racing packages at the NASCAR Silicon Motor Speedway at Concord Mills. The Concord Mills SpeedPark has five go-kart tracks, NASCAR simulations, kiddie rides, a laser tag arena, a climbing wall and arcade games.
Shopping
Concord Mills is one of the state’s most popular visitor attractions; it has more than 200 interactive and outlet stores and attractions. Cannon Village shops in downtown Kannapolis specialize in home furnishings; downtown Concord also has an historic shopping district. And, of course, there are plenty of places to buy racing memorabilia.
Historic attractions
Racing legend Dale Earnhardt Sr. grew up in Kannapolis; the city has two sites dedicated to his memory. Reed Gold Mine Historic Site is where gold was first discovered in America in 1799; visitors can tour the mine, pan for gold and picnic along one of the mine’s trails. Every two-to-four years Bost Grist Mill hosts Civil War re-enactments; the mill and its grounds also are available for private events.
