Study Finds Asheville Region Ready for Major New Tourist Attractions

Asheville keeps losing out on concerts, tournaments and conventions — not because organizers don't want to come, but because the region doesn't have the venues to host them. That is the central finding of a market analysis conducted by CSL International and presented Monday at the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority's annual planning meeting.

The study, commissioned by the TDA and Explore Asheville, drew on interviews with event organizers, promoters and tournament directors who described the region as an attractive destination hamstrung by limited capacity. A modern indoor sports complex or a larger live entertainment venue, CSL found, could pull in the tournaments, concerts and conventions that currently bypass the area altogether, generating hotel room nights and visitor spending that stay out of reach.

Timing gives the TDA real resources to act on those findings. The authority holds nearly $12 million in Legacy Investment from Tourism, known as LIFT, funds and projects roughly $12.3 million in its Tourism Product Development Fund, putting combined available capital near $24.3 million. Recent legislative changes that now allow certain debt service investments expand the financing options leaders can pursue.

The projects under consideration range from a performing arts center and indoor and outdoor sports complexes to family-focused venues and expanded conference facilities. Officials stressed during the presentation that any new facilities should be designed to serve Buncombe County residents as well as visitors, with youth sports leagues, cultural programming and recreational amenities cited as community benefits that could justify major capital commitments.

That investment would not be simple. The analysis outlined a strategic choice for county and TDA leadership: pursue a single large flagship project or spread resources across a portfolio of targeted facilities. Either path would require public-private financing, community engagement and coordination among county government, municipalities, nonprofit cultural organizations and private developers.

For hospitality workers, hotel operators and civic leaders, the study frames what is ultimately a question about what kind of tourism economy Buncombe County wants to build. Decisions about debt, land use and how new revenue gets shared across the community will determine whether the $24 million in available funds becomes a catalyst or stays on the sidelines while tournaments and touring acts route around Asheville to cities better equipped to receive them.