Record 22 Projects Seek $23.5M in Wake County, Raleigh Tourism Funds

A record 22 projects from 20 nonprofits, businesses and municipalities sought a share of about $23.5 million in combined Wake County and City of Raleigh tourism-related tax funds, county records show. The proposals range from a 1,700-capacity performance stage in Apex to renovations at swimming and ballfield facilities, and will shape what attractions and events the region can market to visitors.

County and city staff, together with representatives from Visit Raleigh, United Arts of Wake County, the Wake County Hospitality Alliance and other reviewers, scored the applications and produced funding recommendations. Wake County commissioners got their first look at the packet Monday afternoon; the board could vote as early as Feb. 16, and the Raleigh City Council could take action Feb. 17. Those votes will determine which projects move forward with hospitality-tax support.

Notable requests include the Town of Apex’s Town Campus Stage, which sought $348,961 toward a $697,923 project; county staff recommended $348,000. The Triangle Aquatic Center requested $60,000 for hospitality-suite renovations on a $120,000 project, with staff recommending $59,000. Wake Forest’s JB Flaherty Park asked for $1.74 million of a $3.48 million upgrade to three baseball and softball fields; staff recommended $750,000. Other pitches cited in the review packet include ballet studios, cricket field renovations and the proposed relocation of a 52-foot northern right whale skeleton known as “Stumpy.”

The funding pool is drawn from state-authorized hotel room occupancy taxes and prepared food and beverage taxes, which may support a convention center, arena and other cultural, sports and arts activities. That legal framework frames how commissioners and council members evaluate projects that can “fill hotel beds” and increase restaurant sales.

The applications arrive amid strong tourism performance in Wake County. Visit Raleigh reports that 2024 was a record year with 19 million visitors and $3.4 billion in visitor spending, increases of 2.7 percent and 5.1 percent respectively over 2023. Hotel occupancy in the county averaged 69.7 percent in 2024, outpacing state and national averages, and tourism supported 26,261 jobs and roughly $920 million in payroll. Visit Raleigh contracted Tourism Economics for the visitation and spending estimates.

“From leisure travel to major sporting events, meetings and conventions, Wake County’s tourism profile is at an all-time high, surpassing previous records in visitation and hospitality tax collections,” said Dennis Edwards, President and CEO of Visit Raleigh. “This year’s data reinforces the vital role tourism plays in our local economy, supporting more than 26,000 jobs. With major developments enriching the visitor experience, like Lenovo Center enhancements, the Raleigh Convention Center expansion, groundbreaking of the Omni Hotel, the forthcoming MICHELIN Guide: American South and the debut of Gipson Play Plaza – Wake County is well-positioned for even greater success in the years ahead.”

Local capital work on parks, trails and preserves also factors into the broader pitch for visitors. Wake County has invested in projects such as the Triangle Bikeway and the new 300-acre Beech Bluff County Park, and a slate of park improvements and preserve acquisitions remain in planning and construction phases.

Decisions by the commissioners and Raleigh council in mid-February will signal which community-scale projects and niche attractions receive public backing. For residents, the outcome will affect where concerts, tournaments and family outings are hosted, which local businesses benefit from increased room-nights and food sales, and how Wake County markets itself to national and international visitors in the years ahead.