Concord-Padgett Regional Airport fuels record economic growth in Concord, county
STAFF REPORTS
CONCORD – The city of Concord, long known for its high-performance living and world-class motorsports, has quickly become one of the region’s most desirable places to live and work.
Concord is now the 10th largest and 6th fastest growing city in North Carolina, and continues to attract record economic development from a diverse mix of industries, including household names like Red Bull , Eli Lilly, Kroger and NASCAR. Concord-Padgett Regional Airport, one of North Carolina’s top commercial and corporate general aviation airports, contributes to the city’s success.
“Concord-Padgett Regional Airport is an important economic engine for the City of Concord, Cabarrus County and region,” said Dirk Vanderleest, Director of Aviation. “The City continues to make strategic investments in planning, infrastructure and development projects at the airport, and we are seeing the fruits of those decisions with revenue, tax and economic output numbers that we will continue to grow.”
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Concord-Padgett Regional Airport contributes more than $900 million to the local economy according to the State of Aviation Report released by the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s Aviation Division. , $48 million in tax revenue, supports 4,430 local jobs and serves the second highest population base. in the state with over 1.4 million people residing within 30 minutes of the airport. The airport has 226 aircraft based and is home to NASCAR’s air force as well as several flight schools.
What started as a niche, providing business aviation services to NASCAR’s elite racing teams, has grown into so much more. Concord-Padgett now offers commercial flights through Allegiant Airlines and has expanded its business aviation offerings which are helping to attract record new economic development to the region.
“Businesses value access to air travel and Concord-Padgett Regional Airport plays an important role in meeting business needs with its low-cost general aviation and commercial services,” said Page Castrodale, Director executive of the Cabarrus Economic Development Corporation. “Employers want options, and our regional airport complements what the state’s international airports offer. The airport is an important tool in our economic development toolbox.
In the past two years alone, Cabarrus EDC, in conjunction with the City of Concord and Cabarrus County, has announced two new billion dollar economic development projects that together will create over 1,200 new jobs. Red Bull, Ball and Rauch are investing more than $1.4 billion in a new beverage manufacturing, filling and dispensing campus in Concord, while Eli Lilly is investing $1 billion in their new pharmaceutical manufacturing campus based at Concord.
The Concord-Padgett Regional Airport also helps position the city as a destination for innovation and advanced technology. Last year, Concord-Padgett formalized a partnership with Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace and became the first airport in North Carolina to introduce and test remote tower technology. The partnership will generate further economic growth and help transform air traffic management across the country.
With plans underway for airport expansion and infrastructure improvements, and a clear vision for future growth and advancement, the sky is the limit for Concord-Padgett Regional Airport and the city of Concord.
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