HENDERSONVILLE - CNBC’s Scott Cohn uses a variety of critical data points to proclaim the nation’s top state for business each year. In live clips leading up to the day he announces the winner, Cohn presents an on-air series of hints from within the winning state. Viewers take their best guesses as to which state is the winner, based on these teaser clips. 

North Carolina was the winner in 2022, and CNBC’s crew traveled “down east” to Wilmington to make the big announcement from Airlie Gardens. 

Cohn announced that North Carolina is also the winner for 2023. This time, the teaser scenes were filmed in western North Carolina, many of them at Kanuga, with the final reveal airing live this morning from Biltmore.

Six clips were filmed at Kanuga and aired live throughout the day on Monday, July 10, with locations including the waterfront, lakeside chapel, and Long Rocks. All the while, the North Carolina location was kept sealed from the viewing public. Some of the clips included hints such as “old school,” “big house,” “beat the rush,” and “there’s the rub.” Top viewer guesses included Michigan, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Tennessee. Correspondent Scott Cohn revealed not only North Carolina as the winning state, but also Kanuga as a location for many of the teasers.

 “It was a pleasure to host this crew,” says Kanuga’s marketing director Jane Childress. “I loved that there were guests here during the filming—it added a bit of excitement to week two of summer guest period. And I’m proud of how professional and responsive our staff members were. In a live, national broadcast plans often change on a dime, and Kanuga’s team was always at the ready.”

Over its nearly 100-year history, Kanuga has been a contributor to the economic impact of both the hospitality and summer camp industries in North Carolina. In an economic impact study conducted by NC State University in 2011, it was found that summer camps in Henderson, Transylvania, and Buncombe counties have a combined impact of more than $365 million every summer (source: NC Youth Camp Association). Camp Kanuga is among the oldest American Camp Association accredited camps in the country.

Kanuga’s conference center, which is a nonprofit organization affiliated with The Episcopal Church, has long been an employer in the region, and active in area civic organizations. Annually, Kanuga welcomes to western North Carolina more than 40,000 guests, from across the country and globally, for leisure stays and group events, helping to fuel the hospitality sector year-round.

“Now, as we begin to pull away from the pandemic—when we nearly lost Kanuga—there is a fresh surge of energy and interest among travelers and event planners. We are pleased that so many are choosing Kanuga, and that we are able to more fully engage in our mission to serve as a gathering place for all people to connect with each other, nature, and the creator,” says President and CEO Michael Sullivan.

The final reveal show and Kanuga teasers can be viewed at TopStates.CNBC.com.

See Cohn's shout-out to Kanuga and Hendersonville here.

Source: Kanuga