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Crown Event Center Committee

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The Crown Complex is comprised of five venues, including a 2,440-seat Theatre and 4,500-seat Arena that opened in 1967, and a 10,880-seat Coliseum, 60,000-square-foot Expo Center and 9,200-square-foot Ballroom that opened in 1997.

Over the past two decades, the Complex has remained an important asset to the local community and the region, however the Theatre and Arena have undergone minimal capital improvements over the last half century, and the condition of the venues has deteriorated. A number of studies have been done including the 2015 Crown Theatre Modernization Study, which determined that significant upgrades were needed to meet current ADA standards and modernize the venue, and that the cost of those upgrades would approach the cost of building a brand new facility.

In 2018, the Cumberland County Civic Center Commission recommended to the Board of Commissioners that the Theatre be replaced with a new state-of-the-art venue and a feasibility study be conducted on how best to proceed.

The Board of Commissioners announced in early 2020 that the Crown Theatre and Arena will close by November 2025. The Board also engaged Convention, Sports & Leisure International (CSL), Steinberg Hart, and Public Participation Partners (P3) to conduct a Market & Financial Feasibility Study. The study, which was completed in September 2021, recommended constructing a new multi-purpose event center with a maximum capacity of 2,500 that can accommodate a variety of uses.

The Board of Commissioners hired MBP as the owner’s representative for the project and established a three-member Crown Event Center Committee, which includes Commissioner Jeannette Council, the committee chair; Commissioners Chairman Glenn Adams; and Commissioner Jimmy Keefe. Civic Center Commission Chairman Joe Quigg serves on the Committee in an ex-officio capacity. County government staff and representatives from Spectra, which manages the facility, also provide support.

The Crown Event Center Committee held a kick-off meeting for the new Crown Event Center project on April 20, 2022.

Information related to the project and the Crown Event Center Committee will be posted on this page throughout the duration of the project.



Commissioners Approve Multi-Purpose Event Center Items

Apr 4, 2022, 14:38 PM by Jon Soles
The Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the Capital Project Budget Ordinance to establish the budget for the Multi-Purpose Event Center.

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners today unanimously approved the Capital Project Budget Ordinance to establish the budget for the Multi-Purpose Event Center capital project in an amount not to exceed $82.5 million and adopted a resolution of official intent to pursue tax exempt financing.

The budget includes the $80 million estimated cost that was part of the feasibility study presented in September 2021 to the Board of Commissioners. The additional cost is approximately $2 million contract for the Owner's Agent and $500,000 in estimated debt issuance costs.  Debt takeout is expected to occur in early 2024, before construction begins.  Until debt proceeds are received, the costs incurred on the capital project will be funded by fund balance of the County’s Food and Beverage Tax Fund.  Upon receipt of debt proceeds, the Food and Beverage Tax Fund will be reimbursed.

The following projected expenditures are appropriated for this project:

 

                                                                                  Expenditure

Surveying                                                                    $        48,000

License & permits                                                       $      100,000

Contingency                                                                $   9,052,000

Architect                                                                      $   5,500,000

Owners Agent                                                             $   2,200,000

Engineering (Geotech)                                               $      100,000

Construction                                                                $ 65,000,000

Debt Issuance Costs                                                  $      500,000

Transfer to the Food and Beverage Fund                  $   2,500,000

The following associated revenue is appropriated for this project:

                                                                                    Revenue

Proceeds from Debt Issuance                                    $ 82,500,000

Transfer from the Food and Beverage Fund              $   2,500,000

 

The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners and the Civic Center Commission determined to replace the Crown Theater rather than to spend additional funds renovating it. In accordance with the Commission Act, the Commission has worked with the Board of Commissioners in planning for the construction of a replacement facility for the Theater.

In other action related to the event center, the Board approved a contract with MBP Carolinas to serve as the owner’s representative for the project.

“It’s a big day for Cumberland County,” said Commissioner Jimmy Keefe, who is a board member on the Multi-Purpose Event Center committee.

  • Contact Us

    Phone: 910-678-7724
    Address:

    117 Dick Street
    Fayetteville, NC, NC 28301

    Email:
    email_envelope
    Contact: Brian Haney, Assistant County Manager

    Contact Us

    Phone: 910-678-7724
    Email:
    email_envelope
    Contact: Brian Haney, Assistant County Manager
    Address:

    117 Dick Street
    Fayetteville, NC, NC 28301