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Crown Event Center

Architect rendering of the Crown Event Center



Latest Project News

Crown Event Center Moves into Construction Document Phase (June 18, 2024)

Crown Event Center Committee Receives 100% Design Update (May 20, 2024)

View the May 20, 2024 Crown Event Center Project Update Presentation HERE




The Crown Complex, located at 1960 Coliseum Drive, Fayetteville 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.

The original Crown Theatre and Arena must close by November 2025, and the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners has approved the construction of a new state-of-the-art multipurpose event center (the Crown Event Center) to replace these facilities. The Crown Event Center will be located in Downtown Fayetteville at the intersection of Gillespie Street and Ottis F. Jones Parkway on the block between the County’s Historic Courthouse and the Judge E. Maurice Braswell Cumberland County Courthouse.

In 2022, the Board of Commissioners hired MBP Carolinas as the owner’s representative for the project and established a three-member Crown Event Center Committee includes Commissioner Jimmy Keefe, who chairs the committee, Board of Commissioners Chairman Glenn Adams and Commissioner Jeannette Council. Cumberland County Civic Center Commission Chairman McBryde Grannis serves on the Committee in an ex-officio capacity. A Project Delivery Team (PDT) was also established, which is comprised of key County staff and representation from MBP Carolinas, current Crown Complex Manager Oak View Group (OVG), project architect EwingCole and Construction Manager-at-Risk (CMaR) TA Loving/Metcon.

The Crown Event Center Committee held a kick-off meeting for the new Crown Event Center project on April 20, 2022. On Sept. 6, 2022, the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners approved guiding principles for the project following an engagement process that included members of a Community Engagement Committee comprised of representation from current users of the Crown Complex, community members, educational institutions and nonprofit organizations, the business community, and municipal and civic leaders.

The guiding principles are a set of value statements intended to establish a common direction for the project and inform decision-making throughout the project.


graphic outlining guiding principles for crown event center

 

The County hired EwingCole as the project architect in November 2022. Once on board, EwingCole engaged the Community Engagement Committee and other stakeholders to provide feedback on what they believe needs to be included in the new Crown Event Center to make it successful. This information was incorporated into the Conceptual Design process, which resulted in the Board of Commissioners approving a building program of 131,500 square feet and an updated project budget of $131,703,300 on May 15, 2023. The Board approved a Schematic Design on Aug. 15, 2023.

TA Loving/Metcon was brought on as CmaR in September 2023, and the PDT began working with the CMaR to reconcile project cost and schedule. On Jan. 23, 2024, the Crown Event Center Committee approved an updated design for the facility with a building program totaling 134,000 square feet and a total project budget of $145 million.

The PDT completed the 100% Design Development package on Apr. 29, 2024, and presented updated renderings of the new Crown Event Center’s exterior and interior spaces to the Crown Event Center Committee on May 20, 2024. On June 17, 2024, the Crown Event Center Committee authorized the project to move into the Construction Document development phase following a presentation from the PDT indicating the project is within the Board’s approved budget after the completion of Design Development.

The project team currently estimates breaking ground on the new Crown Event Center in September 2024 with construction completed in early 2027.

 

 

Architect rendering of people standing in an event center lobby

 

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



County Manager Presents Recommended Budget for FY2023

May 26, 2022, 19:52 PM by Claudia Sievers

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – County Manager Amy Cannon presented the Fiscal Year 2023 recommended annual budget to the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners tonight. The recommended budget maintains the County’s current property tax rate of 79.9 cents per $100 valuation and makes investments in a number of the Board’s strategic priorities.

The balanced recommended budget includes just under $553 million in expenditures across all County funds, with $362 million appropriated for General Fund expenses, which represents a $22 million or 6.5% increase over the FY2023 General Fund budget.

Cannon presented her recommended budget at a time of continued evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic, along with an uncertain economic outlook due to global issues including high inflation, rising fuel prices, the conflict in Ukraine, and ongoing supply chain issues. She said the recommended budget continues the County’s focus on resilience, recovery, and restructuring.

The recommended budget includes modest increases in projected property and sales tax collections, with the increase in sales tax projections closer to pre-pandemic levels. On the expenditure side, the budget addresses projected increase in health insurance costs, employer contributions to the retirement system, and property and cybersecurity insurance.

The recommended budget provides funding to address a number of the Board of Commissioners’ ongoing priorities including:

  • Continuing to move forward with the replacement of the Crown Theatre and Arena with anticipated site review and selection, land procurement, updating and refining project cost estimates, and procurement of a design/construction team
  • Allocating $258,600 to move forward with Phase 1 of the Gray’s Creek Water Project to serve two elementary schools and residential customers located along the route
  • Moving forward with addressing homelessness including identifying potential sites for a homeless shelter
  • Maintaining local funding for mental health services and recommending utilizing existing MCO fund balance to increase levels of mental health and substance abuse services in the county
  • Providing $390,254 for a pilot project to provide in-home case management and care coordination to help address the social determinants of health and reduce barriers and gaps in services to those most in need
  • Including $50,000 for a pilot transportation program to address transportation access issues for citizens receiving services from the Public Health Department

The recommended budget also includes:

  • $755,657 for 15 new positions (not including the new positions related to the in-home case management and care coordination program)
  • $84.3 million in current expense funding for Cumberland County Schools, representing 43.47% of the property tax rate and an increase of $1.3 million from FY2022
  • An additional $3.9 million in funding to Cumberland County Schools for School Health Nurses, School Resource Officers, and School Crossing Guards
  • $14.2 million in current expense funding for Fayetteville Technical Community College, which is an increase of $935,000
  • $2 million to replace 32 vehicles (21 from the Sheriff’s Office and Detention Center)

Additionally, the recommended budget seeks to address critical issues the County is facing related to recruitment and retention of an experienced, well-trained workforce. Initiatives include:

  • Funding for a 4% cost-of-living adjustment for County employees
  • Additional market adjustments to increase the entry level salary rates for sheriff’s deputies and detention officers
  • $95,000 to conduct an organization-wide classification and market study to address salary compression, inequity, and competitive pay within ranges
  • Funding for a pilot project to transition social workers in DSS to permanent remote work, which could be expanded to other County departments in future years

The recommended budget is available on the county’s website at cumberlandcountync.gov. The Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing on the proposed budget on Monday, June 6 at 7 p.m. in Room 118 of the courthouse. Citizens who would like to comment on the proposed budget during the public hearing may, but are not required to, sign up prior to the start of the meeting. A sign-up sheet will be available in the room. Individuals may also call the Clerk to the Board at 910-678-7771 or email cwhite@co.cumberland.nc.us.

According to North Carolina law, the Board may adopt the budget no earlier than 10 days after it is presented.

Full Budget Meeting Schedule

Budget Work Session                         June 1 at 5:30 p.m.     Room 564, Courthouse

Public Hearing                                    June 6 at 7 p.m.          Room 118, Courthouse

Budget Work Session                         June 8 at 5:30 p.m.     Room 564, Courthouse

Budget Work Session                         June 13 at 5:30 p.m.   Room 564, Courthouse

Budget Work Session (if needed)       June 15 at 5:30 p.m.   Room 564, Courthouse

 

  • 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