FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – Conventions, Sports and Leisure International (CSL) presented findings from a market and financial feasibility study on a facility to replace the Crown Theatre and Arena during a public meeting Sept. 15 at the Crown Coliseum.
With the theatre and arena anticipated to close in November 2025, Spectra Venue Management, the company that manages the Crown Complex for Cumberland County, hired CSL in January 2020 to conduct the study. The consultant studied the regional market, similar facilities and communities and gathered feedback from public input forums, interviews with key stakeholders and an online public survey.
The research showed that stakeholders and the public desire a sustainable venue that brings top events and provides space for community users. The study’s recommendation is to build an 89,000-square-foot multi-purpose venue with a maximum capacity of 2,500 people. The estimated cost, in 2021 dollars, would be $75-$80 million and does not include the purchase of a site.
“We are excited that the study has been completed after being delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic and we want to thank CSL for their work on this 200-page report that has now been turned over to the Board of Commissioners and County staff,” said Charles Evans, chairman of the Board of Commissioners. “After reviewing the details in the report, the Board will be scheduling a meeting in the future to discuss next steps.”
Three general locations were included in the site analysis – Downtown Fayetteville, the Crown Complex campus and the Fayetteville Outer Loop/I-295 area. The study also found that the existing Food and Beverage tax represents the most viable means of funding the cost of a new replacement multi-purpose venue.
“This is exciting; it can be profitable. Our community can support it, and the main thing is that our community deserves this,” said Cumberland County Commissioner Jimmy Keefe, who serves as the liaison to the Civic Center Commission. “This can be done and now’s the time we get moving.”
The full 200-plus page report is available at http://www.crowncomplexnc.com/assets/doc/Cumberland-County-Multi-Purpose-Event-Center_Feasibility-Study_9.15.21-ebbe11b6af.pdf.
The summary presentation is posted at http://www.crowncomplexnc.com/assets/doc/Cumberland-County-Multi-Purpose-Event-Center-Public-Presentation-9.15.21-374d892955.pdf.
A recording of the meeting is posted at https://youtu.be/2HWB1dMgSlI found on the Cumberland County YouTube site YouTube.com/user/CumberlandCountyNC or can be viewed on CCNC-TV (Spectrum Channel 5). The CCNC-TV app is available for free on Apple TV, Roku and FireTV.
Please visit cumberlandcountync.gov for more information about Cumberland County government services.
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