FAYETTEVILLE, NC – The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners will host a groundbreaking ceremony on Friday, Oct. 25, at 2 p.m. for the Crown Event Center project. Members of the media are invited to attend. The ceremony will be held on the site of the new Crown Event Center, in the parking lot in front of the Judge E. Maurice Braswell Cumberland County Courthouse, 117 Dick Street, Fayetteville.
WHAT: A groundbreaking ceremony will be held to kick off the construction phase of the Crown Event Center project. The Crown Event Center will serve as a replacement to the original Crown Theatre and Arena, which opened in 1967 and must close. The other Crown Complex facilities – a 10,880-seat Coliseum, 60,000-square-foot Expo Center and 9,200-square-foot Ballroom – will remain open in their present location at 1960 Coliseum Drive, Fayetteville.
The new 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. The project kicked off in April 2022 with site selection and design, and the new Crown Event Center is expected to open in Spring 2027.
The Crown Event Center will consist of approximately 134,000 square feet and feature a three-story main event hall with a capacity of approximately 3,000. The facility, which will continue transforming the downtown landscape, will not just be a performing arts center, but will be a versatile multipurpose event center that will allow for a range of event types, from concerts and performances to banquets and conventions. The second floor will offer exclusive VIP access and seating, and plans include a rooftop terrace with views of the downtown skyline. Equipped with state-of-the-art back-of-house facilities and performer spaces, the center is designed to provide an exceptional experience that will keep both patrons and artists coming back to Cumberland County. Additionally, there will be several meeting spaces available for use either independently or in conjunction with the other areas in the building.
- The project has included extensive community input, including from a Community Engagement Committee comprised of a diverse group of stakeholders. This committee developed the project’s Guiding Principles and contributed valuable insights into the building program, identifying key elements necessary for the venue’s success.
- The $145 million project budget is fully supported within the County’s Crown funding model, which includes revenue from a portion of the County’s occupancy tax, the Food and Beverage Tax, and operating revenue from the Crown facilities. These funds are restricted for use exclusively on the Crown and cannot be used for other purposes, ensuring that this project does not come at the expense of other County initiatives or priorities. No General Fund revenue from County property or sales taxes is being used to fund this project.
- The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners has approved a new parking deck that will serve the Crown Event Center, which will be built directly behind the Courthouse and Law Enforcement Center. The deck will provide sufficient capacity for several County construction projects in the vicinity, replace any displaced parking, and accommodate future growth. The parking deck is expected to be complete in 2026, ahead of Crown Event Center’s opening.
WHO: Members of the media are invited to attend.
WHEN: Friday Oct. 25, 2024 at 2 p.m.
WHERE: Crown Event Center Construction Site 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.
For questions about the ceremony or media accommodations, contact Communications Director Diane B. Rice at dbrice@cumberlandcountync.gov or 910-438-4025.