Cumberland County is announcing a 30-day pause on the Crown Event Center project to allow for a comprehensive project review. This proactive measure is being taken to ensure the project's long-term success and maintain the highest levels of transparency, accountability and public trust.

County commissioners announced the decision to pause the project at their regular meeting held on Wednesday, March 5 at 9 a.m. at the Cumberland County Courthouse. Board of Commissioners Chairman Kirk deViere announced the decision during a press conference, stating it was a matter of  being able to thoroughly review all aspects of the project by bringing in an independent third party to conduct a comprehensive review of the project's progress, evaluate all aspects of the current work and address any concerns that may exist. 

Cumberland County has acquired  independent third-party counsel, Scott Flowers of Hutchens Law Firm, to provide an unbiased assessment of the status of the project and to address any concerns. The County is committed to ensuring that every aspect of the Crown Event Center project is managed with the utmost integrity.

“Their role is to help access where we stand, provide recommendations and assure all aspects are aligned with our standards for transparency and accountability,” said Board of Commissioners Chairman Kirk deViere during the press conference. “At the end of this review period, we will come back to you, probably in this format or something similar, talk about any findings and what the next steps are. We'll continue to look at those next steps and and we'll come back to you as a board and update you along the way with any results.” 

Cumberland County leadership said they remain committed to maintaining open lines of communication during this review period. Regular updates will be provided through various communication channels, including the County’s website, cumberlandcountync.gov, social media platforms, and press releases. Residents are encouraged to submit any concerns or questions through the designated email link on the Crown Event Center webpage.

"We are fully dedicated to completing this project within the original timeline and will ensure that all necessary steps are taken to avoid delays," said County Manager Clarence Grier in a press release. "Transparency and public trust are at the core of everything we do, and this 30-day pause is a responsible, proactive approach to ensure we deliver a project the community can be proud of."

Cumberland County is confident that once the review is complete, the Crown Event Center project will continue course and be a valuable asset to the community for generations to come. A final press release will be issued at the conclusion of the 30-day review, outlining next steps and celebrating the resumption of work on the project.

You can see the full press conference starting at 1:49:07 on the County’s YouTube page here. 

For additional information or to submit questions, visit the Crown Event Center webpage.

For more information about Cumberland County, visit cumberlandcountync.gov, follow the County on social media at CCNCGov and download the County app by searching MyCCNCGov in the app store.