Cumberland County leaders provide updates on Crown Event Center project
By Faith Hatton, posted Jun 23, 2023 on BizFayetteville.com
County leaders and officials came together before members of the Downtown Fayetteville community at CityView’s Downtown Visionaries Luncheon, held on June 22, to provide updates on the Crown Event Center expected to be coming to downtown Fayetteville in October of 2025.
Assistant County Manager Brian Haney addressed some of the organizational structure of the project and the guiding principles used by the Community Engagement Committee for planning before jumping into specifics of the building itself.
Haney shared that the final approved building program measures at 131,500 square feet and the approved project budget is at $131,703,300.
“I do want to share with you that the approved building program is larger than what was originally developed several years ago from a market and financial feasibility study that was conducted to provide guidance on what type of facility Cumberland County and the surrounding region painted and could support,” said Haney. “The approved program includes spaces identified by the project stakeholders and by commissioners to enhance this facility and truly make it a first class experience for patrons artists in the community,” said Haney.
Haney also shared that the final program and total also include elements that weren’t included in the original Market and Feasibility Study conducted, such as a 3000 seat, three story management, instead of 2,500 seats, additional VIP spaces and additional meeting and event space that can be rented out and will allow multiple events to take place at once which Haney said will allow for more revenue generation. He also added that the revised project budget is fully supported within the County's Crown Financial Affordability Model, which is funded through a variety of restriction revenue sources that do not require any additional support from the County's General Fund or for property tax or sales tax revenue.
Currently, the project is in the schematic design process, where the actual look of the final structure is being decided. Haney also wanted to note that the renderings currently available to the public are not being used as an idea of what the final look of the building will be.
“In terms of where we are today with this project and the next steps, again the Board approved the revised building program and project budget along with a recommended conceptual design. The project delivery team is currently working to further refine that we're working through the schematic design process,” said Haney. “I do want to caution that the images that you have seen, this is not what this facility will ultimately look like. It is intended as a massing exercise to provide an idea of the scope of the building relative to the site and the surrounding areas. So we will continue working through exercises to bring a final design back to the Crown Event Center.”
Haney said the County will continue working through exercises to bring a final design back to the Crown Event Center Committee and the Board of Commissioners for final approval. He also shared that they are also working to integrate the construction manager at risk into the project as well.
“We believe this will be an incredibly transformative project for the county and the downtown area, and we are committed to engaging in keeping you informed as we move forward,” concluded Haney.
Updates to the Crown Center will be made available to the public at www.cumberlandcountync.gov/crowneventcenter.
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