Recreation Center | Cumberland County Commissioners announce location of Crown Events Center in downtown Fayetteville

Fayetteville, North Carolina (WTVD) — Cumberland County Council has voted to make the Dick Street car park the new site for the Crown Events Centre. The board also voted to recognize Ewing Cole as the project’s architect.

The decision was made Monday in a special session in Cumberland County Court. The event center is expected to attract thousands of people to various large-scale events. The commissioners said they chose the site across from the courthouse because it was already owned by the county, was easily accessible and had nearby parking. County officials also noted that building there would not pose an environmental problem.

“It’s going to change downtown Fayetteville. But more importantly what it’s doing for the citizens of Fayetteville. It’s bringing ownership to this community,” said Cumberland County Commission President Glenn Adams.

“We don’t want to keep running out of Cumberland County to see plays, theaters and all that stuff. It’s going to be able to be right here in Cumberland County.”

The project was initiated because the Crown Theater and Arena, located next to the original Coliseum off US 301, was deemed non-ADA compliant back in 2020. Since then, the county has been working on rebuilding. The project will cost approximately $6.5 million; the building is expected to be 90,000 square feet and seat up to 3,000.

“It’s a multipurpose place. So not only can we have theaters, we can have concerts, we’ll have businesses come in. We’ll have conferences come in,” Adams said. “It’s so exciting.”

ABC11 has contacted EwingCole for comment.

Commissioner Adams said EwingCole and county officials will next begin drafting a design for the events center.