Fayetteville to Build New Army Museum

Supporters of revitalizing downtown Fayetteville landed a major museum, luring it from Fort Bragg, where it ran into access concerns and military budget cuts.

The Airborne and Special Operations Museum will be built on Ray Avenue, taking out part of the street, a city building and a bank. The six story museum will cost up to $15 million. It will showcase the accomplishments and tradition of the army's elite forces.

Henry Holt, museum vice president, said the museum will be the finest one outside of Washington.

The museum is expected to draw up to 350,000 people each year. It fits in with plans for a huge downtown park.

The museum announcement comes at a time when private and public investment is picking up downtown. A new brew pub opened over the summer in a renovated building.

Look for the museum to open in 1999. As for its costs, the museum foundation has already raised more than $9 million for the project and the city is expected to help pay some of the bill.