Redesigned Crown Event Center meets $144M budget; some features in earlier design excluded

Sticker shock forced Cumberland County commissioners to scale back the design of a planned performing arts center in downtown Fayetteville.

Fayetteville's new Crown Event Center will be built downtown in front of the Cumberland County courthouse.

Renderings of the project show a modern, vibrant design that could lead to big things for downtown Fayetteville.

Cumberland County commissioners and a design group have redesigned the facility with the new plans being less expensive to build.

Commissioners have been working on the project since May of 2023. The original cost provided by a professional cost estimator was about $132 million. But in less than a year, that cost skyrocketed to more than $163 million.

"The price did go up," said Cumberland County spokesman Brian Haney. "Part of that was based on the expanded program for some of what was in the facility, but then also due to the unprecedented escalation in certain trade areas."

In other words, the cost for electricians, carpenters, plumbers and building materials went up about 10 percent. As a result of that, commissioners told the design company to go back to the drawing board and redesign the center with a budget of about $145 million. In order to do that, some things had to be cut out.

"There was a speak easy on the VIP level that was removed and a roof-top terrace for the facility that to be removed at that point," Haney said.

Commissioners hope to begin the project in September. The building would be a 3,000-seat venue, carry a revenue-generating VIP section and should be finished sometime In 2027.

Commissioners said having a performing arts event center in the heart of Fayetteville is a long-term economic investment in the community.

"We're looking at probably an eight-percent increase," said commissioner Jimmy Keefe. "Which could easily be over a million dollars in the food and beverage and the local occupancy tax coming up every year."

The Crown Event Center is being paid for by the county's occupancy, food and beverage taxes and revenue expected to be generated by the facility.