Cumberland County
On Sept. 11, the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners voted 5-2 to release a Request for Qualifications/Proposals for renovating or modernizing the Crown Theatre and Arena with a budget not to exceed $100 million and with seating options of 2,500 and 3,000, joint and separate project approaches and references to prior scope and market studies.
With the revitalization of the theatre and arena where the existing Crown Complex is located, the County is also seeking community input for the current Gillespie Street lot around the downtown Judge E. Maurice Braswell Cumberland County Courthouse area. The survey can be found by visiting https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NZ5K58N. Survey results will be presented at the Oct. 9 board meeting. To date, the County has received more than 1,000 responses.
Also, the board will vote on consent at their Sept. 15 meeting to transfer governance of the Fayetteville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, otherwise known as DistiNCtly Fayetteville, to the Cumberland County Tourism Development Authority. The FACVB Board of Directors adopted amendments to its articles of incorporation and bylaws, effective July 1, 2025, and dissolved its board.
On Sept. 2, the Board of Commissioners also recognized 64 non-profit organizations that received $1.395 million in Community Impact Grants. The grants, funded through Cumberland County’s American Rescue Plan Act allocation, provide up to $50,000 per nonprofit to reimburse qualifying expenses. The nonprofits represented five categories in Health and Human Services, Religious and Faith-Based Services, Public Safety and Emergency Response, Educational and Youth Development and Arts, Culture and Community Development. Recipients were first announced on May 19.
City of Fayetteville
On Sept. 8, the Fayetteville City Council renewed its contract with ShotSpotter, a gunshot detection system, for another year at $220,000. The vote was 8-2 with Councilmen Mario Benavente and Deno Hondros dissenting. The system currently operates in three 1-mile zones in the City including Cliffdale/Reilly Roads, Massey Hill and along the Murchison Road corridor.
According to the data, ShotSpotter has detected 4,005 shots, which has led to more than 1,000 shell casings being recovered, 45 arrests, 19 victims identified and 27 guns recovered. Others say it is less effective due to only 24% of alerts being linked to confirmed gunfire. A second motion was passed to collect and review data-based recommendations over the next year from ShotSpotter.
The board also reviewed a proposal to redevelop the corner of Blount and Gillespie Streets. The City hired HR&A Advisors to look at a 9.33 acre site, located near Downtown Fayetteville and the Cumberland County Jail, which is anchored by the E.E. Smith House, Habitat for Humanity sponsored houses, low-density housing, vacant retail spaces and churches.
Community engagement for the presentation included a public event held in June with over 45 residents and a survey yielding 92 online responses. Out of the feedback, the mixed-use development concepts included a large central community green space and cultural center, a community park anchored with a pavilion and a small neighborhood park or community green on a realigned Chase Street.
The next steps are for HR&A to refine the development scenarios and test financial feasibility for the site, which will be brought back to the council at a later date.
The city’s Economic and Community Development Department is also currently seeking feedback from local small businesses about what resources they feel are missing to help them expand and improve their operations.
According to a press release issued on the survey, “Small businesses are the backbone of Fayetteville’s economy. They create jobs, strengthen neighborhoods and contribute to the growth and sustainability of our community. Their success helps drive investment and build wealth in the city.”
The City released the survey hoping that the input would “provide insight to help shape potential programs and initiatives, expand existing programs and address the needs of businesses in Fayetteville.”
The survey can be found by visiting https://www.fayettevillenc.gov/City-Departments/Economic-Community-Development. It will be open until Oct. 3.
About the Greater Fayetteville Chamber
Advocacy is a cornerstone of the Greater Fayetteville Chamber. Every week, the Chamber dedicates staff to attend City of Fayetteville and Cumberland County meetings as well as monitoring updates on the state and federal levels. We monitor legislation locally, statewide and federally to protect our community’s business interests. With 91% of U.S. adults recognizing a Chamber of Commerce's impact on growth, membership ensures a strong voice shaping policies, driving economic success and building a thriving business community—together. To learn more, visit www.faybiz.com or email jmclaughlin@faybiz.com.