The Fayetteville City Council approved a $13.6 million bid for the McArthur Road Sports Complex and held a special meeting to discuss the FY27-FY32 Capital Improvement Program and fire safety campaigns. Key actions included reviewing the Dogwood Festival's request for funding and reviewing rezoning/utility rules.
According to the plans, the multi-million sports complex will feature twelve baseball fields, a multi-use building with restrooms, concessions, office space and an open-air pavilion, as well as a maintenance building to support ongoing operations. A secondary concession and restroom facility will also be located on the northern side of the parking area. This project is part of the 2016 parks and recreation bond referendum.
The Fayetteville Dogwood Festival director announced the festival faces financial challenges and requested council assistance to ensure future viability. While the festival remains free to attend, production expenses and operational costs are straining its budget. One of the cited new issues was with an increase in safety requirements; security costs were raised from $7000 to $39,000.
The City has provided in-kind and financial support over the years, but stopped providing cash contributions in 2022 after further supporting the Juneteenth Jubilee and the New Year's Eve celebration.
The Dogwood Festival will take place April 24–26 with over 160 vendors and a 1990s/2000s throwback theme. The event features live music, food and carnival rides.
The council also discussed a grant intended to assess community economic mobility. This involves bringing in experts to evaluate previous efforts and create concrete, measurable actions to improve economic opportunity in Fayetteville.
A significant portion of the public forum was dominated by residents speaking against the potential development of data centers. Residents urged the council to consider a one-year moratorium on data centers, citing environmental concerns.
At a special meeting on Apr. 8, the council discussed the recommended FY27-FY32 Capital Improvement Program, a senior technology literacy initiative and expanded water/sewer assessment assistance.

Cumberland County
The Cumberland County Board of Equalization and Review will be accepting tax year 2026 real property formal appeal requests from taxpayers who own or control taxable real property in Cumberland County on April 22 at 3:30 p.m. in the Judge E. Maurice Braswell Cumberland County Courthouse in Room 564. T
Requests for a hearing before the Board of Equalization and Review must be made in writing and received on or before the board’s adjournment date on May 20, according to county officials. Appeal forms can be downloaded from the Tax Administration website at cumberlandcountync.gov/tax. Appeals forms may be requested by email at taxrealestate@cumberlandcountync.gov. Property owners are encouraged to provide supporting evidence for consideration.
In other news, National Library Week is officially scheduled for April 19–25 with a theme of "Find Your Joy," and an emphasis on exploring the diverse resources offered by local libraries. The Local & State History Department is kicking off a series of free activities to celebrate America's 250th birthday, including a virtual program on colonial recipes, a Colonial Day at Heritage Square and a lecture on the Revolutionary War in Cumberland County. There is a full list of events at cumberland.librarycalendar.com.

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.