Cumberland County officials plan to convert the former county parking lot slated to be the site of the Crown Events Center into temporary green space until a long-term plan for the site is decided.
In October 2024, the county broke ground on the downtown Crown Events Center in front of the Cumberland County Courthouse at Gillespie Street and Otis F. Jones Boulevard after demolishing the parking lot.
The new commission voted 5-2 on June 4 to stop construction on site and instead renovate the existing Crown Arena and Crown Theater on US 301.
During the Dec. 11 agenda meeting, County Manager Clarence Grier told commissioners that the permit issued by the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality for the Gillespie Street site is expiring.
“I don’t want us to pay a fine because of this,” Greer said.
He suggested converting it into temporary green space until officials find a permanent solution and said he would provide the cost to commissioners at their Dec. 15 meeting.
Shown is the cleanup site at Gillespie Street and Otis Jones Avenue on November 7, 2025. Construction on the Crown Events Center was halted in June when the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners halted the project eight months after breaking ground in October 2024.
Other options being considered
County staff conducted a community survey in September to find out what residents would like to see in the former Gillespie Street parking area.
Greer told commissioners in October that more than 1,400 responses were received, with the majority saying parking was a top priority and most residents saying they continue to support entertainment or performing arts venues.
Proposals for the space prioritize community-focused mixed uses such as green space, youth programs, an aquatics center or a farmers market, he said.
About 44% of respondents said the space is used for economic development or entertainment-related businesses and houses restaurants.
Commissioners have yet to decide what to do with the site, as they also directed staff in September to work with economic development partners to identify economic development opportunities at the site in conjunction with a community survey.
At the Dec. 11 meeting, Commissioner Marshall Faircloth said the county lost 200 parking spaces when the Gillespie Street parking lot was demolished.
“I want to stress again, no matter what we do with this green space or whatever, these parking spaces need to be replaced because we need parking spaces,” Fairbus said.
Shown is the cleanup site at Gillespie Street and Otis Jones Avenue on November 7, 2025. Construction on the Crown Events Center was halted in June when the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners halted the project eight months after breaking ground in October 2024.
Crown Master Plan
In other business at the Dec. 11 meeting, Commissioners Chairman Kirk deViere asked fellow commissioners to consider starting the county’s process to develop a master plan for the Crown Complex area of town near Business District 301.
He said the plan could be integrated with a master plan for the nearby Fayetteville Regional Airport area.
On Dec. 11, he asked other commissioners to direct staff to study professional services contracts for the Crown District master plan concept.
“This will incorporate not only the footprint in the plan, but the footprint in and around the plan so that we can start looking for available land,” DeViere said. “The county has a lot of parcels.”
He said the master plan will serve as a strategic framework to guide future decisions and should include a vision framework and site analysis.
DeViere said the area appears feasible, including plans to modernize the Crown complex, development along Interstate 295, discussions about economic development opportunities and considerations for an aquatic center, and that commissioners want a “strategic roadmap.”
He asked Greer to bring back a proposal, timeline and fee for the consultant to the commissioners’ Jan. 20 agenda meeting.
Staff writer Rachael Riley can be reached at rriley@fayobserver.com or 910-486-3528.
This article originally appeared in the Fayetteville Observer: Cumberland County proposes temporary green space on Gillespie Street lot
