Experience Fayetteville commissioners approve museum, arts and facility contracts; $474,358 authorized for Town Center air walls

Experience Fayetteville’s Advertising & Promotion Commission approved five budgeted disbursements and contracts at its March meeting, including $25,000 for the Clinton House Museum, $200,000 for TheaterSquared, a $26,000 contract for Forge Productions to handle stage and sound for Sundays on the Square and a two-year agreement with USA Cycling for the 2025–26 Cyclocross National Championships. The commission also authorized a contract and capital appropriation of up to $474,357.75 to replace the Fayetteville Town Center’s air walls.

The actions were all presented as budgeted items in the 2025 budget. Interim CEO Jennifer Walker told commissioners the Clinton House Museum funding is a continuation of multi-year support and that the $25,000 was included in the approved budget. “I personally undervalued the Clinton House Museum and council member Teresa Turk set me straight on this resource in our community. And therefore I would move that we approve this $25,000,” Walker said before the commission voted.

The $200,000 annual payment to TheaterSquared mirrors ongoing support Experience Fayetteville has provided since 2018 (with the exception of 2023); the 2025 budget included the $200,000 request and the commission approved its disbursement. The commission also authorized interim CEO to execute a 2025 contract with Forge Productions for a $26,000 fee to provide stage and sound production for the 2025 Sundays on the Square season; commissioners were told the line item is budgeted.

Experience Fayetteville staff presented an agreement with USA Cycling to host the 2025 and 2026 Cyclocross National Championships. Tyler Wilson, vice president of strategic initiatives, said the events were budgeted to draw on the Cyclocross legacy fund; staff reported that fund’s balance is approximately $690,000 and that USA Cycling presented a budget estimate of about $225,000 per year for the events. The commission authorized the interim CEO to execute the USA Cycling agreement.

The largest single item approved was replacement of the Fayetteville Town Center air walls, a multi-panel partition system that staff said has exceeded its life expectancy and cannot be fully repaired because the original manufacturer is out of business. Tyler Wilson said Nettles Construction Solutions submitted the lowest of three quotes, and staff recommended contracting with them for $412,000 plus a 15% contingency for a total appropriation of $474,357.75. Wilson described a service and warranty package the vendor offered: a three-year service program, a one-year warranty on some components and a five-year warranty on the mechanics. “They’ll come out and do all the services that we’ve been paying for with the current airwall system,” Wilson said.

All five items were approved by roll call. The commission’s minutes show unanimous support among present commissioners for each item.

Why it matters: these votes finalize several items already included in the 2025 budget and commit Experience Fayetteville to multi-year event partnerships and a near-term capital replacement at a downtown public venue. The air-wall replacement will be funded from the organization’s fund balance because staff reported capital reserves were insufficient to cover the full appropriation.

What’s next: staff will execute the contracts and disburse funds as authorized. The air-wall vendor will provide the stated service package and mechanical warranty; staff said other planned capital projects may be postponed if the air-wall appropriation runs to contingency.

Votes at a glance - Clinton House Museum — Approved disbursement of $25,000 (budgeted). Motion moved by Commissioner Mike Whitaker; seconded by Commissioner Christie Sanderson. Roll call: Catherine Kenny — yes; Todd Martin — yes; Christie Sanderson — yes; Commissioner Grigsby — yes; Sarah Bunch — yes; Mike Whitaker — yes; Elvis Moyer (chair) — yes. Outcome: approved. - TheaterSquared — Approved disbursement of $200,000 (budgeted annual support). Motion moved by Commissioner Christie Sanderson; seconded by Commissioner Mike Whitaker. Roll call: Catherine Kenny — yes; Todd Martin — yes; Christie Sanderson — yes; Commissioner Frisbie/Prisby — yes; Sarah Bunch — yes; Mike Whitaker — yes; Elvis Moyer — yes. Outcome: approved. - Forge Productions (Sundays on the Square) — Authorized interim CEO to execute 2025 contract for total fee of $26,000 (budgeted). Motion: moved/second not specified on record; roll call: Catherine Kenny — yes; Todd Martin — yes; Christie Sanderson — yes; Commissioner Prisby — yes; Sarah Bunch — yes; Mike Whitaker — yes; Elvis Moyer — yes. Outcome: approved. - USA Cycling (Cyclocross National Championships 2025–26) — Authorized interim CEO to execute agreement; funding estimated to come from Cyclocross legacy fund (staff cited ~$225,000 per year and a fund balance of approximately $690,000). Motion moved by Commissioner Mike Whitaker; seconded by Commissioner Christie Sanderson. Roll call: Catherine Kenny — yes; Todd Martin — yes; Christie Sanderson — yes; Commissioner Frisbie/Prisby — yes; Sarah Bunch — yes; Mike Whitaker — yes; Elvis Moyer — yes. Outcome: approved. - Fayetteville Town Center air-wall replacement — Authorized interim CEO to execute agreement with Nettles Construction Solutions and appropriate capital funds up to $474,357.75 (quote $412,000 plus 15% contingency). Motion moved by Commissioner Christie Sanderson; seconded by Commissioner Mike Whitaker. Roll call (Martin had left prior to this vote): Catherine Kenny — yes; Christie Sanderson — yes; Commissioner Prisby — yes; Sarah Bunch — yes; Mike Whitaker — yes; Elvis Moyer — yes. Outcome: approved.

Sources: meeting transcript and packet materials presented during the March commission meeting.