Cumberland County pauses Crown Event Center work for 30 days for independent review

The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously March 5 to suspend work on the Crown Event Center project for no more than 30 days so an independent review can assess the project’s scope, schedule and budget.

The pause, moved by Vice Chairwoman Jones and seconded by Commissioner Tyson, follows months of planning and a groundbreaking held Oct. 25, 2024 for a project the county says includes a roughly 34,000-square-foot building and a total project budget of about $145,000,000. County officials said the suspension is intended to ensure transparency and accountability on a project described by the board as the largest in recent county history.

County leaders said the 30-day pause will fund an independent review led by local attorney Scott Flowers of Hutchins Law Firm. The review will evaluate project progress, contracts and financials and report back to the board. Vice Chairwoman Jones, while making the motion on the floor, said, “I make a motion that we suspend all work on the Crown Event Project for no more than 30 days for the purpose of reviewing and also investigating the scope schedule and the financial budget for this particular project.” The motion passed unanimously.

Why it matters: County officials described the Crown Event Center as an economic development and cultural venue intended to host large events, conferences and entertainment. The board said the pause aims to make sure taxpayer dollars are spent efficiently on a multi-million-dollar public project and to reinforce public trust through an outside review.

Project background and scope: County staff and the board recounted the project's history during and after the March 5 meeting. The county reported that MBP Carolinas was hired in 2022 as owner’s representative and that a Crown Event Center committee, Oak View Group (OVG) as complex manager, Ewing Cole as architect and TA Loving as construction manager at risk are part of the project team. The board previously approved guiding principles and a building program that county documents record as roughly 34,000 square feet and a $145,000,000 total project budget. Site work and demolition contract amendments with TA Loving were approved by the prior board in September 2024.

What the review will cover: Officials said the scope includes a review of current contract terms, work completed to date, schedule assumptions and budget alignment. County leaders said they will communicate findings in public briefings and press releases and that the board expects a report at or before the end of the 30-day pause. The county named Scott Flowers of Hutchins Law Firm to assist the board in the assessment.

Related actions and process notes: The suspension vote came after the board returned from a closed session held under the North Carolina statute permitting attorney–client privileged discussions (cited in the meeting as NCGS 143-318.11(a)(3)). Commissioners emphasized the pause is a review step and not an admission of wrongdoing; board members said they would return to the public with next steps after the third-party review is complete.

Community and schedule impacts: County officials acknowledged the Crown project is interconnected with other planned county work, including a proposed parking deck that depends on site sequencing. Officials said they would evaluate knock-on effects to timelines and communicate any schedule adjustments publicly. No changes to the procurement awards for site work or construction were announced at the March 5 meeting.

Next steps: The county will conduct the independent review during the 30-day suspension, share findings with the public, and return to the board with recommendations. The board asked county staff and counsel to keep the public informed through press briefings and the county’s communications channels.