"It's another disappointment..." said Adrian Burgos, the owner of Prima Elements Holistic Wellness Center.
Some Fayetteville business owners who supported building a new Crown Event Center say they're frustrated with county officials. They have already spent $35 million on the project.
"I was upset because they spent all this money to do what they did," said Gregory Hunter, the owner of Bloom Community Farm, a wellness market next door to the empty lot.
Now, back to the drawing board, county officials say the county manager has to create a bid by next week for contractors who would renovate the arena and theater at the original Crown Complex on U.S. 301.
"We haven't made any decisions on direction. This is just getting qualifications so that we can, as a board, frame up, 'what are we looking to do in the arena, what are we looking to do at the theater?'" said Chairman Kirk deViere of the board of Cumberland County Commissioners.
The chairman says the county still has to decide what to do with the empty lot on Gillespie Street, too--something that's now a sore spot for some business owners who looked forward to having the new Crown built there.
"It kind of gives us this janky notion that everything that our officials are trying to do for our city, there's no integrity behind it," Burgos said.
But the chairman says the downtown project had insurmountable flaws with its design, parking and costs. He says he recognizes the community disappointment, but says the county is exploring the most feasible path forward.
"We'll continue to look at, you know, what is going to be the best opportunity for that location that will benefit the downtown, that will benefit this area, that will make an impact," deViere said.
Hunter says he's concerned that those who canceled the project aren't serious about revitalizing what used to be a predominantly Black business district in Fayetteville.
However, deViere says he's invested in building up the district, noting he's been running his own businesses there for almost 30 years.
"We're not turning our backs on downtown. We never have as a county."
Some business owners ABC11 spoke to on Thursday said they'd like to see more parking, possibly a shopping mall or maybe a rooftop garden built in the Crown's place. Only time will tell what happens to the empty Gillespie Street lot next.