Cumberland County pauses work on $145M Crown Event Center for 30 days

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- The Board of Commissioners in Cumberland County confirmed they are halting work on the Crown Event Center for 30 days to conduct a third-party review.

People in the area are asking what's instigating that review, and how things will pan out for the development.

Tonya McNeal, the owner of The Salad Box and Some restaurant, said she and her team hoped the new Crown Event Center's construction steps away on Gillespie Street would have been further along by now.

"I was very excited when it was coming because I know that would have brought more business to the business here in downtown," McNeal said.

Instead, the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners announced they are pausing work on the project for 30 days. Attorney Scott Flowers of the Hutchens Law Firm in Fayetteville is conducting an independent review. The chairman of the county commissioners board wouldn't say if there is a specific issue or concern over the project that triggered the review.

"It's more about this board's commitment to accountability and transparency. We want to ensure that the $145 million that the taxpayers are going to pay for this are properly used," said Chairman Kirk DeViere.

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However, business owners around the construction site said they are surprised by the pause, as the county just broke ground on the project in October.

"I think they should have done this prior, instead of getting started on it, now stopping," said Bruce Cokley, the co-owner of Agora Restaurant. "That may affect our businesses down here."

"I hope that they can get everything figured out, get everything moving forward so we can get our parking spots back," McNeill said. "And, you know, people can find places to park without causing any accidents out there because it gets very congested."

EwingCole, the project architect, has not responded to ABC11's request for comment.

David L. Philyaw of T.A. Loving issued a statement saying:

"On behalf of the T. A. Loving/Metcon Joint Venture, we are disappointed to learn that the project has been officially paused. We're unaware of the reason behind those decisions and it would be wrong to comment further. We remain hopeful that the project will move forward soon."