Ashanti Bennett is the interim president of Fayetteville’s Cool Spring Downtown District.

The board of the nonprofit downtown arts and entertainment district announced her appointment on Thursday. Bennett takes over for former president and CEO Bianca Shoneman, whose last day in office was Thursday. Shoneman has assumed a new role with the NC East Alliance economic development organization, which serves 29 eastern North Carolina counties.

A photo of the head and torso of a woman standing outdoors. She is smiling for the camera.
Ashanti Bennett in January 2025 was named the interim president of Fayetteville’s Cool Spring Downtown District. She also has been the organization’s director of special projects. Credit: LRP Media

Bennett has been the director of special projects for the Cool Spring Downtown District, the announcement says. The board cited her work on downtown’s Juneteenth Jubilee and the annual Night Circus New Year’s Eve celebration.

“A creative connector with a passion for the arts and humanities, Ashanti brings nearly 20 years of experience in nonprofit arts administration to her role,” the announcement says. “As Interim President, Ashanti looks forward to building on Bianca’s legacy and amplifying Downtown Fayetteville as a premier destination to live, work, play, and invest.”

The Cool Spring Downtown District was created in 2017 to spur economic growth in downtown Fayetteville by fostering arts and entertainment events and activities there. It is partly funded with a special tax levied on downtown properties. The city previously told CityView that the Cool Spring organization will receive $293,398 this fiscal year.

The district also gets revenue from grants, The Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County, and funds raised from events and activities, Shoneman previously told CityView, and this year its budget is about $1 million.

Senior reporter Paul Woolverton can be reached at 910-261-4710 and pwoolverton@cityviewnc.com.

Did you find this story useful or interesting? It was made possible by donations from readers like you to the CityView News Fund, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization committed to an informed democracy in Fayetteville and Cumberland County.

Please consider making a tax-deductible donation so CityView can bring you more news and information like this.

Paul Woolverton is CityView's senior reporter, covering courts, local politics, and Cumberland County affairs. He joined CityView from The Fayetteville Observer, where he worked for more than 30 years.

One reply on “Ashanti Bennett named interim president of Fayetteville’s Cool Spring Downtown District”

  1. Congratulations to Ashanti! She’s an outstanding young woman with unlimited talents and gifts. She possesses a personality that lights up a room, a crowd, be it a few or thousands. Her smile contagious, her warmth welcoming and her spirit refreshing.

Comments are closed.