The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved a $1.72 million contract for an out-of-state company to install a new sound system at the Crown Coliseum amid an ongoing lawsuit over the project.
Commissioners voted 4-2 to approve the contract with Metropolitan Interactive of Oxford, Connecticut. The board previously voted May 18 to pick Metropolitan’s bid.
The new sound system is “very essential” for the upcoming minor league hockey season, County Attorney Rick Moorefield said. The Fayetteville Marksmen, which plays at the Crown Coliseum, opens its home schedule on October 17.
Draughon Brothers of Fayetteville—a sound, lighting, video, and staging company—also bid on the sound system. The Fayetteville firm sued the county on May 22, saying the commissioners illegally gave preferential treatment to Metropolitan.
Commissioners on August 17 voted to hire an outside law firm to handle the case.
Commissioner Henry Tyson said the sound system replacement should be delayed while the lawsuit is underway. “I believe in the spirit of transparency, and to be fair to our community, that those questions should be resolved prior to the contract being awarded,” he said.
Draughon Brothers asked a judge to impose an injunction to stop the project, but was denied on June 12.
“I believe that based upon the denial of that, that we should move forward with this contract,” Commissioner Glenn Adams said.
Tyson disagreed.
“If we just make decisions based on what’s expedient, to just react without making sure that we have all the facts—to me we’re not doing this community justice and making sure that we’re being transparent in our processes,” he said. “It’s apparent to me that those processes have been called into question. And I think this board deserves to have those answers to that prior to approving this contract.”
Tyson and Commissioner Marshall Faircloth voted against approving the contract with Metropolitan Interactive. Commissioners Chair Kirk deViere and Commissioners Adams, Pavan Patel, and Veronica Jones voted in favor. Commissioner Jeannette Council was absent.
Senior reporter Paul Woolverton can be reached at pwoolverton@cityviewnc.com.
