Editor’s note: This story was corrected on September 18 to reflect that the funding item was removed from the City Council’s consent agenda—where several items are grouped together for a single vote without discussion—and was not voted on during the September 14 meeting. The item is scheduled to be considered during the council’s October 5 meeting.
As construction crews continue Cape Fear Regional Theatre’s massive expansion, the Fayetteville City Council is considering accelerating the payment of its last $500,000 contribution—a boost that will help the nonprofit finish the project and reopen its Haymount home early next year.
If approved, the payment would provide CFRT access to the last portion of a $2.5 million city commitment approved in 2023. The theater secured that funding only after supporters packed City Hall during a budget hearing and urged council members to invest in the project.
On Monday, the council was scheduled to approve the accelerated payment as part of its consent agenda, which means it was grouped with several items to be voted on without discussion. But the request was removed from the agenda and rescheduled for consideration at the council’s October 5 meeting.
The theater, which began in 1962, is a nonprofit organization that puts on six main stage shows a year and also provides arts education, according to its website.
Construction of the Hay Street expansion—the largest in the theater’s history—is now in its final stretch. CFRT expects to finish the building in January, and the accelerated payment, which comes six months early, will allow the nonprofit to avoid additional borrowing as it prepares to reopen, according to a letter the organization sent to City Council.
A Project Years in the Making
The renovation, known as “Act 2”, will double the theatre’s footprint from 20,000 to 40,000 square feet. It follows “Act 1”, a previous renovation of the auditorium, and represents a full transformation of the historic Haymount facility.
The new building includes a larger lobby, mezzanine event space, expanded classrooms, upgraded scenic and costume shops, and a rooftop venue with a bar and second stage.
CFRT leaders said the $25 million dollar project is now 98% funded.
“We are so grateful to the State, County, and City, as well as numerous foundations and hundreds of donors who have supported this project and invested in the future of live arts,” Mary Kate Burke, the theatre’s artistic director, told CityView.
She said the expanded facility will allow the theater to serve more people than ever before. “We expect to welcome more than 70,000 people in our first full year of operations,” Burke said.
“We look forward to delivering world class arts to our region for decades to come,” she said.
A New Era for Fayetteville’s Arts Scene
CFRT broke ground in April 2025 and has been performing at an alternate venue on Owen Drive during construction, most recently staging Bright Star through late September.
The first show in the new building will be Frozen: The Musical, running January 21 through February 14.
The theater said it has seen rapid growth in recent years—summer camps up 45%, studio classes up 89%, and mainstage attendance up 20%—and leaders predicted the expanded space will allow them to serve far more people.
Government reporter Rachel Heimann Mercader can be reached at rheimann@cityviewnc.com or 910-988-8045.
