Cary voters reject bond, putting plans for South Hills sports complex on hold

Cary voters voted against a bond package that would have helped redevelop the area around the town’s oldest shopping center.

The proposal would have provided $560 million for six projects:

1. $300 million for a sports and recreation community center in the redevelopment of the South Hills District.
2. $150 million for a multi-purpose center at Mills Park
3. $60 million to expand the Cary Tennis Park Clubhouse and add 25-30 new pickleball courts
4. $30 million for the continuation of the 2018 Adaptive Stormwater initiative, this greenway along Walnut Creek would span three miles when completed.
5. $10 million for an Asian garden master plan
6. $10 million for a Nature Park master plan

The South Hills proposal was intended to anchor the area’s commercial redevelopment and generate $30 million per year for the local economy.

As of Thursday, 53,588 people voted against the parks and recreation bonds referendum (55.2%) and 43,510 people voted for it (44.8%).

Cary voters also voted against a $30 million bond for housing projects and programs to lower-income residents. The money would have helped four areas defined in the Cary Community Plan vision and the 2021 Cary Housing Plan. There were 49,869 people who voted against the housing bonds referendum (51.5%) and 47,011 people who voted for it (48.%).

For years, the town of Cary has made efforts for years to develop the area at and around the South Hills Mall and Plaza near Crossroads.

The planning for the bond proposal took two years of planning.

Cary voters have a long history of voting in favor of bonds for parks, open space and community centers, including yes votes for parks bonds in 1999, 2003, 2005, 2012 and 2019 at a total value of about $720 million.

Meredith College political scientist David McLennan said he couldn’t remember the last time Cary voters turned down a bond.

“It was a question for the citizens, and it was a big ask,” Cary Mayor Harold Weinbrecht said of this year’s bond referendum.

Cary voter Don Enecken voted against the measure.

“That’s crazy,” Enecken said. “It’s just out of line with what we can afford right now.”

Like many property owners, Enecken said his tax bill is already higher due to revaluation. Had the bond gone through, it would have been another big increase.

“The town was not paying attention to the inflation that everybody was feeling,” Enecken said.

Weinbrecht said plans for the sports complex will not move forward.

“We have no funding for these projects, so they will not move forward until there is funding,” Weinbrecht said. “And right now, there’s no plan for funding.”

Weinbrecht couldn’t say for sure why voters voted against the bond. However, he said it came right after a big property tax reevaluation that already increased tax bills for many Cary voters.

Also, Weinbrecht said he believes $75 million raised for the project from the interlocal tax will go back to Wake County.

McLennan said the political climate this year didn’t help either with the bond referendum.

“With the economy being top of mind for a lot of voters, something that would affect anybody’s personal finances would be a difficult sell, and it was,” McLennan said.

McLennan said the town may need to rethink the proposal.

“They may make it smaller,” McLennan said. “They may break it up and do it over time. So, I don’t think Cary is necessarily giving up.”

The developer managing the South Hills project said the redevelopment here will move forward, but it’s too soon to say yet what will replace the town complex as its anchor.

In a statement, Loden Properties partner Henry Ward said, “We remain very interested in a sports and entertainment facility at the center of the South Hills District and are receiving inquiries from national retailers, as well.”