The once-bustling site of Cary Towne Center remains a dormant space following the withdrawal of Epic Games' rezoning application, as confirmed by the company. The long-anticipated plans for Epic Games' new headquarters have hit a standstill, with the Cary town officials pulling the rezoning request due to a lack of activity on the part of the video game developer. According to CBS 17, Cary Assistant Town Manager Scot Berry explained that after the public hearing step in the rezoning process, there was "paused," leading to the application being withdrawn this past December.
The The News & Observer reports that while Epic Games can submit a new rezoning application, it must wait at least a year before doing so under town rules inactivity has led local officials to question the fate of the 87-acre site that was bought by Epic Games, known for the success of Fortnite, for $100 million on the last day of 2020, with promises to develop it into a new campus including office space, a hotel, commercial space, and recreational areas, but since the demolition of the mall buildings in 2022 the site has seen no further development, leaving it untouched and the community speculative about its future.
The indecision of Epic Games is a gyrating concern juxtaposed with the town's regulatory framework, where "if an applicant is fails to pursue a rezoning application for a period of six months, the application shall be deemed withdrawn," according to a letter from Town of Cary Assistant Planning Director Katie Drye obtained by WRAL News. The aforementioned policy is seemingly a safeguard to prevent land from remaining unutilized for extended periods while regulations and community preferences evolve over time.
The project's stagnation comes amidst a turbulent period for Epic Games, which has been embroiled in multiple legal battles and faced a $520 million fine from the FTC, whilst also contending with antitrust lawsuits against Google and Apple CEO Tim Sweeney announced the layoff of about 830 employees due to various factors including revenue losses despite a judge's favorable ruling for Google, stating that the Play store had been protected by "anticompetitive barriers" a decision supporting the free market yet juxtaposed with the void that is the idle Cary Towne Center site, as detailed by a The News & Observer report. Cairn officials like Scot Berry, however, remain optimistic stating, "When I think about any location in Cary, I get always get excited," he told WRAL News. "The former mall site is a great location...As they contemplate what will go there, We'll work with them and it will be an exciting outcome."
