Spotlight On: Mitch Colvin, Mayor, City of Fayetteville

Key points:

• • Fayetteville is focusing on small-business growth and defense-sector development.
• • Housing and infrastructure investments are expanding access and connectivity.
• • Regional alignment is driving execution and long-term growth.

May 2026 — Invest: sat down with Mitch Colvin, mayor of Fayetteville, to discuss how the city is sharpening its economic identity, expanding access to homeownership, and aligning regional partners around long-term growth. “We’ve had a lot of plans. We’ve now found our game plan,” Colvin said.

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Looking back across your terms, what key milestones and leadership priorities have most shaped Fayetteville’s direction and long-term vision?

As a small-business owner, I have made business growth a top priority by focusing on an ecosystem that helps small businesses succeed at every stage. One of the most important developments has been the partnership between the city, the county, and Fayetteville State University. Together, we created a business incubator and hub that supports people who may know a trade, such as construction or contracting, but need a clearer pathway to licensing and qualification. By working with the community college and other partners, we are helping place more general contractors and skilled professionals into the local economy.

Another major priority has been procurement. The city spends roughly $200 million to $300 million a year, and we have been intentional about using local businesses whenever possible to provide goods and services. That has given local companies an important boost. We have also worked to restore a sense of pride in the community by emphasizing Fayetteville’s strategic location on I-95 and its proximity to Raleigh while reminding people that this is a community with real opportunity.

How have partnerships with Fort Bragg, Fayetteville State University, and the private sector contributed to the city’s transformation into a growing economic center?

When I first became mayor, Fayetteville had not fully defined its identity. Other parts of North Carolina had clearer brands, whether in finance, technology, or research, and we needed to determine where our strengths could set us apart. Over the past several years, our partnerships with Fort Bragg, local universities, the community college, K-12 education, and county leadership have helped us identify defense as one of our core pillars.

That is a natural fit for Fayetteville because of our relationship with Fort Bragg and the scale of activity that surrounds it. We are building stronger pipelines into defense-related careers by preparing students earlier and giving them better access to training and certifications in cyber and technology. With Department of Defense spending increasing, more contractors and service providers are locating in our area. Those jobs pay well, and we want our graduates to be ready for those opportunities and remain in Fayetteville.

What initiatives are driving business growth and redevelopment along Murchison Road and in other historically underserved areas of the city?

Murchison Road is especially important to me because I grew up there and represented it as a council member. The city has prioritized public investment in that corridor. We built a senior center there with about a $10 million investment, contributed roughly $2 million toward a $7 million park revitalization project focused on green space and beautification, and put money directly into the hands of small businesses so they can improve their properties and operations.

We are also working with the university to expand its footprint beyond campus and align city investments with that growth. In addition, Fayetteville was one of 10 cities selected as a qualifier for HUD’s Choice Neighborhoods grant. We received $450,000 to move to the next stage and narrowly missed the full award. We have since reapplied, and I believe we are in a stronger position now because of the investments we have made in housing, workforce initiatives, and educational expansion.

What investments has Fayetteville made to expand housing affordability and homeownership?

One of the initiatives I am most proud of is the Heroes Homeowners program. It started as an underused homeownership program with limited eligibility, and I asked the council to expand it. Now it serves not only city employees, but also county employees, school system staff, university and community college employees, and hospital employees. Through that program, we provide up to $30,000 in down payment assistance.

Within four quarters, that effort has helped create 50 new homeowners in our community, with approximately $1.2 million in down payment assistance distributed. Homeownership remains one of the best ways for families to build wealth, and this program is helping turn renters into owners. We also passed a voter-approved housing bond to support workforce housing and approved incentives to encourage development in existing neighborhoods and recently annexed areas. We also hired an outside agency to review our permitting process because reducing delays can help all of these initiatives succeed.

Can you share more about the city’s infrastructure modernization efforts, particularly around streets, stormwater systems, and connectivity for residents and businesses?

A key piece of our work has been the $97 million bond package approved a few years ago, which included funding for both housing and infrastructure. That investment, combined with Powell Bill funds from the state, has allowed us to significantly accelerate road and sidewalk improvements. We are paving about 40 miles of road annually and adding roughly 15 miles of sidewalk per quarter, which is a major increase from where we were before.

Beyond those immediate improvements, we are building out a master transportation plan that ties together our roads, airport, and rail connections so the city functions as a more integrated system. The goal is to improve mobility, make it easier for people and goods to move through Fayetteville, and create a transportation network that supports long-term economic growth.

What role does Fayetteville play in advancing regional competitiveness, particularly given its strategic location along the I-95 corridor and access to national markets?

Regional collaboration is essential. Southeastern North Carolina has often operated in separate pockets, but we have been working more closely with neighboring communities to align our plans and identify shared opportunities. One example is our collaboration with leaders connected to the Port of Wilmington. Because Fayetteville sits on I-95 and is only about 80 miles from the port, improving that connection could make our region a much stronger logistics and distribution hub.

We are advocating for better highway infrastructure so goods can move more efficiently from the port to I-95 and then on to national markets. We are also looking at shared opportunities with other military communities because we face many of the same challenges and support many of the same types of families and industries.

How does the city balance economic development with environmental stewardship?

A few years ago, the city joined with the county, local colleges, and the hospital to pursue sustainability planning, and we were awarded a $450,000 grant through the Department of Energy to support that work. Since then, we have begun making practical investments, including adding electric buses to our transit fleet and planning for additional vehicles in the coming years.

At the same time, we have to think realistically about the future of industry and technology. The growth of AI and data centers is going to require more storage and more energy capacity, and communities have to be prepared for that. We welcome those opportunities, but we want to approach them responsibly by creating clear frameworks that give companies certainty while also protecting residents from negative effects on energy costs and the environment.

Looking ahead, what are the top priorities for the next term, especially in infrastructure, housing, and economic development?

The plan now is execution. We’ve had a lot of plans. We’ve now found our game plan. Our strategic partners, including the city, county, university, community college, and school system, have all committed to aligning their efforts over the next five years so we can move in the same direction.

Our priorities are clear. We want to make sure there are strong jobs here for our residents, that our workforce is well trained and ready, and that companies find an easy place to do business when they look at Fayetteville. We are continuing to improve our development process so that it is efficient and easy to navigate. We are also focused on transportation alignment, making sure our airport, rail, and highway systems work together to support growth. When companies decide to come here, we want Fayetteville to be ready with a welcome mat.

Want more? Read the Invest: Raleigh-Durham report.