Epic Games’ grand vision for a tech paradise in Cary, NC has hit a brick wall. The company’s ambitious $100 million plan to transform an 85-acre former mall site into a massive campus with offices, hotels, and retail space is officially dead. After demolishing the old mall in 2021, Epic mysteriously went silent, leaving nothing but an empty lot and frustrated locals. Remote work trends and community pushback didn’t help. The full story behind this development debacle reveals some interesting twists.
While Epic Games once dreamed big for its sprawling Cary headquarters campus, those plans have officially hit a wall. The gaming giant’s ambitious vision for transforming an 85-acre former mall site into a gleaming tech hub has fizzled out, with the company withdrawing its rezoning request as of December 2024.
Talk about a plot twist. After dropping nearly $100 million to snag the old Cary Towne Center mall property in 2020, Epic laid out grand plans for a mixed-use paradise: 3.5 million square feet of office space, a 200-room hotel, and 75,000 square feet of commercial space. Buildings would soar up to 12 stories high. The property has a rich history, as it first opened as Cary Village Mall in 1979.
Epic’s dream campus: 3.5 million square feet of office space, a hotel, and sky-high ambitions, all built on a former mall’s bones.
The future looked bright. Until it didn’t.
Reality came knocking in the form of remote work trends and evolving office needs. The project stalled after mall demolition, with no construction activity following the initial 2021 plans. Meanwhile, Epic kept pumping millions into renovating its existing Cary headquarters on Crossroads Boulevard. Sometimes you dance with the one that brought you.
Local opposition didn’t help matters. Residents voiced concerns during rezoning hearings, and Epic’s silence – failing to submit updated plans after the initial hearing – spoke volumes. The town’s Land Development Ordinance requirements also threw some wrenches in the works. Site selection consultant Dennis Donovan suggests the property is limited for headquarters relocations in the current market.
Now Epic faces a tough choice: restart the entire process or consider selling the property. Neither option looks particularly appealing in the current challenging commercial real estate market. Cary officials are putting on a brave face, expressing gratitude for Epic’s continued presence despite the setback.
The site’s future remains uncertain. What was once supposed to be a transformative tech campus by 2024 sits idle. Epic and town officials continue their dialogue about potential development strategies, but the grand vision of a sprawling headquarters campus seems increasingly like a game over scenario.
Sometimes even the biggest players have to hit the reset button.
