Epic Games was latest attempt to revitalize Cary mall space. A look back at those efforts
The Town of Cary has dropped Epic Games’ plans to build a headquarters on the site of the former Cary Towne Center mall, the latest failed attempt to resuscitate the prime real estate.
Epic, the Cary-based creator of the Fortnite video game, confirmed Wednesday that the town withdrew its zoning request to convert the old mall into a massive office space. Cary officials took this action due to Epic’s “inactivity” toward the project.
For years, Cary Towne Center was a retail destination in western Wake County, until it was forced to close in 2021.
Since then, the town has entertained a host of high-profile plans for the site at the intersection of Cary Towne Boulevard, Interstate 40, Walnut Street and SE Maynard Road.
That includes a new Topgolf, IKEA and a mixed-use development. Epic Games bought the property in late 2020.
None of those plans panned out. Here’s a look at those attempts.
Cary Towne Center History
Built as the Cary Village Mall in 1979, the space was once a traditional indoor mall with Ivey’s and Belk as its anchors.
It expanded and was renamed in 1991 as Cary Towne Center. The mall got new anchor stores: JCPenney, Sears and Thalheimers, later Macy’s.
At its peak, the mall offered over 1 million square feet of retail not far from downtown Cary and about 10 miles west of central Raleigh.
But the 2010s were a rough decade for large malls across the country, and Cary Towne Center’s struggles began. Sears closed its store there in January 2015, and Macy’s left in early 2016.
In 2019, owner CBL & Associates Properties sold the shopping center to Turnbridge Equities and its joint-venture partner Denali Properties for $31.5 million, The News & Observer reported.
The purchase included the 828,000-square-foot mall and 76 acres.
The mall finally closed on Jan. 31, 2021, and was demolished in phases in 2022.
Topgolf
The plan: In 2015, Topgolf sought a rezoning that would have allowed the company to build one of its golf-themed entertainment venues at Cary Towne Center. The venue promised to bring new life to the mall in the space once occupied by Sears.
What happened: The company abandoned its plans after opposition from nearby residents who worried about the increase in traffic and light pollution in their backyards. (Topgolf later chose to build in Durham and opened April 12, 2024.)
IKEA
The plan: The massive Swedish furniture seller sparked a flurry of excitement in May 2017 upon its announcement that it would open its first Triangle location.
It would have replaced the vacant Sears and Macy’s stores with a 380,0000-square-foot, two-story building and two-deck parking area, The N&O reported. CBL Properties envisioned several buildings offering a mix of uses, including restaurants, retail, offices and housing, The News & Observer reported.
IKEA was a key piece of the mall’s redevelopment plans, and community meetings generated positive reviews. The Town Council was on board, advancing the project through a rezoning in 2017.
What happened: In May 2018, IKEA decided not to proceed with its plans, citing “corporate strategy” to reduce expansion projects, The N&O reported.
Carolina Yards
The plan: The Cary Town Council approved rezoning the property in December 2019 as well as a Preliminary Development Plan for a mixed-use development, The N&O reported. In 2020, new owners Turnbridge Equities and Dallas-based Denali Properties announced it would be called Carolina Yards: 4.5 million square feet with residential, office and commercial space along with a hotel and outdoor walkable space.
Belk and Dave & Buster’s were expected to remain on site and be renovated. A 2022 completion date was on the books.
What happened: Epic Games announced on Jan. 3, 2021, that it had bought the property at the end of 2020, with records showing a sale price of $95 million.
Epic Games
The plan: In May 2021, Epic asked the town for permission to build 3.5 million square feet of office space along with a 200-room hotel and retail options — a plan that would require rezoning.
In December 2021, Epic presented rough details of how it could build on the property, The N&O reported.
The preliminary plans showed up to 2.7 million square feet of office space, a motion-capture studio and a central utility plant, as well as 75,000 square feet of retail, and up to 200 hotel rooms. It also mentioned a private road that would circle its offices and several berms along the perimeter of the property for security.
But in December 2021, Town Council members expressed concerns about the plans, particularly due its lack of detail what it would look like.
In Epic’s filings with Cary, the company said it had anticipated completing the first phase of construction — around 1 million square feet of space in the center portion of the property — in late 2024 or early 2025.
What happened: Epic never filed updated plans, and the project has languished. Town leaders expressed concerns that the site was now a blight. The company, meanwhile, continued to tell media outlets that there were no new updates.
The company confirmed Jan. 29, 2025, that the town had withdrawn its zoning request Dec. 5, 2024, due to “a period of inactivity.” Future plans for the property are unknown.
Brian Gordon, Kristen Johnson, Brooke Cain, Chantal Allam and Aaron Sánchez-Guerra contributed to this report.
This story was originally published January 29, 2025 at 4:55 PM with the headline "Epic Games was latest attempt to revitalize Cary mall space. A look back at those efforts."