Sub-Lease for Major Development Just Over State Canceled

A major development project on Lake Hartwell just over the state line has been canceled.  According to the South Carolina Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Development Office, the sub-lease on the land that the state leases from the Army Corps of Engineers was dissolved by South Carolina at the end of 2022.  According to the PRT, the development team with the project known as Sanctuary Pointe, had failed to make “substantial progress” on the 325-acre piece of land, located on a peninsula just off of exit 1.  According to Sanctuary Pointe’s El Henry, a 225-room hotel was to have been the major feature along with other amenities.  

One of the issues holding up the project was the lack of a sewer system in that area.  The problem seemed to have been resolved earlier this month when the Oconee Joint Regional Sewer Authority was able to meet a contractor’s $12.3 million price to extend the necessary line.  While a sewer line is no longer needed for the now canceled Sanctuary Pointe project, the sewer line still appears to be a go for other county projects off of Interstate 85.

As far as what’s next for developing the land, that’s up in the air.  Dick Mangrum from our sister station WGOG in Walhalla spoke with Samantha Queen, director of corporate communications for the South Carolina PRT.  Queen says the state would like to see that land developed would have start the process of receiving what are called “Requests for Proposals” or RFP’s would have to start all over.  No word on when that would be begin.  There is also no word whether or not the developers with Sanctuary Pointe plan to appeal the decision or submit a new RFP.