Where a new university campus will rise in 2017

With the start of the new year, The Island Packet and The Beaufort Gazette today will preview some of the biggest local issues expected to impact the lives of residents, workers, business owners and tourists in Beaufort County and surrounding areas. Following is one of 17 issues to watch in 2017:

Unlike many projects on Hilton Head Island, Hurricane Matthew hasn’t slowed the timeline for the $33.5 million University of South Carolina Beaufort campus.

The university in February is set to hold a groundbreaking at its site on Office Park Road , said Steve Riley, Hilton Head’s town manager.

Construction will last for the remainder of 2017 with a planned September 2018 opening. The island campus is expected to offer a hospitality management program to about 200 students.

This story was originally published December 31, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Where a new university campus will rise in 2017."