Beaufort County rejects land funding, halting St. Helena cultural center plan
Citing the lack of a viable plan, Beaufort County officials on Monday rejected a long-discussed proposal to buy land for a cultural arts center on St. Helena Island, a vote that kills $1 million in state funding and leaves the eight-year project’s future uncertain.
A “yes” vote would have set aside $600,000 to help purchase 10 acres of land on the island for a cultural arts center and entrepreneurial market intended to drive local economy. The county funds would have supplemented $1 million already secured from the state for the land purchase. By denying the request, the county forfeits the state’s contribution, leading project leaders back at square one.
Constructing the center and market, estimated in the $14 million range, would be funded privately, according to project leaders.
The project has shifted since the idea was first floated by county leaders in 2017.
Initially marketed as a performing arts center, it morphed into a multipurpose complex where Gullah-Geechee culture and food could be celebrated and monetized.
The county invested at least $61,000 towards a feasibility study before asking the Beaufort County Economic Development Corporation, a non-government but taxpayer funded agency, to secure a funding plan.
BCEDC has received millions in public money to attract new industry and business on behalf of local municipalities. In 2024, the county asked the BCEDC for a plan to help get the project off the ground.
In recent months, some elected officials have expressed increasing scrutiny toward the BCEDC, from scaling back funding to implementing new guardrails for financial oversight. In September, the county council adopted a new policy requiring the economic group to get council approval for land purchases.
More ‘meat on the bones’
When County Councilman York Glover first delivered a glimpse of the plan during a community meeting in August, he admitted that many details needed to be ironed out for the 54,000-square foot facility located at the intersection of Polowana Road and Sea Island Parkway.
Those in attendance generally supported the idea, but had questions about the funding, timeline and traffic impacts, according to previous reporting.
“Flesh, muscle and skin” still needed to be added to the plan’s bones, Glover said at the time.
When support for funding the land purchase became increasingly bleak from behind the dais on Monday, Glover once again asked the council to allow more time to put more “meat on the bones.” But for the council, the answer was still no.
In the meeting Monday and committee meetings prior, council members had technical questions about the land value, how the center would support economic development in the region, who would be in charge of running and maintaining the center once it was built and why the taxpayer should front the bill.
Ultimately, answers from John O’Toole, the BCEDC executive director, and their fellow councilman failed to secure enough support for approval.
This story was originally published December 10, 2025 at 11:58 AM.
