Wedding & Event Venue Near Georgetown, SC

GEORGETOWN — With the closure of International Paper's Georgetown mill just weeks away, developers are already eyeing the property — and possibly other nearby industrial land.

State and local leaders discussed the future of the property at a Dec. 5 workshop, as well the potential acquisition of the Georgetown port.

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"For me, the worst-case scenario is to wake up five years from now and that thing still be there and not producing a job or a tax,” said state Sen. Stephen Goldfinch, R-Murrells Inlet, who along with state Rep. Lee Hewitt, R-Murrells Inlet, met with Georgetown County Council members at the workshop.

International Paper announced Oct. 31 that it would be closing its 87-year-old paper mill by the end of the year. The shutdown will eliminate nearly 700 IP jobs and affect some 200 contractors.

Goldfinch stressed the importance of either identifying the IP property as a brownfield site or converting it to something else as quickly as possible. Brownfields are former industrial, commercial or other areas with contamination concerns.

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There had been speculation that the mill would be purchased by another paper company, but IP officials have said they will not be selling to a competitor, Goldfinch said.

Three groups have already expressed interest in the property, according to Goldfinch. He wouldn't identify those parties, but he noted that one of them appears to be a serious contender for the purchase of the land.

IP spokesperson Amy Simpson said the company would not discuss potential buyers.

"We are continuing to review all options," she said.

Goldfinch said it's no surprise that developers are already coming forward. He said many people recognize Georgetown's potential.

And the buyers aren’t just interested in the IP land. They’re looking to purchase the port property and paper mill properties as a package deal, Goldfinch said.

Georgetown's port was acquired by the county in 2023. The mill land is owned by International Paper.

Jackie Broach, the county's public information officer, said Goldfinch's statement was the first she'd heard about buyers being interested in both properties.

County officials have been discussing potential uses for the port, which dates back to 1732 but last saw a cargo shipment in 2017.

County Administrator Angela Christian said officials believe the property will not be considered a Brownfield site based on soil samples and other studies of the property. That means it could be more quickly developed into something new.

"So, good news as far as we’re concerned," she said.

A group of students from Clemson University has been working with the county to determine best uses for the property moving forward, Christian said. The students will present their findings to the county on Jan. 22.

The county plans to complete a master plan for the port early next year once it receives an official letter from the S.C. Department of Environmental Services detailing what the property can be used for, Christian said.

Goldfinch said he’d liked to see mixed use development on both properties rather than more industrial sites. That would make the area more attractive to tourists, he said, but it would ultimately be more beneficial to locals.

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He emphasized that the area should take advantage of its scenic waterfront. He said there are many opportunities for economic growth in Georgetown, but they lie in highlighting the area’s scenic assets.

"I've gotten to a point where I believe that heavy industrial is not the future for downtown Georgetown," he said.

GEORGETOWN — Front Street will be glowing even brighter this holiday season.

After seeing the popularity of Conway’s Halloween transformation, Georgetown officials began working to make the city a Christmas destination.

"We have expanded our lights exponentially," said Al Joseph, Georgetown's Main Street director. "Three years ago, we lit 11 trees – this year we have 124."

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Joseph has been able to do more to enhance the city's holiday cheer, thanks to additional city funding his efforts. There are now 142 light poles wrapped with decorative garlands.

"The entire business district, every tree on the street, and we added two parks where we light trees," he said. "There’s going to be a lot more lights, a lot more trees and a lot more Christmas."

Georgetown resident Robbie Buice helped take the city's Christmas decor to the next level by building a large wooden sleigh and reindeer set. The sleigh is 8 feet long with two 9-foot reindeer that will reside in Joseph Rainey Park.

Visitors are welcome to sit in the sleigh and take photos with their families.

"It's just something to bring the holiday spirit to a town that really needs some," Buice said while taking a break from painting the reindeer and sleigh.

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Georgetown has been reeling since Oct. 31 when International Paper announced it would shut down its 87-year-old mill and cut nearly 700 jobs in the process.

The looming shutdown led to the county organizing job fairs and Front Street businesses launching a toy drive.

Apart from the efforts to help mill workers, throughout the Christmas season the town will host a number of festive events like the Christmas tree lighting on Dec. 6 and a Christmas parade the following day.

A number of sip-and-shop events will also be taking place throughout the month of December.

Doodlebugs Children’s Finery and Gifts owner Ginger Gray said she’s had her business on Front Street for 22 years and she’s seen how much visitors and residents alike love the lights.

"It just kind of makes you feel like you've got that hometown Christmas atmosphere," Gray said. "Last year it was just on this block, maybe two blocks. It was great they were able to extend it down Front Street."

Joseph is already making plans for next year. He hopes to be able to run lights on the Harborwalk behind all the buildings.

"I would like a tunnel of lights there," he said, adding that he hopes to have some electrical work done to install more outlets by the time Christmas 2025 rolls around.

Joseph also plans to decorate Constitution Park, which is currently under construction as part of the city’s recent stormwater project.

"That park should be redesigned before next Christmas," he said.

Marley Morris, owner of Cashlyn’s Boutique, said the new décor entices more people to shop locally.

"As a small-town business owner, celebrating holidays plays a huge role in bringing our customers in," Morris said. "The Christmas decorations around Georgetown have given such a warm Christmas spirit welcome to everyone who comes to town. We are so proud of our southern Christmas town and we hope people continue to shop small this season."

Published: Nov. 13, 2024 at 2:50 PM PST|

GEORGETOWN COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC) - Work on a massive solar farm in Georgetown County will continue on track after Georgetown County Council voted Tuesday night to allow an additional 1,000 acres of land for the final phase of the solar farm.

The official name of the project is the Lambert Solar Farm located near Walker and Wild Horse Roads with over 2,000 megawatt solar farm systems to supply solar power to the Santee Cooper grid.

The solar farm was originally expected to be completed by the end of 2023 or the beginning of 2024, but delays from permitting issues mean it’s now expected to be finished by early 2025.

The project will create over 200 jobs and bring over 3.5 million dollars in tax revenue over the course of the project. Developer Silicon Ranch said there will be little to no impact to county resources.

Back in 2022, over 150 community members signed a petition against the development with concerns over stormwater drainage, chemicals, wildlife endangerment and property value.

But the development passed through Georgetown County Council.

After Tuesday’s decision, Silicon Ranch stated construction would move seamlessly and minimize any disturbance.

The developer released the following statement:

Thanks to tonight’s decision by the Georgetown County Council, SR Georgetown remains on track so that construction will move seamlessly from the neighboring Lambert Solar Farm immediately to this one, minimizing any disturbance and expanding the economic impact throughout the construction process.

Many people get their first job in solar construction at one of our projects, and as a result receive training that enables them to have long-term careers in this industry. We look forward to those being trained and gaining experience at our Lambert Solar Farm—which is currently under construction—being able to work on SR Georgetown.

As a neighbor and corporate citizen of Georgetown County, our mission is to support this community’s efforts to build a healthier, stronger, and more resilient future for those living here today and for decades to come.

In an effort to create a strong relationship with the community, Silicon Ranch will be participating in a local job fair hosted for former International Paper employees next week.

The event will be held at Howard Gymnasium on Nov. 21 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Nov. 22 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

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GEORGETOWN — When Brian Howard heard the International Paper mill would be closing, he almost didn’t believe it. A third-generation mill worker, Howard assumed the smoke from its stacks would always be flowing above the Sampit River. “I thought they were joking,” he said of being notified of the closure.

But on Oct. 31, International Paper officials announced that the mill would shut down by the end of the year. Nearly 700 employees will lose their jobs, and that doesn’t include some 200 contractors and other local businesses that will be impacted.

News of the mill’s demise floored local leaders in this city of about 9,000. International Paper is among Georgetown County’s largest employers, and it’s been the driver of the city’s economy since it opened in 1937.

In the wake of the announcement, local leaders scrambled to respond. On Nov. 7, a coalition of local officials and organizations met to discuss Georgetown’s future. They focused on how mill workers like Howard can receive assistance after the mill closes.

Job fairs will be held on Nov. 21 and 22 to offer displaced workers paths to new employment opportunities, Georgetown County Council Chairman Louis Morant said.

“We are prioritizing job placement and skill development to help these families stay here, thrive here and continue being part of our Georgetown County family,” he said.

About 75 employers and resource agencies from Georgetown and across the state are expected to attend the job fair, according to Rusty Gaskins of the Waccamaw Regional Council of Governments.

Maya Morant, marketing director for Georgetown Economic Development, said all of the new or expanding industries in Georgetown, including four companies in the Andrews Industrial Park, are hiring and have asked to be included in the event.

Silicon Ranch, the company behind the solar farm project in the Lambertown community, has also expressed interest in hiring mill workers, officials said.

Companies interested in signing up for the job fair should contact Maya Morant at mmorant@gtcounty.org or 843-545-3161 by Nov. 15.

To prepare workers for the upcoming job fairs, a rapid response team organized by the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce, SC Works and Waccamaw Regional Council of Governments will hold workshops at the paper mill on Nov. 14 and 15.

The workshops will assist workers with resume writing and interview preparation, according to Ayla Dyer, workforce development director with the Waccamaw Regional Council of Governments.

The rapid response team will also conduct 18 informational sessions with mill workers to review and explain unemployment insurance benefits, reemployment services, training opportunities and information about community resources, Dyer said.

“We want you to know that these events are not the end, they’re just the beginning of the response that will be required over the coming year as these workers seek new careers,” she said.

Dyer said the organizations plan to offer assistance to all contractors, employees and other people impacted by the mill closure.

Bruce Bailey, president and CEO of Tidelands Health, said there will be a program to ensure mill workers have access to needed medical services. Tidelands Health is working with Smith Medical Clinic, a free clinic in Pawleys Island and Georgetown to ensure that workers will not lose access to medical care after the mill closes.

“We will be working hard to make sure that that does not happen,” Bailey said.

Georgetown Mayor Carol Jayroe said the coalition of officials and organizations has already begun assisting those affected by the shutdown, and the group is committed to continuing its efforts going forward.

Georgetown County to lose 700 jobs as International Paper plant closes

GEORGETOWN COUNTY, S.C. (WCIV) — An 87-year-old Georgetown County mainstay will close its doors at the end of the year.

International Paper is closing the plant and taking 700 jobs with it.

Thursday, city and county leaders held a press conference to address efforts to help workers.

"This facility has been a pillar in Georgetown County, saysLouis Grant, Georgetown County Council Chairman.

READ MORE | "Georgetown reels as International Paper mill closure to ax hundreds of jobs."

Soon, that pillar will be gone.

"We are prioritizing job placement and skill development to help these families remain here, thrive here, and continue being part of our Georgetown County family. We will implement a coordinated support plan to ease this transition," Grant said.

Those plans include sessions to help workers apply for unemployment insurance, as well as a job fair and worker training programs.

"Organizations will also work with displaced employers employees... To help them understand how their skills may translate to other industries such as healthcare, education and technology. Our focus now is on providing pathways to stable employment, ideally within our county," Grant said.

"We have over 50 employers who have signed up to participate in these job fairs. We are absolutely overwhelmed by the response as numerous businesses and industries from across the state have reached out to let us know that they have job openings," said Ayla Dyer, the Workforce Development Director at Waccamaw Regional Council of Governments.

Government leaders say those workers could have other opportunities with new businesses moving in.

"There are some solar farms that are currently looking at doing business in Georgetown County. One has already been approved. They're in the construction, well, the beginning of the construction particular process. I know that they are looking for skilled labor. They certainly are interested in these folks. There's gonna be injected into the workforce and hopefully that'll be a great pathway for some folks forward," said Angela Christian, Georgetown County Administrator.

READ MORE | "Georgetown Pulp and Paper Mill to close by end of 2024, impacting over 670 jobs."

For workers who have been at the plant for decades, there's an effort to make sure their mental health is cared for as well.

Sheldon butts/south carolina state conference naacp political action chairperson

"That's gonna have an impact not only on the person but the person's family. Psychological and mental health should be right up there up upfront,"Sheldon Butts, South Carolina State Conference NAACP Political Action Chairperson.

As the process moves forward, civic leaders want city and county officials to keep the public informed.

"As much as you can get in front of that camera and tell people, this is what we're doing," said Butts. "You got to keep people informed about what has been drastically torn away from them for so many years. In the absence of silence, people can go in very dark places...You've got to make sure that you're letting individuals know that you're genuinely concerned."

For more information:Georgetown County Job Fair Info.