Wedding & Event Venue Near Ridgeland, SC.

Jasper County leaders want its citizens to know the county continues to grow stronger each year as they continue to all work together in all municipalities.

This is the message that was sent to those attending the State of the County luncheon on Feb. 22 in Hardeeville. Leaders from around Jasper County and many guests made the trip to Hardeeville for the annual event.

The luncheon at Lake Latitude Club was hosted by the Jasper County Chamber of Commerce. Local leaders provided the latest updates from the past year.

Ridgeland Mayor Joey Malphrus, who is serving his 23rd year as mayor, discussed projects around town either completed or under way. He said the town, in the latter part of last year, completed decorative crosswalks and reinstalled raised crosswalks and speed bumps in front of the United States Post Office on West Main Street.

"The highway department repaved Main Street in front of the post office, and (it) turned out great, but that took away our crosswalks," he said. "We got the crosswalks replaced with a highway department mandate, but we were able to get that done. Traffic control was a good part of that expense."

Malphrus also mentioned another building that is under construction across the street from the Ridgeland Post Office, the Antioch Medical Training Facility. He said the town is "looking foward to it being a great facility." He also commended Polaris Tech Charter School, which held a groundbreaking for its new addition that will allow it to expand to allow for academic opportunities in all grades.

The town, Malphrus said, has also installed LED light fixtures around the area, making it "much brighter." He said he is hopeful this addition will make the sidewalks easier and safer to walk on late at night or in the morning. The town, Malphrus said, is in the process of building a sidewalk from Main Street up to around Logan Street.

"There's a lot of young people along there especially, and we are looking forward to getting those sidewalks built," Malphrus said.

Last December, the town held a meeting with developers of Tickton Hall investments, LLC, and Pepper Hall, LLC, with consent of Chelsea Plantation, LLC, which originally requested to annex up to 1,500 acres of Tickton Hall into the Town of Ridgeland. The request also included a development agreement and a request to change zoning of the land from rural preservation to large, mixed-use development. Malphrus said there had been numerous meetings and workshops concerning the request; however no action had been taken as of the day of the State of the County luncheon.

"As of now, there's not a vote scheduled, there's certainly not been any vote taken by the town council, and there's not even a vote scheduled as of now to annex or under what terms and conditions if the property is ever annexed," Malphrus said.

Five years ago, Hardeeville Mayor Harry Williams spoke during the State of the County meeting and discussed community development and pride.

"Since that time, Hardeeville has taken great strides to build that pride as new industry and new commerce now dot our landscape" he said.

One of the new businesses coming into the area was announced last September when Home Depot said it would be adding a new distribution center at RiverPort Commerce Park in Hardeeville. The Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved a $100,000 Rural Infrastructure Fund grant to assist with costs related to the project, a news release said. The expansion is to create almost 100 new jobs, including 14 in Jasper County.

Williams told the crowd RiverPort now has three warehouses operating, in total, with 1.1 million square feet of space and four tenants. He said there are another four buildings that have permits and are in progress that total another 1.5 million square feet with another two tenants in the process of upfitting.

The city also welcomed Fire Station 84 which opened in RiverPort, and the city is constructing a new communications tower, Williams said.

Hardeeville, in partnership with Jasper County and Motorola, broke ground for a new communications tower off US 17, Speedway Boulevard in December. The city said the new tower will provide much-needed coverage for emergency communications in the southern part of the community. Though primarily focused on increasing Emergency Services coverage, the city said, the tower also is designed to hold up to four cellular carriers.

"Thousands of new homes have also been built, doubling our population," Williams said.

With housing in mind, Williams said Latitude Margaritaville Hilton Head, which has been established in the city for five years, began with 200 homes in the development. That number rose when officials with the company announced last year its expansion with 20,000 new homes. The latest addition to Latitude Margaritaville Hilton Head is the final phase of the resort-style amenities that were completed in December, including a theater and a Workin' N' Playin' Center. The center will include a business center, conference center and work stations.

Williams said, "A strong Hardeeville will bring Jasper County new and better-paying jobs as well as a higher-skilled workforce and new tax revenues for infrastructure and the schools.''

"Perhaps, we can even begin to eliminate the poverty that has plagued our county for generations," he said. "We've had our struggles along the way, but we have moved forward."

Williams said in the past six years, both Hardeeville and Jasper County have become stronger.

Jasper County Council Chairman Marty Sauls said the county and region are looking at a positive economic outlook heading into the future.

"Our county as well as our region has certainly emerged from the pandemic with the most robust economic development outlook ever," Sauls said. "While our supply chains and lives as a whole were severely disrupted over the past two years, it did not stop our efforts to attract capital investment, high-paying jobs and career opportunities right here in Jasper County."

Sauls said since 2020, the county has "experienced banner years."

"I believe the success is due in part to the momentum we have built with our partners and allies in the years prior to the pandemic through good economic development," he said.

Sauls said some examples of the momentum included announcements from previously mentioned Home Depot, Builders FirstSource and Hardee Greens, LLC, over the past year.

Builders FirstSource, a supplier of structural building products, announced its plans to establish operations in Jasper County, a $16 million investment that will create 126 new jobs over the next five years.

Hardee Greens, LLC, a startup indoor, vertical farm company, announced Oct. 5 of last year that it plans to establish operations in Jasper County. A vertical farm grows crops in vertically stacked layers inside a building. The company was established by South Carolina natives and will grow fresh green herbs and salad greens. The new business in Hardeeville said it would invest $1.3 million in the area and bring 58 new jobs.

"As a seven-county region represented by the Southern Carolina Alliance Regional Economic Development Alliance, over $1.5 billion in capital investment and nearly 4,800 jobs were announced since 2020, and Jasper County accounts for over 35 percent of those figures," Sauls said.

Sauls also discussed the county's initiative, Keep Jasper County Beautiful, which he said had been "embraced by many."

"Our municipalities have been some of our biggest supporters, as well as over 600 volunteers in this program," Sauls said.

Sauls said the 612 volunteers have contributed 2,158 hours to the effort.

He added there were 17 Adopt a Highway groups in the program, and it has also reached 2,096 students.

Sauls also commended the owners and those associated with Congaree Golf Course, on the CJ Cup, a PGA golf tournament that took place in Jasper County.

"The CJ Cup has brought Ridgeland and Jasper County global recognition and over an $80 million economic impact, even with limiting attendance to 7,500 people," Sauls said.

The Ridgeland Claude Dean Airport has also grown, and Sauls updated the crowd on its impact.

"One of our most impressive economic engines which facilitated the CJ Cup is the Ridgeland Claude Dean Airport expansion. Before this expansion, this 2,200-foot runway injected approximately $450,000 into our local economy, but now with the new taxiway, a 4,200-foot runway, new terminal, an airline parking apron with jet aircraft fueling station, our airport, once completed, will have a $10 million annual economic impact here in Jasper County."

Sauls said he hoped that his speech would motivate citizens to participate in the county's government.

"Your county is strong because of the people, and we, as a council, are committed to making Jasper County stronger," he said.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla.– PGA TOUR and CJ Group officials today announced that THE CJ CUP will be contested at Congaree Golf Club in Ridgeland, South Carolina, the week of Oct. 17-23, 2022. The tournament name will be changed to THE CJ CUP in South Carolina.

The tournament was launched as Korea’s first official PGA TOUR tournament in 2017 and was played for three consecutive years at Nine Bridges on Jeju Island before being relocated to the U.S. due to the challenges of COVID-19.

This will be the first time THE CJ CUP will be played in the Southeast region of the U.S. following the staging of the tournament in Las Vegas, first at Shadow Creek Golf Course in 2020 and The Summit Club last year.

“Thanks to the tremendous commitment from CJ Group, the PGA TOUR is thrilled to bring THE CJ CUP in South Carolina to the United States this October,” said Christian Hardy, the PGA TOUR’s Senior Vice President, International. “This event has provided a great platform on which to showcase golf’s top Korean players, and we are confident that Congaree will once again serve as a fantastic venue for hosting one of the TOUR’s premier tournaments.”

THE CJ CUP in South Carolina will feature a 78-man field comprised of five players designated by the Korea Professional Golfers’ Association (KPGA), as well as the top-3 available players of Korean nationality from the Official World Golf Ranking as part of CJ Group’s vision to support the development of professional golf in Korea. The remainder of the field will be made up of the leading players from the 2021-22 FedExCup points list and sponsor exemptions. There will be no 36-hole cut.

“We are excited to host THE CJ CUP at Congaree this October. Over the last five years, our tournament has established itself on the PGA TOUR through the caliber of champions who have emerged, and we are also proud the tournament has been well received by players, thanks especially to our bibigo chefs who help deliver an amazing dining experience on site,” said Wookho Kyeong, Chief Marketing Officer of CJ Group. “We look forward to engaging with our fans in a new region and celebrating another fantastic week of golf.”

Congaree, a Tom Fazio design, is located about an hour northwest of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. The club, which debuted at No. 39 in Golf Digest’s America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses last May, hosted the PGA TOUR’s Palmetto Championship at Congaree in June of 2021, won by South African Garrick Higgo. The course was built to challenge the world’s top golfers and has earned widespread praise among PGA TOUR players.

Congaree was founded with a philanthropic mission to positively impact the lives of young people through the game of golf. The Congaree Foundation supports a number of educational and vocational initiatives within its local community and internationally through the Congaree Global Golf Initiative. Instead of members, the club invites “ambassadors” to join who are passionate about supporting Congaree Foundation’s philanthropic programs and becoming personally involved through a shared devotion to the game and giving their time to mentorship opportunities.

“It’s a privilege to welcome THE CJ CUP to South Carolina and Congaree. From day one, our steadfast belief has been that Congaree can be a conduit to make a difference in the lives of young people locally and around the world,” said Dan Friedkin, founder of Congaree. “In addition to providing a significant economic impact for the state, THE CJ CUP will enable Congaree Foundation to give back to youth in the Lowcountry and beyond in even more meaningful ways.”

THE CJ CUP in South Carolina will be held in partnership with The State of South Carolina, which also supported the Palmetto Championship.

With more than 300 courses and an annual economic impact in the billions, golf is one of the most important markets in South Carolina’s tourism industry. THE CJ CUP in South Carolina joins the list of other significant tournaments in South Carolina in 2022, including the annual RBC Heritage on Hilton Head Island, and the Korn Ferry Tour’s BMW Charity Pro-Am presented by SYNNEX Corporation in Greenville.

“In 2021, South Carolina caught the eye of the golf world by hosting three highly successful tournaments in the PGA Championship at the Ocean Course, the RBC Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links, and the Palmetto Championship at Congaree Golf Club,” said South Carolina Governor, Henry McMaster. “This success, coupled with the rapidly growing popularity of golf in our state, has made South Carolina a top destination for major golf events. We look forward to continuing to grow this reputation with THE CJ CUP in South Carolina and beyond.”

RIDGELAND, South Carolina – Featuring a field of 53 PGA TOUR winners, THE 2022 CJ CUP in South Carolina is set to begin at Congaree Golf Club in Ridgeland, South Carolina from October 19-23.

The 78-man limited field event will include 23 players from the top 30 in the 2021-22 FedExCup Playoffs & Eligibility Points List, featuring four FedExCup Champions (Billy Horschel, Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, and Justin Thomas) and 15 players from the top 20 in the Official World Golf Ranking.

McIlroy will defend his title, which he won last year at The Summit Club in Las Vegas for his 20th career PGA TOUR title and first in his season debut. The Northern Irishman went on to win twice more during the 2021-22 season, including the season-ending TOUR Championship where he claimed a record third FedExCup title.

Thomas won the inaugural CJ CUP in 2017 when it was launched as Korea’s first official PGA TOUR event and repeated as champion in 2019, securing both victories at Nine Bridges on Jeju Island before the tournament was relocated to the U.S. due to the challenges of COVID-19. This will be the first time THE CJ CUP will be played in the Southeast region of the U.S. following the staging of the tournament in Las Vegas, first at Shadow Creek Golf Course in 2020 and The Summit Club last year.

Twenty players who featured in the recent Presidents Cup at Quail Hollow will also tee it up at the Tom Fazio-designed course, including nine members of the victorious U.S. Team (Sam Burns, Max Homa, Horschel, Kevin Kisner, Collin Morikawa, Scottie Scheffler, Spieth, Thomas, and Cameron Young) and 10 members of the International Team (Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Corey Conners, Cam Davis, Sungjae Im, Si Woo Kim, Tom Kim, K.H. Lee, Hideki Matsuyama, Sebastián Muñoz, and Mito Pereira).

The field for THE CJ CUP in South Carolina will also feature 10 sponsor exemptions, five players designated by the Korea Professional Golfers’ Association (KPGA), and the top-3 available players of Korean nationality from the Official World Golf Ranking as part of CJ Group’s vision to support the development of professional golf in Korea. There will be no 36-hole cut.

+ Sponsor Exemption

* KPGA

# OWGR Ranking

Daily Grounds tickets are available for purchase at CJCUPSouthCarolina.com, with a maximum of two (2) children ages 15 and under admitted free per ticketed adult.

To honor the men and women who serve our country in the Armed Forces, THE CJ CUP in South Carolina is pleased to offer active duty, retirees, veterans, and National Guard members up to four (4) complimentary tickets per day, October 19-23. Please note military members will need an active GovX account to verify military status and unlock ticket offer. If military members don’t have one tied to their military credentials, they must visit GovX.com to create an account.

For more information about the THE CJ CUP in South Carolina, please visit CJCUPSouthCarolina.com.

Copyright 2022 WCSC. All rights reserved.

The CJ Cup in South Carolina, a PGA Tour limited-field event, features 15 of the top 20 players in the World Golf Rankings who are competing at Congaree Golf Club. It’s airing on the Golf Channel from 3-6 p.m. daily through Sunday.

Here’s what to know about Congaree:

The Congaree course is located off of Interstate 95 in rural Jasper County in Ridgeland, South Carolina. It’s more than 90 minutes west of Charleston and about an hour north of Savannah, Georgia, and about two hours from Columbia.

It is a private club, and the mission has never been about prestige for themselves. The billionaire businessmen who founded the club wanted to use the golf course in a positive way.

The Congaree Foundation’s top program is the Congaree Global Golf Initiative, a week-long training camp each summer. The program identifies aspiring golf with talent but not necessarily the resources for college golf. Participants get access to elite instructors and the high-quality facilities.

Among other projects is the Sergeant Jasper Golf Club that the club bought in 2021 to provide a home for area high school golf teams.

No. Congaree is a private club that has had only two official members, its founders Dan Friedkin and Bob McNair, the latter a University of South Carolina graduate. McNair, who also owned the NFL’s Houston Texans, died in 2018, leaving the club with one member.

Rather than members, Congaree has approximately 250 “ambassadors,” prominent individual who promote the club while lending time and money to the cause.

No. All 78 players in the field will compete over 72 holes for shares of a $10.5 million purse. The winner earns $1.89 million and $1.134 million goes to second place.

Bruce Davidson, director of golf for The Friedkin Group, and colleague John McNeely had the job of finding a large property for a firm, fast golf course. They first saw the property in 2013 and liked the look of sand.

Davidson said the land reminded him of Pinehurst No. 2 and Pine Valley. Others have linked the property to Royal Melbourne in the Australian sand belt.

“We thought, ‘No, it can’t be. We can’t be this lucky,’ ” Davidson said. “I don’t know what happened hundreds of millions of years ago, but the sea was probably there and left the deposit of sand.”

Ridgeland-Claude Dean Airport has made an abundance of progress over the years and it continues to grow, officials told Jasper County Council.

A May 20 workshop with local and state officials outlined some of the airport's latest updates.

South Carolina Aeronautics Commission director James Stephens said the Ridgeland airport’s economic impact has increased significantly. A statewide survey estimated that its annual impact was $425,600 in 2006. The latest study in 2018 found that number had jumped to $8.3 million.

Stephens said the 2018 study found that there were 54 jobs in the Beaufort/Jasper area connected to the airport, along with $2.1 million in annual payroll and $6.1 million in spending.

Ken Holt, of Holt Consulting Company, said an airport update plan was created in 2014 in conjunction with the county, the state and the Federal Aviation Administration. Holt Consulting has worked with the county from the beginning of its airport upgrades.

Holt said new infrastructure over the past few years has included a new runway, taxiways, airfield lighting, security fencing and an aircraft parking apron.

Project manager Kevin Morris said the total investment at the airport to date is $22.4 million, most of which comes from the FAA with $19.5 million. The aeronautics commission has invested $1.2 million and Jasper County has contributed $1.7 million.

Some additions that are still needed, Morris said, are a terminal building, fuel farm, fuel trucks and storage hangar. He said funding for the projects, which is estimated to be $8 million, would come from the FAA ($1.52 million), aeronautics commission ($548,000), S.C. Department of Commerce ($2.5 million) and Jasper County ($3.27 million).

Morris said the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes a program that encourages the renovation, expansion and building of airport terminals. He said an application will be submitted next year for funding for the planned terminal in Ridgeland.

"If you look back and you look ahead, in about a dozen years we will have taken the existing facility to a modern, up-to-date, safe facility with a long runway, navigational aids, GPS approaches, fuel," he said.

Councilman Curtis Brantley said it had come to council's attention that there was a misunderstanding in terms of who is responsible for the operations of the airport.

"County Council is responsible and we are designating that authority to our county administrator and to our airport manager,” he said. “Without rules and regulations, you have nothing. From this point forward, our administrator and airport manager will be totally responsible for the operation and enforcing of the rules and regulations of the airport."

State Rep. Bill Herbkersman, R-Bluffton, a longtime pilot, attended the meeting. His district includes parts of Jasper and Beaufort counties.

"Quite frankly, I left Hilton Head Airport because there was no pilot camaraderie," he said. "I came to Ridgeland because it has some of the best maintenance facilities, I think, in the state, if not the Southeast. Let's make no mistake; progress follows an airport, and you see jobs, you see industry when you have a good airport, and we are on the right track on that."