Over 10 percent of the first round of lots in the Sanctuary at Lake Russell in Calhoun Falls have either sold or are under contract, according to Stephen Rosenburgh of US Land.
Over 10 percent of the first round of lots in the Sanctuary at Lake Russell in Calhoun Falls have either sold or are under contract, according to Stephen Rosenburgh of US Land.
During the grand opening ceremony Saturday, June 2, Rosenburgh said three of the 80 lots have sold, and six are under contract, he said. All are within Calhoun Falls town limits, he said.
Eventually, 300 of the 1,836 lots, ranging between $60,000-$240,000, will be within town limits, he said, bringing an additional 2,000 residents.
Property owners will have the option of building their own home, with building plans approved by US Land.
Guest speakers included Sen. Lindsey Graham, Sen. John Drummond, Rep. Gresham Barrett, and representatives with Erskine, the Parks Department, and US Land. A common thread throughout the speeches was that Calhoun Falls’ economy is in the process of transforming from manufacturing to tourism.
Chad Prosser, director of the S.C. Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, said South Carolina tourism is a $14.6 billion industry.
Tourism, unlike textiles, doesn’t have to compete with other countries, he said.
“We’re building an economy and jobs around natural resources, like the park in Calhoun Falls, that can’t be taken away,” he said.
Tourism “is the state’s largest export, one of its largest employers, and continues to be a a fast-growing industry,” according to Prosser’s webpage. Rosenberg said that the state’s tourism advertising budget, controlled by the S.C. Department of Commerce, will increase 100 percent this fiscal year.
Erskine College’s two centers within the Sanctuary, a nature center and a biological educational center, will be open within six to nine months, Jay West said. These centers will bring in visitors for classes, field trips and conferences.
A conference center within the Sanctuary will be named the John W. Drummond Center for Statesmanship.
Graham said that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers gained control of Lake Russell and surrounding land 30 years ago with the agreement that economic development would be allowed. The Corps, however, was slow to uphold its end of the agreement, he said.