The developers behind the proposed events center in downtown Greenville met with community leaders in early March to offer an update on the project.

In short, things are still on track. Construction is expected to begin in the latter part of 2021 or early 2022, according to Phil Hughes and Bo Aughtry, the developers spearheading the project. From there, they expect another two years for the entire space to be completed.

“We’re to the point that to really advance on the project, we need to delve back deeply into the design,” Aughtry said. “Funding is already in process.”

The proposed events center would be located on 6.7 acres of property along the Reedy River between River and Academy streets across from the Embassy Suites hotel, what Hughes calls “the last piece of undeveloped property on the river in downtown.”

The mixed-use development will contain 25,000 square feet of ballroom space, large enough to comfortably seat about 1,800 individuals, with multiple breakout rooms. A key facet of the project will be its two museum spaces, with 60,000 square feet allocated for the Museum & Gallery of Bob Jones University and another 30,000 square feet for a satellite location of the Greenville County Museum of Art.

The overall project comes with a price tag of about $100 million in public funds, including the value of the 6.7 acres of land donated by Hughes and Aughtry. Hughes said the project is expected to spur about $300 million in private investment as well, including 250 additional hotel rooms that will connect to the current Embassy Suites across a skybridge over the street.

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