Lexington Town Council took initial steps to approve a new destination resort community that will potentially come to Smallwood Cove on Lake Murray — a project that has been in the works since 2012, according to Mayor Steve MacDougall.

The 93.53-acre property would include a marina, hotels, retail space, homes near Beekeeper Court and North Lake Drive, and is expected to take ~15 years to complete.

Land use concept plan for Smallwood Cove. | Rendering from the Town of Lexington

The project is set to be a shared public + private economic development, with $733 million to be donated from private developers.

Town Council and other developers are hoping this undertaking will support destination tourism, provide access to lakefront properties, and generate tax revenue and economic benefits — one of those benefits being the creation of ~400 jobs.

Construction would likely begin in two years and The Regional Conference Center, which has already received $6 million to build from the State of South Carolina, could be completed by 2028.

Click here to see the development guidelines for Smallwood Cove, including the Executive Summary, area breakdown, zoning, parking, drainage basin analysis, and more.