The town of Mt. Pleasant S.C. is the second coastal town to reject the tourist tax.

On March 6, 2018, the residents of North Myrtle Beach rejected the proposal for a tourist tax, also known as the tourism development fee. Residents cast votes to determine whether they supported the implementation of a new one percent sales tourist tax known as the TDF.

3,050 out of 3,238 total votes casted no votes, while 188 voted in favor, as per the confirmed results.

Tourist Tax rejected in Mt. Pleasant

One week following the announcement of a new 1% sales tourist tax proposition aimed at generating funds for the development of the region surrounding Patriots Point, Mayor Will Haynie publicly admitted his mistake and abandoned the proposal on December 9th.

At a press conference on December 9th at Memorial Waterfront Park, Haynie assumed complete responsibility for the plan’s shortcomings and negative perception, humbly requesting the forgiveness of the residents.

Mt. Pleasant residents expressed their dissatisfaction and confusion due to the proposed increase in taxes and the potential disturbance of protected land, leading to the subsequent retraction.

Haynie stood alone at the Sweetgrass Pavilion, located under the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, to declare his decision to retract the proposed local option tourist tax of 1 percent.

The “1% retail sales tax, will NOT be considered and that idea will be dropped — completely… FULL STOP on the retail tax idea,” the mayor said in a statement provided to media.

Mount Pleasant Councilman John Iacofano said the 1 percent retail sales tax should have been put to the voters via ballot referendum, as it was done in North Myrtle Beach in 2018.

Haynie expressed disapproval of implementing the 1 percent retail tax, stating it was a bad idea.

“It won’t see the light of day,” Haynie said.

“I think we have some healing to do, and I don’t think it’s over with an apology. I think that we’ve got some proactive work to do,” said John Iacofano, Mt. Pleasant City Councilman.

“I think that the citizens of Mount Pleasant were clearly taken aback by the whole process, or lack of process, for how this was rolled out,” Mt. Pleasant City Councilwoman Guang Ming Whitley said.

MYRTLE BEACH TOURIST TAX is the only one in S.C.

The Tourist Tax was enacted in 2008 through a city council vote led by then Mayor John Rhodes and the Myrtle Beach City Council. However, it was not subjected to a voter referendum.

The 1% sales option tourist tax contributes $24.5 million annually to the revenue collected by the City of Myrtle Beach.

The Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce receives 80% of these funds specifically for out-of-market advertising purposes.

Abbracci Italian Cuisine & Cocktails brings coastal charm to North Mount Pleasant (PROVIDED)

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCIV) — The new restaurant, Abbracci Italian Cusine & Cocktails, is offering coastal charm to a local neighborhood.

Don and Joanne Migliori are set to unveil their latest culinary venture, Abbracci Italian Cuisine & Cocktails, held its soft opening Friday, Nov. 8, in North Mount Pleasant. The restaurant promises an inviting and elevated dining experience, blending Italian recipes with the charm of coastal Carolina hospitality.

Named after the Italian word for "hugs," Abbracci reflects the Migliori family's Italian-American heritage and their commitment to creating welcoming spaces. This marks the couple's third culinary endeavor in the Charleston area, following the success of Migliori’s Pizzeria and their partnership in Legami on King Street.

"Mount Pleasant has been our home for years, and we’re so grateful for the support we’ve received. We’ve poured our hearts into Abbracci," said Joanne Migliori. "Abbracci is our way of continuing that connection, offering a place where people can come together over heartwarming Italian dishes, cocktails, and truly memorable experiences. From the food to the design, our goal is to create a space where people feel like they’re part of our family."

READ MORE | "From okra stew to crab cakes: 'The Rideshare Foodie' savors America's diverse flavors."

Guests can expect a variety of dining experiences, including an expansive cocktail bar, a wine program, outdoor patio seating with a fire pit lounge area, a community table for gatherings, and a private dining room for special occasions.

The kitchen is led by Executive Chef Devin Sansone, known for his expertise in Italian cuisine. Chef Sansone has crafted a menu that combines rich Italian tradition with coastal-inspired flair. Signature dishes include house-made sausage arancini, crispy octopus, ricotta gnocchi, rigatoni sugo with braised pork cheek, potato-crusted fish, and a traditional cioppino with fresh local seafood.

"Abbracci’s menu has been really fun to create. We’re honoring the flavors and traditions of familial Italian roots while embracing the fresh, local ingredients of the Lowcountry," said Sansone.

Located at 1146 Muhlenbergia Drive, Abbracci will be open for dinner Wednesday through Sunday and closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. The restaurant plans to introduce weekend brunch services and host a grand opening in 2025.

Published: Nov. 8, 2024 at 4:15 PM PST|

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCSC) - Mount Pleasant leaders have plans to install a new traffic signal at one of their intersections.

It would be located at Ben Sawyer Boulevard at Rifle Range Road and McCants Drive.

The Town of Mount Pleasant’s Deputy Director of Capital Projects and Transportation, James Aton, said what’s currently in place at this intersection is a span wire system, which basically means the traffic lights are hanging from a wire.

Aton said they would be upgrading to a mast arm system for this intersection. A mast arm consists of a long, horizontal “arm” that extends out over the roadway that the traffic lights are connected to and is attached to a vertical pole.

Aton said not only is it more visually appealing, but the mast arms are more durable during serious weather conditions.

“There are aesthetic benefits to the mast arm, but also more importantly they are much more resilient in the storm events that we have in the town and are less likely to be damaged in those sorts of events, so that’s really the main purpose of this capital maintenance project,” Aton said.

He said that they are working to upgrade all of the span wire systems to mast arms in Mount Pleasant. Aton said they try to upgrade one intersection a year. He said they recently finished another upgrade with the help of the South Carolina Department of Transportation at the intersection of Coleman Boulevard and Chuck Dawley Boulevard.

He said that they are working to upgrade all of the span wire systems to mast arms in Mount Pleasant. They try to upgrade one intersection a year. He said most recently they finished up an intersection upgrade with the help of the South Carolina Department of Transportation at Coleman Boulevard and Chuck Dawley Boulevard.

The cost for this upgrade is $441,357.56 which the town is awarding to a manufacturing group for traffic control equipment called Walker Brothers Inc. Aton said this funding comes from a mast arm replacement capital maintenance program that the town council approved about seven years ago.

He said this funding would cover the construction, the mast arm itself, as well as all of the new equipment needed for it such as a new cabinet, signal heads, wiring and mounting brackets.

“So there has been probably been about seven or eight intersections that have been upgraded over the course of that capital maintenance program and we have a total of I think four remaining span wire systems that we’re working to design, permit and get upgraded,” Aton said.

He said the current span wire system will stay up until the mast arms are ready for operations to keep the intersection running.

Aton said there are very few providers that make the mast arms and steel poles that they are attached to. Because of this, he said it would take about a year for them to receive them, and then from there, installation will only take about three months.

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An Upstate food-and-beverage hub is one step closer to being duplicated near the coast.

Four Oaks Property Group, the firm behind Greenville's Gather GVL, received approval late last month from the Town of Mount Pleasant's Commercial Design Review Board to move forward with a 3-acre park with restaurants and retail tenants.

Gather MTP will be developed within the mostly residential Midtown development between Rifle Range Road and Hungryneck Boulevard.

Mack Cross, co-owner of Four Oaks Property Group with his father, Doug Cross, is leading the development. The Gather MTP building will be at Hancock Street and Midtown Avenue, and will include retail and office spaces in addition to food and beverage tenants.

A third phase of the project would include a 10,000-square-foot office that could potentially have medical tenants, though nothing is confirmed yet.

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"This is a place where our families can go outdoors and have fun in a family-friendly location," said Cross, a Mount Pleasant resident. "The kids can be kids, the adults can have a good time as well with a wide variety of food and beverages and a live music program."

The Crosses first brought plans before the board in April and had a history of success to boost their proposal. This year, Gather GVL was ranked the fifth-best food hall in America, according to the USA Today Readers’ Choice Awards.

The major difference between the concepts is the addition of more retail and office space in the East Cooper version.

Another Four Oaks Property Group development in Simpsonville has those components, and Cross said it's done so well he decided to include them to the Gather MTP plans. While he hasn't secured all the tenants, several have already expressed interest in joining the lineup.

Preston Wendell, a partner for the project through his Whitewater Property Ventures, said the key to Gather MTP is not just its outdoor focus, but its shade and rain cover so that it can be used and enjoyed year-round.

"If there's a light rain, you're going to be covered," Wendell said. "When it's hot, we're positioning a 55-foot oak tree to provide optimal shade for relief."

The next step for the developers is to submit the design and construction plans to the town to secure their building permits.

Cross hopes to break ground this spring or summer with a 12- to 15-month construction period.

"We've put attention into this space and it's going to be really cool," Wendell said. "This is a moment where people want to spend their time outside in a different kind of environment."

Crooked Hammock, a beach-style restaurant out of Delaware, also received approval from the DRB to design plans for the restaurant and brewery next to Gather MTP. It will be Crooked's fifth establishment, including an existing outpost in Myrtle Beach.

Raising Roper

Construction is underway on the new Roper St. Francis Healthcare medical complex in the Sawmill community of Summerville.

The site will include a two-story, 40,000-square-foot ambulatory building with a freestanding emergency room, imaging services, lab, surgery center and women’s imaging. A second 20,000-square-foot medical office building will offer specialized care services.

The new complex is near East 5th North Street and Berlin G. Myers Parkway.

The first building is expected to open in January 2026, with the second to follow a few months later.

Adding inventory

Nearly 300 apartments are underway in Flowertown.

Quarterra Multifamily has begun construction of the 288-unit Emblem Summerville rental community at 44000 Owl Wood Lane. The developer is a Texas-based development and management arm of homebuilding giant Lennar Corp.

Apartment floor plans will feature one- to three-bedroom options ranging from 783 to 1,434 square feet.

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Quarterra said the rentals would be priced to address the shortage of attainable housing for middle-income renters in the local market. It did not respond to requests for details.

Emblem Summerville is Quarterra’s third apartment community in South Carolina, following Emblem Cane Bay North, also in Summerville, and The Cormac in downtown Charleston.

To date, Quarterra has delivered eight Emblem communities nationwide with 20 more in the pipeline.

Business

Lofty move

Sharbell Nexton LLC's first 64-unit phase of its Lofts in Downtown Nexton has been completed.

The one- to two-bedroom layouts in the five-story mixed-use and multifamily development range from 760 to 1,541 square feet

Residents have access to a rooftop gathering space, a community entertainment kitchen, multiple game rooms and more than 24,000 square feet of ground-floor retail and restaurant space.

Downtown Nexton is a nearly 100-acre development between Sigma Drive and Brighton Park Boulevard, within walking distance of nearby residential neighborhoods.