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Greenville County Councilmembers are considering a resolution that would oppose building a hotel at Paris Mountain.

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GREENVILLE, S.C. —

A Paris Mountain hotel project is receiving continued pushback. The Greenville County Council heard a proposal to oppose plans to build a hotel along Paris Mountain.

A room packed to oppose the construction of the Inn at Altamont. According to developers, the hotel would have 150 rooms, accommodating thousands of guests, and would include a spa and bar.

The hotel would sit in Greenville County, on Paris Mountain, under an 'environmentally sensitive' zoning district.

"We work hard to live here and proud of where we live. We grew up here, and we want to keep something special. Some things aren't for sale," says resident Simon Forrester.

District 20 Councilman Steve Shaw proposed a resolution that would inform the city of Travelers Rest that Greenville County opposes the plans and annexation.

"Why are we even talking about annexing part of Greenville County from Travelers Test over there? That just shouldn't be even in the conversation we're reacting to, to the news that that is a possibility," he says.

In a statement to WYFF, Travelers Rest mayor Brandy Amidon says,

'The timing of this resolution is especially troubling. The TR City Council has not received an annexation application for this property. The developer has not held the required community meeting to inform residents of their proposal.

If I, as mayor, have yet to see the details of what is being proposed, I find it baffling that County Council believes it has enough information to take a stance at this stage. This resolution is not just premature—it is an overreach.'

Shaw disagrees.

"Nothing we're doing is an overreach to me. An overreach is to do a hostile takeover of Greenville County lands. I mean, annexation is a hostile takeover," he says.

Krusn Patel, the CEO of the Divine Group, said in a statement to WYFF,

'We respect the concerns of Greenville County residents and officials about Paris Mountain’s future. That’s why The Inn at Altamont has prioritized responsible development, conservation, and economic impact from the start.

However, the resolution introduced by a handful of county council members misrepresents key facts. It falsely claims no traffic, environmental, or archaeological studies have been conducted—despite these studies being completed and publicly discussed.

The officials behind this resolution have never reviewed our formal proposal, making their opposition based on assumptions, not facts.

The Inn at Altamont is a rare opportunity to balance growth with conservation, preserving Paris Mountain while creating jobs, boosting local businesses, and generating tax revenue for Travelers Rest.

We remain committed to good-faith engagement and encourage those truly invested in Paris Mountain’s future to work from facts—not fiction.'

Paris Mountain residents hope Tuesday's show of opposition to the hotel will reach the Travelers Rest officials, who have used the website SaveParisMountain.org to spread their message.

"Let's do the right thing for the right reasons this time. You know what I mean? It's not only about money. It's not always about money. Maybe this time it's about the people that live here and what they really want to do," Forrester.

The resolution was sent to the Communications and Government Affairs Committee, with no voting taking place.

Greenville is known for its vibrant downtown (with a waterfall right in the center), thriving art scene, and outdoor recreation. Clocking in around a 2-hour drive from Atlanta, it makes for the perfect little escape for the family. Although there are many great places to stay, we opted to stay at a hotel downtown so that we could be within walking distance of many of the attractions Greenville has to offer.

Here are some of the city highlights:

Explore Falls Park on the Reedy

No visit to Greenville is complete without a stop at Falls Park on the Reedy. We stayed at the Embassy Suites in downtown Greenville where the Swamp Rabbit Trail (a 22-mile walking trail) led you right to the park. Walk across the stunning Liberty Bridge for a great view of the waterfalls, have a picnic by the river, or let the kids run around the open green spaces.

Visit The Children’s Museum of the Upstate

A must-visit for younger kids! The museum features interactive exhibits, a water play area, hands-on STEM activities, and an awesome outdoor playground.

Conveniently located just steps away are also the Greenville County Museum of Art, Greenville Theatre, Upcountry History Museum, and the Sigal Music Museum which are great for older kids and adults.

Play at Unity Park

Explore this 60-acre park that features playgrounds, picnic tables, a splash pad, trails, and sports courts. This park was about a 12-minute walk from our downtown hotel.

Explore Main Street and Find the Mice on Main

This fun scavenger hunt features 9 hidden bronze mice along Main Street. Grab a clue sheet here and see if your family can find them all!

Greenville Zoo

Connect with wildlife at Greenville’s 14-acre zoological park. It is home to over 90 species of animals, including giraffes, orangutans, red pandas, lions, and a variety of other mammals, reptiles, and birds.

Catch a Baseball Game at Fluor Field

If you visit Greenville during baseball season, check out the Greenville Drive (Greenville’s minor league baseball team) at Fluor Field which is a mini version of Boston’s Fenway Park.

Roper Mountain Science Center

Roper Mountain Science Center offers hands-on learning with interactive science exhibits, butterfly gardens, and a planetarium. Be sure to check their hours and schedule before you go. They were closed on Saturdays and Sundays during the time we went so we weren’t able to visit.

Cool off at Otter Creek Water Park

If you visit Greenville in the heat of the summer, check out Otter Creek Water Park for awesome water slides and a splash pad.

Group Therapy Pub and Playground

Enjoy an 18-hole course of movie-themed wacky mini golf, digital darts, ping pong, axe throwing, duck pin bowling, and a multi-sport simulator. If you are with the kids make sure you go before 8 pm-after 8 is 18 and up.

A Few More Highlights

Greenville is packed with family-friendly adventures, from outdoor excursions to interactive museums. I hope this gives you ideas and helps you plan the ultimate family trip to Greenville. Did we miss any of your favorite family-friendly spots?

The Business Narrative Goodwill Industries of Upstate/Midlands South Carolina Sauer Brands Advent International Eastern Engineered Wood Products First Capital Bank

Water Tower Apartments, a 233-unit luxury multifamily property in Greenville, S.C., has been acquired by Hathaway Cos. for $45.4 million. Urban Realty Partners sold the community in a deal secured by JLL Capital Markets.

Completed in 2024, the community features studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom homes. Units average 741 square feet.

Units in Water Tower Apartments include wood-style flooring, designer cabinets, quartz countertops, stainless-steel appliances and work nooks. The community features a pet spa, pool, rooftop terrace with a chef’s kitchen, fitness center with a yoga room, coworking spaces, outdoor grilling areas and greenspaces and bike storage.

The community is situated along the Swamp Rabbit Trail at 1000 Water Tower Circle. Residents have direct access to the trail and are in close proximity to downtown Greenville with dining, retail and entertainment options.

Woodward Management Partners manages the community. It was recently completed with the help of a $28.4 million construction loan, originated by SouthState Bank, Yardi Matrix data shows.

The community was 10 percent occupied at the time of the sale. It received its certificate of occupancy in December when it began its lease-up process.

Managing Directors John Gavigan, John Mikels, and Associate Chase Monroe led the JLL Capital Market’s Investment and Sales Advisory team that represented the seller. Director Brad Woolard and Managing Director Taylor Allison spearheaded JLL’s Debt Advisory team.

Greenville grows in resiliency

Greenville has been an increasingly popular area, garnering interest from investors and residents alike.

“Greenville has proven to be a resilient market with strong apartment fundamentals and has experienced a lower amount of development and multifamily supply than some of its peer markets in the Sunbelt,” Gavigan told Multi-Housing News. “As a result, we’ve seen growing demand from institutional capital on assets in the Greenville market.”

Gary W. Lyons, CCIM, SIOR, principal, capital markets, Avison Young, told MHN that like other South Carolina markets including Charleston and Myrtle Beach, Greenville is continuing to see a new influx of residents seeking a lower cost of living, seasons and a higher quality of life.

“Greenville County specifically has maintained a right-sized pipeline of new multifamily development which has resulted in steady occupancy rates and rent growth,” he said.

Earlier this month, Flournoy Development Group began construction on Tanner Road, a 461-unit Greenville community expected to come online in March 2027. The development, rising on 21 acres, will feature five four-story apartment buildings and retail spaces.

Last month, a seven-property, 1,068-unit portfolio of Carolina properties built between 1968 and 1973 received an $18.8 million investment from American South Capital Partners for acquisition and renovations on behalf of owner Infinity Real Estate Partners. The South Carolina communities involved in the transaction include: Boulder Creek in Greenville; Crescent Hill Apartments, Spartanburg; Roosevelt Gardens, Orangeburg; Spring Grove Apartments, Taylors.

Some surprise snowflakes were falling Thursday morning on parts of the Upstate, and the National Weather Service has issued a special weather statement.

Here's what we know about the weather in the Upstate and other effects of the advisories.

How much snow could the Upstate get?

NWS Meteorologist Jeffrey Taylor told the Greenville News that parts of the Upstate could indeed see light snow Thursday.

"We actually have an area of light snow that's developed just outside the mountains, and so we're getting some snow here right now," said Taylor, who is based in Greer. "Areas over the next one to two hours, areas outside the mountains, especially northern parts of the upstate, could see some light accumulations."

Freezing rain in the Upstate

A special weather statement issued at 6:48 a.m. for the Greenville-Spartanburg area warned of patchy black ice across the Upstate region on Thursday morning.

The black ice is being caused by isolated snow showers, patchy drizzle and freezing conditions. The warning applies in particular to bridges and elevated surfaces.

Cold weather advisory in Asheville, Western NC

A cold weather advisory was issued Thursday, Feb. 20 at 3:15 a.m. for Buncombe, Northern Jackson, Macon, Southern Jackson, Transylvania and Henderson counties in North Carolina.

The alert warned of cold weather beginning at 6 p.m. Thursday evening and extending through 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 21. "Very cold wind chills" from 10-15 degrees below freezing are expected - temperatures which could result in hypothermia without proper precautions taken.

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Winter weather advisory in Asheville, Western NC

A second advisory for winter weather issued at 3:08 a.m. Feb. 20 surrounded potential additional snow accumulation over a larger area including N.C. mountain counties not along the Tennessee border as well as Rabun County in northeast Georgia. A separate advisory for the border counties called for higher amounts of snow.

The advisory remains in effect until noon today, Thursday, with weather that could impact morning commutes.

Will it snow in Asheville, Western NC?

Taylor told the Citizen Times that while "unseasonably cold" temperatures are currently the main hazard in the area, Asheville could see some light snow, and higher elevations of WNC could see up to another 1-2 inches.

"It's looking like any additional accumulation is really going to be in the higher elevations closer to the Tennessee-North Carolina border, probably not going to see any additional accumulations of those outside of those areas today," Taylor said.

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Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at [email protected].