Aiken Council OKs ordinance to sell Hotel Aiken property; developer talks, public concern follow

Aiken City Council on Monday voted unanimously to accept an ordinance authorizing the sale of several downtown parcels connected to the long-vacant Hotel Aiken, moving the city into negotiated sale and due diligence with a private developer.

The ordinance covers property in the 200 block of Richland Avenue West, the 100 block of Lawrence Street Southwest, and the 100 block of Newberry Street Southwest. City staff said the properties were marketed nationally by Colliers and that the city is now in contract negotiations with the Oliver Group, a Nashville-based developer.

Why it matters: The Hotel Aiken site sits in the center of downtown and has been the subject of years of debate, legal actions and stalled redevelopment efforts. City leaders said the sale is an effort to return the block to active use, preserve key historic structures and attract lodging and other downtown amenities that could support local research and university partnerships.

City presentation and marketing history City Manager Stewart Biennbaum and staff described a multi-month national marketing campaign led by Colliers. The presentation traced the process: Colliers issued a marketing teaser in July 2024, launched a Hotel Aiken website…