Beaufort County committee weighs four options to help fund USCB convocation center

County finance staff presented four possible ways Beaufort County could help fund a proposed convocation center and sports park for the University of South Carolina Beaufort during the Finance & Administration Committee meeting on Feb. 17, 2026. Staff cautioned that two options involving new county borrowing could lower the county’s bond rating and recommended exploring non-debt alternatives.

The committee heard from county finance staff (identified in the transcript as Harriet), who said options 1 and 2 would spread a $5 million contribution over multiple years (totaling $20 million) but risked binding future councils and weakening the county’s bond rating. Harriet said, “I wouldn't necessarily recommend 1 or 2” because the convocation center is “not a county core project” and the county recently issued $68,000,000 in debt.

Harriet described option 3 as a short-term maneuver to prepay three years of debt service on lower-series bonds, allowing the county to shift one mill toward USCB in addition to its existing support. Option 4 would repurpose funds already raised: Harriet noted $9,500,000 was allocated for a law enforcement center and that a prior millage increase for BMH and TCL produced approximately $1,600,000; together those sums could yield roughly $11,100,000 for immediate contribution.

During council discussion members pressed on constraints and trade-offs. One council member asked what would happen to the $9.5 million for the law enforcement center if it was not spent; Harriet said the funds could be repurposed through a budget amendment. Several members said infrastructure needs — failing roads and strained fire/EMS services — should take precedence. One member said using the funds now “feels irresponsible” when other promised projects remain incomplete.

Lena Jones, vice chancellor of finance and operations at USCB, told the committee the university’s median-county-age analysis and workforce considerations supported the center’s economic case. Jones said the county’s $20 million would help but that USCB’s goal was the full $47 million; she added the state funding must be secured before the university can put the project out to bid. "Until you actually have some kind of drawings, renderings, it's hard to go out there and say, hey, come...put your name on this," Jones said, describing donor recruitment challenges.

Council members floated alternatives including asking voters in a separate referendum question and seeking private donors; several said more time and information were needed before committing county funds. The committee agreed to revisit the issue at a future meeting and to send follow-up questions to staff for clarification.

The committee did not take a formal vote to commit county funds during the Feb. 17 meeting. Staff was directed to provide further details about constraints, fiscal impacts on bond ratings, and options for matching state funds or leveraging donors before the matter returns to committee.