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Milligville council adds formal support for proposed Hilton‑branded hotel and conference center
Summary
Developers presented a conceptual plan for a 125–150 room hotel and a large conference center on North Jefferson Street; the council unanimously adopted a resolution expressing support as the team pursues a binding Hilton agreement and investor meetings.
Developers seeking to build a hotel and conference center in downtown Milligville presented conceptual plans to the City Council on Sept. 23 and secured a unanimous council resolution of support.
Mike Couch, founder of From the Ground Up of Georgia, told the council the proposal is the product of roughly 18 months of work and said local stakeholders — including college presidents, the downtown development authority, the convention and visitors bureau and the city’s legislative delegation — have expressed support. “This is a product of about 18 months worth of work,” Couch said, asking the council for an affirmation of community backing ahead of investor meetings.
Joe Greco, president of Lordex Sergeant Architects, outlined a design that repurposes existing historic structures on the North Jefferson Street site, preserves a residential streetscape on Jefferson by placing parking to the rear and combines a main hotel block with a lower‑scale corner component. Greco said the full buildout concept envisions about 150 keys, with phased construction so the larger hotel mass does not overwhelm adjacent neighborhoods.
Will Perry, co‑founder of Spark Hudson and the project’s hospitality adviser, summarized market work and branding plans. He said the team’s current target is about 125 rooms, with an oversized ballroom able to host 300–350 banquet guests, and that the Graduate Hotel by Hilton is “at the top of the list” with Tapestry as a fallback. Perry said the team has a binding letter of intent with Hilton and that municipal approvals, surveys and environmental reviews remain to be completed.
On timing and jobs, the developers said phase‑one surveys and environmental work could conclude within weeks and that permitting and design reviews with the planning and historic preservation commissions are next steps, with a potential groundbreaking next summer and an 18–24 month construction timeline thereafter. Perry estimated roughly 40 full‑time permanent jobs once the hotel opens, with additional part‑time and banquet staffing.
Rebecca Snider of CBB told the council that hotel‑motel tax projections depend on final average daily rate and room count and that the city manager will produce fiscal projections once those inputs are confirmed; specific revenue estimates were not provided during the presentation.
After the presentation the council voted to add and adopt Resolution R‑2509‑38, a formal statement supporting “the development and operation of a high quality hotel and conference center contributing to the economic development of the city of Milligville.” The vote was unanimous.
Next steps the developers described include finalizing surveys and environmental checks, working with municipal review bodies (PNZ and HPC), and firming room counts and brand agreements before pursuing construction financing and bookings.
