Hotel Developer Eyes Patriots Point

A hotel developer has approached with interest in acquiring land on the naval and maritime museum’s Mount Pleasant property.

Board members heard on Wednesday that a developer, referred to Patriots Point by Mount Pleasant Mayor Billy Swails, expressed interest in three tracts of land between the condominiums and Patriots Point.

“We would like to move forward and bring an appraiser to look at the parcels,” said board member Wayne Adams.

Board members voted to move forward with that first step in the process, but there was no formal proposal from the developer. Adams said the developer seemed “very interested and ready to go” with the project.

Patriots Point sits on the most desirable chunk of undeveloped real estate in Mount Pleasant. With waterfront views of Charleston harbor, the property seems ripe for development.

Patriots Point is planning an ambitions rebranding effort that may result in the construction of buildings and other capital projects on the property. The USS Yorktown, the barnacle-encrusted WWII aircraft carrier, has structural deficiencies that may cost $100 million or more to repair.

The value of the land, and Patriots Point’s apparent financial liabilities, has led many to speculate about what will be built on the property, and some groups question whether development is in the best use of the land.