The Travelers Rest Planning Commission voted Thursday evening to recommend denial of a controversial $60 million hotel on Paris Mountain.
The recommendation will go to Travelers Rest City Council for a final decision, likely on May 15.
Hundreds of people packed into City Council chambers and the overflow area outside for the 3.5-hour meeting as Krut Patel made his case for the 150-room hotel, ballroom and event lawn for large events, farm-to-table dining, a resort-style pool and spa, and bars. His company, The Divine Group, is seeking annexation and a zoning change.
He said the hotel would bring an economic and social benefit to the community and be far less intrusive than a housing and apartment development that could be built on the 40-acre site under current zoning.
Dozens of people spoke against the development, citing traffic, lights on the mountain, noise from events and storm runoff. Some questioned the financing and suggested the tax revenue would not be as great as the $3 million the company said — more like $400,000.
Many of them were wearing red tee shirts saying Save Paris Mountain.
Two spoke in favor saying the tax revenue and added hospitality venue would help the city. Travelers Rest, with about 8,000 residents in the northern part of Greenville County, has grown quickly as its downtown has been transformed from a sleepy pass through to an area with lots of restaurants and stores.
Among those speaking against the hotel were representatives of the largest environmental groups in the area, including Naturaland Trust and Upstate Forever, both of which want to preserve land in South Carolina’s mountains.
Emily Wyche, a senior attorney with Southern Environmental Law Center, said the development would permanently degrade Paris Mountain, bring traffic and destroy wildlife and habitat.
Several speakers referred to the fact that the headwaters of the Reedy River, the slip of water that has been the centerpiece of so much of the renewal of Greenville County, was near the proposed hotel site.
The Divine Group would build a park to eventually be turned over to the city on about half the land and intends to form an educational foundation to benefit area colleges from hotel profits.
Patel told the commission roads and wildlife would not be harmed by the development.
The city’s planner Jay Martin recommended approval.
Members of the commission did not express an opinion about the property but posed many questions, some similar to those posed by audience members. In the end, the vote was 5-1 with chair Rebecca Cooper casting the sole vote in favor of the project.
Patel said after the vote, “Disappointing result but expected given the official filling of opposition. We look forward to engaging with City Council.”
This story was originally published April 26, 2025 at 6:00 AM.