09/26/2025
NEW HOTEL/CONFERENCE CENTER Q&A // It's the most ambitious commercial development project around downtown Milledgeville since, well, ever. Here's an overview, in a nifty question and answer format. For perspective, when looking at the renderings, keep in mind that the main parking lot in the renderings is the Elbert Street side of the project, and the greenspace area in the renderings is the resource center/recovery center building next to Golden Pantry. Elbert Street will basically be the "back of the property."
QUESTION: What kind of hotel will it be, and how many hotel rooms?
ANSWER: Developers are "in the pretty advanced negotiations stages with Hilton and have a binding (letter of intent)." The style of Hilton is slated to be "Graduate by Hilton." There are roughly three dozen Graduate by Hilton hotels, and a quick web search shows that rooms at Graduate hotels in smaller markets like Milledgeville start around $120 per night. The plan is for 125 hotel rooms. According to its website, Graduate by Hilton is “a collection of welcoming, one-of-a-kind experiences rich with local history, charm, and pop culture nostalgia."
QUESTION: What's the timetable?
ANSWER: The hope is to begin construction next summer, and "the build-out is expected to take 18-24 months."
QUESTION: What existing properties will be impacted?
ANSWER: The Duckworth Farm Supply property is the largest property included in the plan. That property is owned by Gus Pursley, who is one of the partners in the new hotel/conference center. The plan is to keep the shell of the farm supply building and "re-clad it and insulate it" and have a glass exterior. This would be the conference center, capable of hosting 350 people and "also ideal for large weddings." The majority of the parking will be on the Elbert Street side and at the bottom of the hill.
The second-largest property is the one-story brick building at 131 North Jefferson Street, next to Golden Pantry. This property also includes a relatively large parking lot behind the building. The plan is to use this property as "drop-off" and "greenspace." Next to this property is a two-story home that currently serves as college kid apartments. Developers are planning to "repurpose the Victorian home as a restaurant," and the home will be connected to the hotel by a series of overhangs and breezeways.
Also, when looking at the renderings, you might notice a side street. The new private side street would hug the Golden Pantry property, the city gazebo and adjoining green space, as well as the Gumby Enterprises property. Basically, it would be a new private road connecting Jefferson and Elbert.
The Taste & See restaurant, the one-story building at the corner, would be demolished, as would a small rental house just down the hill towards Elbert Street. The small rental house basically sits where the far northern end of the hotel bulding will sit.
