The Dillard House will see some changes when a new owner well-versed in commercial development acquires the property.
Atlanta-based investment, development and management company Legacy Ventures has an agreement to purchase the 100-acre site in Rabun County for an undisclosed price, Atlanta Business Chronicle reports.
David Marvin, chairman and founder of Legacy Ventures, is known for developing hotels and restaurants in Atlanta. The Legacy Ventures portfolio includes the Hyatt House in Atlanta’s Perimeter Center and the Park Pavilion mixed-use development in Downtown Atlanta.
The company also recently refurbished the former Louie’s on the Lake, a restaurant on Lake Rabun, into a pizza eatery called Max’s Lakeside, according to the news outlet.
The Dillard House hotel was established in 1917. The property was once a modest home with just six rooms. Now, the resort has nearly 100 guest rooms, several cottages and chalets, a restaurant and meeting space. Outdoor attractions include horseback riding, trout ponds and hiking trails.
The restaurant on the property serves Southern cuisine with recipes handed down from Dillard House chefs and generations of the Dillard family. It has won several Reader’s Choice Awards from Southern Living magazine.
Legacy Ventures plans to refurbish or upgrade several areas of the resort, including the guest rooms, restaurant, conference space, pool and tennis court. Structures to be used for weddings and events will be built, and more activities like fly fishing, pickleball, archery and disc golf will be introduced. They also plan to add a spa and rebrand the property as the “Dillard House Farm and Resort.”
The changes will cost about $20 million.
“We are confident they will take the Dillard House to the next level and build on the traditions of customer service and Southern hospitality that have been so important to our family,” Louise Dillard, CEO of the property, said in a news release.
The site is located on Highway 441. Dillard is northeast of Atlanta, near the state’s border with North Carolina.
4 Responses
Fascinating article about the upcoming upgrades to the Dillard House! The rich history of the property combined with the exciting new plans for the future make it a truly unique destination. I’m particularly interested in the addition of the spa and new activities like fly fishing and pickleball. These will definitely appeal to a wider range of guests. It will be interesting to see how the rebranding as the “Dillard House Farm and Resort” impacts the overall guest experience. Overall, this is a positive development for the Dillard House and I look forward to seeing the finished product! I would also like to add that loft boarding can be a great way to maximize unused space in a home, creating a valuable new room that can be used for a variety of purposes. If you’re considering a loft conversion in your UK home, be sure to consult with a qualified specialist to ensure that the project is completed safely and up to code. I hope this comment is helpful!
Well, now the Dillard House will never be the same again. When an Atlanta Development Co cones and buys something and changes it it’s never the same. They’ll bring in some fancy chef that knows nothing about real southern cooking and screw it up. Goodbye Dillard House. Enjoyed it while it was here.
Without John Dillard managing the property, many long time clients will never return. It was the Dillard family touch that made Dillard House what it is today. The new owners would be well advised to retain John Dillard if they can in order to keep the family owned atmosphere in place.
Yes it is sad to see the changes in ownership of the historical Dillard House property. However, it can be done successfully just like other places. For example Capt Andersons and Hunts Oyster Bar in Panama City Florida, the Fox Theater in Atlanta and etc. The Varsity can be improved with new ownership. The good news is the Dillard House is not closing,