New restaurant is coming to Lake Greenwood

Two Greenwood veterans are bringing a new restaurant to Lake Greenwood.

Taps at the Panorama will bring a veteran-owned craft beer venue to the lake, courtesy of Charles Thomas, Dave Donley and their families. Both veterans of the U.S. Armed Services, Thomas and Donley said while the finer details of the restaurant are not worked out, it’s going to be a veteran-themed restaurant with a laid-back atmosphere, outdoor seating and food to complement the brews.

“We’re all military people,” Thomas said. “We became friends over the years and we think it’s obvious: There’s a need on the south end of the lake.”

Taps will be located at the former site of the Panorama restaurant on the lake, along Ninety Six Highway near Seasons by the Lake. Donley said his hope is to make it a place where people can make memories and enjoy each other’s company.

“It’s great doing this with friends, we’ve had an absolute riot putting this together,” he said.

The new restaurant was among the announcements at Tuesday’s Life on the Lake Summit, Connect Lake Greenwood’s annual lake social and update on all things lake life. Jimmy Peden, CLG chairperson, said he was excited about the new restaurant alongside all the other developments coming.

CLG used to be a branch of the Greenwood S.C. Chamber of Commerce, but in January split off to become its own nonprofit serving all the counties connected by Lake Greenwood.

“We felt like we could be a neutral group with Greenwood, Laurens and Newberry,” Peden said. “We’re more than just events and the fireworks show at Lights on the Lake.”

CLG was a big proponent of the Lake Greenwood Master Plan, and since creating their first master plan in 2015 more than 50 projects detailed in the plan have been completed. These ranged from adding signage on the Highway 221/72 bridge and putting lights on the undersides of bridges to installing a lakeside walking trail at the state park.

Now the lake is ready for another master plan, and Peden said the county’s request for qualification is due soon, meaning a new master plan should be completed this year.

Aside from a campaign to make boaters aware of a new no-wake law passed earlier this year in South Carolina, Peden said CLG is working with partners throughout the lake community to facilitate economic development along Lake Greenwood’s waters while maintaining the lake’s natural beauty.

You can’t put the brakes on growth now, Peden said. People are snatching up lakeside real estate, and they’re looking to move to the area, start businesses and build.

“The secret is out,” he said.

Other guests gave updates on lake matters. Greenwood County Council member Dayne Pruitt assured lake lovers that he and other county officials have been working with Greenville-area officials to monitor the status of the Lake Conestee Dam. The dam, which is aged and was in poor condition, holds back toxic sediment that could flow down the Saluda River if the dam were to fail.

Greenwood County Sheriff Dennis Kelly showed off a new 23-foot patrol boat replacing a previous, older patrol boat. He said officers will be patrolling the lake’s waters during upcoming holiday weekends and popular lake events.

Josh Skinner, the county’s Capital Project Sales Tax coordinator, said through penny tax funds, state dollars and a Department of Natural Resources grant, the county has received about $810,000 for the boat ramps being installed at the Highway 72/221 bridge near Break on the Lake. He expects the work, which includes expanded parking by the ramps, an outdoor pavilion and a restroom facility, will be finished by late August.

Originally Published by Index-Journal on:Apr 26, 2022

 By DAMIAN DOMINGUEZ ddominguez@indexjournal.com

Article Link: https://www.indexjournal.com/news/new-restaurant-is-coming-to-lake-greenwood/article_0bb3a90e-01e9-5d46-bf56-a6fd67d70901.html