Coastal Observer: Opinion: Georgetown’s Future Isn’t In Smokestacks
- Tom Swatzel
- Apr 24
- 2 min read
I have lived in this community for decades. This is my home, and I think of this place like a “heaven on earth.” The beauty of the people here is only matched by the beauty of the unity of water and marsh. We have so much to be thankful for, but we can’t let our future be determined by special interests who want to destroy our community and our economy.
The closure of the International Paper and Liberty Steel sites marked a significant shift for Georgetown, leaving behind hundreds of local jobs and impacting families and small businesses that relied on them. But these two vacant properties aren’t just remnants of the past. They represent a rare opportunity to chart a new course for our community, one focused on economic growth, local access and a revitalized waterfront that serves the people of Georgetown.
I have heard from many local citizens that we need to come together now to chart a new course. Georgetown does not need another heavy industrial facility or a giant polluting biomass plant. Our friends here have made it clear to me: we don’t want to trade one smokestack for another.
Representative Lee Hewitt is right. We want a waterfront that works for everyone, not just a few. That means planning for redevelopment that welcomes advanced manufacturing, shopping, dining, mixed-use spaces and public amenities that bring life and activity back to our downtown.
We envision a Georgetown where the former Liberty Steel and International Paper sites are thoughtfully redeveloped to bring high-tech, high-paying jobs, support small businesses and strengthen our local economy. With the right vision, these properties can become hubs of activity, featuring industry, retail, restaurants and public spaces that reconnect the waterfront with the people who live and work here. This is a chance to respect Georgetown’s history while building a future rooted in innovation, opportunity and lasting community benefit.
This kind of revitalization will not happen overnight, and it will not happen without strong public engagement. Citizens deserve transparency, a seat at the table, and real opportunities to shape the outcome.
Our local leaders must take bold steps to attract the right partners, ones who share our vision for a clean, accessible and economically thriving waterfront.
I was asked by friends to form a local group to reflect that vision. Citizens for Georgetown was created to amplify your voice for our community. We believe the best days for Georgetown aren’t behind us, they’re ahead of us. But only if we choose wisely. No more short-sighted proposals that prioritize heavy industry over people. No more waiting for someone else to decide our future.
Let’s move forward together with purpose, vision and pride.
To learn more and get involved, visit citizensforgeorgetown.com. Georgetown’s next chapter starts now.
Tom Swatzel, Murrells Inlet, The writer is a former County Council member and political consultant.
