Megan Horn - CNI News Service
One of the most iconic venues in America, The Dillard House Inn and Restaurant, is poised to change ownership within the next two months.
An agreement has been announced for Atlanta-based Legacy Ventures to purchase century-old landmark The Dillard House Inn and Restaurant.
Although the sale is not yet complete, the deal is expected to close in the next 60 days, according to a press release from Legacy Ventures, a hospitality investment, development and management company of planners, developers, hoteliers and restaurateurs.
“The Dillard House has served its guests and community with world class hospitality for over a century,” Natalie Dillard, on behalf of the Dillard family, told The Clayton Tribune. “We are committed to ensuring that we keep those levels of service for our patrons both now and well into the future. As a part of those strategic discussions, we have evaluated several different options, including the sale of The Dillard House. We will announce the results of those discussions at the proper time. The Dillard House has been a part of the fabric of north Georgia, Dillard and the surrounding communities for over 100 years. It will remain so for another century.”
The Dillard House includes a family-style restaurant, 92 hotel rooms, three cottages, 11,000 square feet of meeting space, an equestrian center, hiking trails and a trout pond on 102 acres of the Little Tennessee River Valley, according to the Legacy Ventures press release.
Dillard said the Chalet Village will be offering its 18 chalets on a long-term rental program to offer affordable housing to residents. Inquiries can be sent to Dillard’s email at nataliedcross@gmail.com as the chalets officially will be on the market beginning next week.
Legacy Ventures plans to invest more than $20 million into modernizing the property including renovation of the restaurant, refurbishing of the hotel rooms, expansion of the public space and the addition of multiple new resort amenities, according to a press release from Legacy Ventures.
David Marvin, Legacy Ventures founder and chairman, told The Clayton Tribune in a telephone interview that they plan to keep the traditional home-cooking in the restaurant but also offer more food and beverage options as well and expand amenities.
Marvin said the plan is to keep “Dillard” in the name but incorporate farming and fresh vegetables into the restaurant experience.
“We will do phased renovations around the business that is on the books for The Dillard House,” said Marvin, who told The Clayton Tribune the amount of the sale price is confidential.
The Legacy Ventures founder said the renovations will begin approximately mid-year as the company will accommodate the events already scheduled for the calendar year and will neither disrupt tenants nor operations.
Marvin said Legacy Ventures plans to hire all current staff at The Dillard House as well as hire additional staff to accommodate the expansion. He said they will “build upon the business that’s been established.”
The new ownership still plans to celebrate major events, such as Independence Day, as has been done in the past, Marvin said.
“This presents an extraordinary opportunity to craft an unparalleled resort experience catering to weddings, corporate events, retreats and vacationers in one of the most beautiful settings anywhere in the southeast,” Marvin said in a prepared statement. “We are excited about the prospects of building on the past success of the Dillard family to create the next chapter of excellence for The Dillard House.”
Marvin said heavy renovations will begin at the end of the year and the goal is to have renovations complete around the second quarter of 2025.
There will still be a discount for locals and patrons who can show their photo ID to receive the discount, Marvin said.
“We are very excited about transitioning The Dillard House to David Marvin and his Legacy Ventures team,” said Louise Dillard, owner of The Dillard House, in the Legacy Ventures prepared statement. “We are confident that they will take The Dillard House to the next level and build on the traditions of customer service and hospitality that have been so important to our family. As we look to the future, we want to extend our deepest thanks to our loyal customers and employees who have been such an important part of our lives and our community over the years.”
Last year, Legacy Ventures opened four new restaurants in Rabun County including The Lake Burton Grill and The Bowline on Lake Burton, and Max’s Lakeside and The Swing Bar on Lake Rabun, according to a Legacy Ventures press release.
Marvin said he is committed to the Rabun County community and has owned a home on Lake Rabun for over 20 years. He said that with the success of the Lake Burton and Lake Rabun businesses, the company was receptive to the idea of investing in The Dillard House.
“We’ve had a good experience with our team so far,” Marvin said about the success of those businesses and employing more than 150 people in the county. He said they offer training and benefits to staff.
Legacy Ventures was founded in 1994 and currently operates 11 hotels and 22 restaurants in five states. In 2016, Legacy Ventures expanded into resort operations on Mustang Island in South Texas, according to the company’s press release.
The Dillard House
“In 1794, Captain John Dillard was awarded a land grant of 1,000 acres in the valley for his service during the American Revolution. Legend says that Captain Dillard made peace with the local Cherokee Indians by trading a muzzle-loading rifle, a jug of apple brandy, one coonskin cap and $3 cash for all the land between the two mountain tops,” according to The Dillard House website.
Carrie and Arthur Dillard initially established the present-day Dillard House in 1917 in the Georgia Mountains, when their first guest was a circuit-riding minister named Rev. Henry Byrd, according to the website.
It includes 92 guest rooms and suites, meeting space, restaurant, an equestrian center and other amenities.
In its history, many famous individuals have enjoyed the facilities including automotive icon Henry Ford, inventor Thomas Edison, tire maker Harvey Firestone and entrepreneur Walt Disney. Pro golfer Arnold Palmer and NBA Hall of Famer Larry Bird have stayed there. Even politicians such as former President Jimmy Carter, former Georgia Secretary of State Max Cleland, former Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson and former Atlanta Mayor and U.S. Ambassador Andrew Young visited The Dillard House, according to the website.