Bluffton’s New Riverside Barn books quickly; town plans frisbee golf, pavilion and new park

Town Manager Steven Stice said Bluffton’s New Riverside Barn opened Jan. 1 and has already drawn heavy community demand, with more than 70 bookings and most weekends booked into 2027. The facility, located at New Riverside Barn, grew out of a multiyear effort to secure land and design amenities for the town’s expanding west side.

Stice said the project “started about 7 years ago with the town having an an opportunity to purchase this land,” and that the town used a public charrette, partnerships with developers and contractor teams to translate a council vision into the finished venue. “We opened it up, January 1 and by the time that we got to February, we've already booked out just about every weekend for the whole year going into '27,” he said, citing pent‑up demand for a facility of this size and quality.

The town manager said the site was planned with daily neighborhood use in mind — playgrounds, trails and open spaces — and that the new facility complements everyday park activity. “You come out here on any day and see the number of kids out here playing, people walking, the dogs, running,” Stice said, calling the project a long‑term investment for future generations.

Looking ahead, Stice said the town is moving forward on several additions and a new park. He announced the town is preparing to begin construction on “an 18 hole Frisbee golf course, which would be the first 1 in the town,” and plans to finish a pavilion behind the barn and an event lawn to support larger concerts and gatherings. Stice also said the town has acquired land at Buck Island Simmonsville, on the corner of Bluffton Parkway, and will hold a community charrette to design that park with residents.

Stice credited a mix of council direction, staff work, developer cooperation and outside funding for completing the project and said similar processes will guide the next park. He declined to provide a detailed funding breakdown during the on‑site interview.

The town’s immediate next steps are finishing the pavilion, starting frisbee golf construction and hosting public engagement for the Buck Island Simmonsville site. Stice thanked residents and partners for their participation and support.