American media mogul Ted Turner has completed the sale of St Phillips Island, a pristine 4,680-acre barrier island off the coast of South Carolina, to the state government for a small part of its market value.
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Turner → complete → value
The deal transfers ownership of the untouched coastal island to the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism for $4.9 million.
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deal → transfer → million
The purchase price is about one-third of the property’s appraised market value of $14.9 million.
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price → appraise → million
This means the remaining value represents a large charitable contribution to the public.
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value → mean → public
It will now become part of the state park system.
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It → become → system
Under the agreement, the state plans to protect its sensitive ecosystems while allowing limited public access, educational programmes and eco-tourism opportunities.
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state → plan → access
Turner bought St Phillips Island in 1979 to protect it from commercial development.
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Turner → buy → development
At the time, coastal areas across the American South were seeing rapid residential construction.
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areas → see → construction
For nearly four decades, the media mogul and conservationist used the island as a private family retreat.
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mogul → use → retreat
He kept most of the land completely undeveloped.
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He → keep → land
The island has dense maritime forests, salt marshes, tidal creeks and ancient sand dunes.
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island → have → forests
It is home to many wildlife species, including loggerhead sea turtles, fox squirrels, painted buntings and wood storks.
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It → include → turtles
According to official property records and statements from the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, Turner placed the island under a conservation easement held by the Nature Conservancy in 1983.
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Turner → accord → 1983
The legal agreement permanently limits future commercial development.
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agreement → limit → development
It ensures that the natural landscape will remain protected regardless of who owns the property.
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who → ensure → property
Facilities and access plans
The main human structure on the island is a single-storey, five-bedroom home that Turner built for his family.
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Turner → build → family
The property also has a manager's residence, a fishing pier and a small network of dirt trails.
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property → have → trails
The state agency plans to keep these existing structures instead of building new ones.
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agency → plan → ones
The South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism said the main Turner house will be available for private rentals and retreat bookings.
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house → say → rentals
The money raised will help pay for the island’s management and upkeep.
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money → raise → management
Public access will be tightly controlled to prevent damage to the environment.
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access → control → environment
The state plans to run guided boat tours from nearby Hunting Island State Park.
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state → plan → Park
Small groups of visitors will be able to explore St Phillips Island using hiking trails and boardwalks.
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groups → explore → trails
Terms of the state acquisition
Turner and state officials negotiated for several months before completing the final transfer.
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Turner → negotiate → transfer
Funding for the $4.9 million purchase came from a mix of state conservation funds, public grants and park revenue reserves.
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Funding → come → funds
In a press statement released by the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, agency officials confirmed that the deed contains strict conditions.
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deed → release → conditions
These conditions ensure the island remains dedicated to public enjoyment and natural preservation forever.
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island → ensure → enjoyment
Duane Parrish, director of the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, praised the agreement.
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Parrish → praise → agreement
He said the acquisition adds a rare gem to the state’s public land network.
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acquisition → say → network
Parrish noted that obtaining an intact barrier island of this size would normally be financially impossible for a state agency without major philanthropic support from the landowner.
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obtaining → note → landowner
Turner, who founded CNN and TBS, has long been one of North America’s largest private landowners.
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who → found → landowners
He owns hundreds of thousands of acres across several states that are dedicated to conservation and bison restoration.
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that → own → conservation
Representatives for Turner said he was pleased that the island would remain untouched and available to future generations under public management.
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island → say → management
The park service plans to begin limited public ferry services and guided day trips after safety inspections and basic infrastructure checks are completed.
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inspections → plan → services
The Aporia
