The $4.9 million purchase, a drop in the bucket compared with the $14.9 million appraised value, marks a rare moment when a billionaire’s private island becomes public land.
Turner, who founded CNN and TBS, snapped up St. Phillips Island in 1979 to shield it from the coastal boom that reshaped the South’s shoreline. For four decades he kept the 4,680‑acre barrier pristine, using it only as a family retreat.
In 1983 he placed a conservation easement with the Nature Conservancy, locking out future commercial development. The easement remains in effect even as ownership shifts.
The state will preserve the existing five‑bedroom house, a manager’s lodge, a fishing pier and a network of dirt trails, offering rentals to fund maintenance. Guided boat tours from Hunting Island are slated to launch after safety checks.
Duane Parrish, director of the South Carolina Department of Parks, said the deal brings a ‘rare gem’ to the state’s public lands, noting that without Turner's contribution the purchase would have been impossible.
The Department plans to open the island to the public as part of the state park system by late 2026, with limited ferry service and educational programs launching next month.