Entertainment venue planned for former Island Packet building

Moon King Entertainment Group, part of Watterson Brands, announced plans Tuesday to redevelop the former Island Packet newspaper building into a dining, entertainment and event venue. Watterson Brands owns several Lowcountry hospitality businesses, including Burnt Church Distillery and Ma Daisy’s Porch.

The project, called The Press Room, will be located at 10 Buck Island Road in the building that once housed the newspaper’s printing operations. Construction is expected to begin in September, with the first phase scheduled for completion by summer 2027.

According to the company, the project will redevelop the historic building in multiple phases.

The first phase includes an expansion of Side Hustle Brewing Co. into a full-service taproom restaurant with a commercial kitchen. The taproom is expected to seat about 200 people. Additional seating is planned in a game room and a 15,000-square-foot beer garden with a 20-foot TV. Side Hustle Brewing Co. will continue brewing beer on-site while expanding its production space within the building.
Plans for the first phase also include approximately 5,500 square feet of indoor arcade games and family entertainment, multiple bars, an upscale coffee shop with seating for about 60 guests, an ice cream parlor and a 6,500-square-foot private event venue designed to accommodate more than 300 people for weddings, corporate events and other gatherings.

Future plans call for an 18-hole indoor black-light miniature golf course with party rooms. The company also plans to convert the building’s basement into a speakeasy with live entertainment and a separate upscale dining space. A timeline for the second phase has not been announced.

The building formerly housed the printing presses that produced the Island Packet newspaper. According to the company, the redevelopment is designed to preserve the property’s connection to Bluffton’s history while creating a venue for dining, entertainment and community events. The company said The Press Room is intended to serve as a gathering place for dining, entertainment and community events while preserving the property’s connection to Bluffton’s history.

“By repurposing the historic Island Packet building rather than replacing it, Moon King Entertainment Group continues our commitment to revitalizing meaningful local landmarks,” Billy Watterson, CEO of Watterson Brands, said in a news release.

For more information, visit www.thepressroombluffton.com.