By Ms Jheri Worldwide
Staff Writer
In the heart of Moore County, a battle is brewing that pits a small, historically Black town against the formidable forces of corporate developers and political pressure. Taylortown, named for its founder an emancipated enslaved man who traced his roots to Nigeria, Remus Taylor. A favored caddy on the Pinehurst greens, Taylor obtained land and founded a community that has long carved its own identity in the shadow of Pinehurst. Taylortown now finds itself on the front lines of a fight for its very core, its right to self-determination, its soul, and its future. The town is unified and bracing for a struggle that will define its enduring legacy of perseverance.
The conflict ignited when two major hotel developers, Parks Hospitality Group and Summit Hospitality Group, both proposing Marriott-branded hotels, descended upon the town with surprising speed. As reported by Elena Marsh of The Pilot, the sudden interest from developers, including a possible third, caught town officials off guard. Faced with aging infrastructure and operating on a shoestring budget, the Taylortown Board of Commissioners did what any responsible local government would do: they voted for a six-month building moratorium on March 11. The move was a logical pause, a chance to update regulations and ensure any new development would serve the community, not overwhelm it. But this prudent step was met with swift and powerful opposition.
State Representative Neal McInnis immediately entered the fray, sending a letter urging the town not to adopt the moratorium. This intervention has been described by town leaders as a blatant attempt to prioritize developer interests over the will of the people.
“McInnins joins a long line of people who try to diminish the town’s authority as a municipality in North Carolina,” said Mayor Pro Tem Nadine Moody, highlighting a painful history. “He supported a five-year moratorium in Pinehurst but couldn’t support a six-month moratorium in Taylortown.” The sentiment is echoed throughout the town’s leadership.
“Mr. McInnis’s bill targeting Taylortown is a clear message to every small town and county that he puts the interests of developers before the interests of the citizens of North Carolina,” stated Mayor Sidney Gaddy. “And that should concern all of us, not just the predominantly black town of Taylortown in Moore County.”
Garry Brown, Chair of the Taylortown Planning Commission, confirmed the town chose to stand its ground. “Taylortown did respond to Mr. McInnis’s letter... We factored in his support for developers and our need for our citizens to be involved in the town’s planning process, and we chose to meet the needs of our citizens.”
The situation has grown more tense as troubling questions surface about the motivations behind the development push. Jeffery Moody, Vice Chair of the Planning Commission, raised explosive concerns.
“Is Mr. McInnis really as short-sighted as he seems?” Mr. Moody questioned. “Or is he just using his position to help one of his supporters conceal illegal activity regarding Taylortown’s sewer system, wetlands, and grant funds? One of the best investments our town could make is to find out what the developer of Olmsted Village did against the Town of Taylortown that is costing its citizens today.”
This allegation points to a complex web of local interests, particularly involving Pinehurst businessman Marty McKenzie, CEO of the Olmsted Village Co. According to Town Administrator Carolyn Cole, the town is already grappling with a major issue: “Mr. McKenzie alleges the town’s sewer system is his private sewer system.”
The hotel developers appear to be entangled in this local dispute. Mayor Pro Tem Moody revealed a stunning detail from a pre-development consultation with Parks Hospitality Group (PHG). “PHG told Mayor Gaddy, Ms. Cole, and me... that they were following Marty McKenzie’s lead on their water and sewer agreement and project design,” she said. When she asked to see their original design before McKenzie’s influence, they showed it to her. “I liked that one better. They seemed pleased, the next thing we got was their lawsuit.”
The developers’ actions since the moratorium was enacted have only deepened the community’s distrust. Town Clerk Mikayla Sinclair reported that while Summit Group eventually submitted the town-approved application on June 10, “PHG insists on using their self-created application.”
Neither project has been approved or denied. Yet, the developers’ impatience and legal maneuvers suggest a desire to bypass the community’s process. For Taylortown, a town chartered in 1987 and historically denied the right to control its own borders, this fight is about more than zoning. It is a declaration of sovereignty. As Carolyn Cole warns, this is rapidly escalating from a “highly unusual local issue” to a statewide and even national matter. Global brands like Marriott now find their names “bandied about with negative connotations that are sure to arise.”
For now, the people of Taylortown are standing firm. They are not just defending against unwanted development; they are defending their history, their independence, and their place in the world. They are sending a clear message to developers and politicians alike: Taylortown is not for sale, and its future will be decided by its people.
