Luxury Hotel, Condos Pitched for Contentious Hill Country Site

A luxury resort and condominium development is in the works for a Hill Country site near Bee Cave, replacing a long-defunct plan for a 20,000-seat amphitheater.

Dubbed the White Rocks Development, the project is slated for a five-star hotel with 150 rooms, up to 650 condo units, restaurants, bars, a distillery, spa and wellness center and a small entertainment venue, the Austin Business Journal reported. The developer, White Rocks Entertainment LLC, is connected to Chris Milam, who was associated with the canceled Violet Crown Amphitheater.

The proposed development would rise on 71 acres at 10549 West State Highway 71, near the Southwest Parkway intersection. It’s in Travis County, but it falls outside any city limits or extraterritorial jurisdiction, giving the developers broader flexibility. However, it’s also drawing criticism from nearby communities.

The Bee Cave City Council, which lost a big fight with developer Velocis earlier this year, unanimously passed a resolution opposing the project last month, citing environmental concerns and potential strain on local infrastructure. Council member Kevin Hight called the development a “monstrosity” and argued it would overwhelm the area’s roads and water resources.

Project manager Pawel Hardej responded by emphasizing the project’s environmentally conscious design, promising it would exceed state standards and remain low-density and low-rise. “We want to keep it in harmony with the Hill Country,” he said.

Developers are pursuing a wastewater permit from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, a process that may face delays due to opposition from the Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance.

A general contractor has not yet been selected. If permitting proceeds as planned, the developers aim to start construction by the end of the year and wrap up in two to three years.

—Rachel Stone