MURRELLS INLET — Wachesaw Plantation Club is making $5 million in upgrades to its dining and recreational facilities.

Nestled along the Waccamaw River, the member-owned club is adding a 4,000-square-foot venue where members and guests may host private and social events.

The work also includes transforming the club’s poolside café, Magnolia’s, into a casual restaurant with indoor seating and outdoor seating that connects to the pool area.

WPC Chairman Bryant Roper said the new amenities will include a zero-entry pool, lap lanes, a kiddie pool, a hot tub and cabanas.

The goal, he said, is to improve seasonal experiences. Roper said the club hopes to have the project finished by the spring.

The club’s eight clay tennis courts, 18-hole golf course and golf practice facility will be open during construction. Cottage rentals are also available throughout the year for members and non-members.

In a news release, the club said the improvements are “designed to enhance the member and guest experience while preserving the character and traditions that have defined the Club for more than 40 years.”

Some work has already been finished, including renovations to Kimbels restaurant. That riverfront dining spot sits among moss-draped oaks overlooking the 18th green. Kimbels now has an expanded deck and patio, an updated interior and improved accessibility.

Wachesaw is known for hosting bingo nights, dinner parties, holiday events, and other social gatherings. Its “clubs within the club” approach allows members to form various groups based on similar interests — separate from golf and tennis.

The club was founded in 1985 as part of the vision by developer, Olan Mills, according to its website. A year later, the Tom Fazio-designed golf course opened.