David Hoffman, a Washington, Missouri, native who's now CEO of a Florida-based conglomerate, has an affinity for place-building. He's set his sights on Augusta, the sleepy village in St. Charles County that is home to the nation's oldest designated viticultural area.
Hoffman has bought four wineries, 13 commercial buildings and the old Emmaus Homes complex, and he plans to add a hotel and golf course. He thinks an investment of about $100 million could create a wine-country destination on a par with California's Napa Valley.
Some Augusta residents are worried that the town will lose its small-town charm, Steph Kukuljan reports, but others are excited. "Anything to draw in new business is good," one restaurant owner told her.