Investing in the Future While Preserving History
By Matthew Teffeau, Manager of Government Affairs & Economic Development
The Oaks Waterfront Hotel in Royal Oak is a staple wedding and destination venue on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. However, if you haven’t had the chance to visit lately, there have been a lot of changes. Co-owners Scott and Tracy Wagner invested millions of dollars in renovation to the historic property, ranging from a new lobby ballroom, four newly constructed cottages, suite upgrades and a new restaurant and bar.
Dating back to the early 1900s, The Oaks promotes its history as one of the last silent films, ‘The First Kiss,’ was filmed in the area. Fast forward to 2025, The Oaks is a buzzing place for weddings, conference attendees and the public during the week for food and drinks. This is not the first time The Oaks has seen major renovations. Twenty years ago, the large ballroom and dock were added to the property.
“We saw what it could be,” said Andy Warner, General Manager at The Oaks. “It was beautiful, but it needed love, vision and a serious investment.” That investment turned into a full-scale revival — gutting the original structure, adding four elegant cottages and meticulously redesigning every inch of the property.
Since 2022, Wagner and his team have been investing in the local community and partnering with local artists, photographers and musicians. The Oaks Waterfront Hotel recently won the Talbot County Economic Development and Tourism Department’s 2025 Community Impact Award. This award highlighted the high-quality guest services and investment made into the property. “We would like to congratulate Scott and his team for this achievement and their vision of bringing various community features together,” shared Mike Malandro, President and CEO of Choptank Electric Cooperative. “As a member of our Cooperative, The Oaks shares a similar mission to Choptank Electric by supporting its community and valuing its history as changes are made.”
As everyone knows, the Eastern Shore of Maryland is a very special place. Highlighting the natural beauty is an economic driver. The Eastern Shore Economic Resiliency Toolkit states that tourism accounts for 17,392 direct jobs and over $1 billion in total labor income. Venues like The Oaks bring together the rich history of the Eastern Shore and balance of work life.
Wagner and his team are not finished investing in the future. They continue to look at additional opportunities to bring out-of-state guests and local attractions to The Oaks. To learn more about The Oaks Waterfront Hotel, visit https://the-oaks.com/.
