HOA Dues Footing Lavish Lunches: SugarTop General Manager Shannon Beaumont's Restaurant Tab Raises Eyebrows
By Investigative Staff
Sugar Mountain, NC – September 15, 2025
In a stunning revelation that's left SugarTop Resort homeowners fuming, General Manager Shannon Beaumont has been treating an exclusive circle of companions to meals at local hotspots—all bankrolled by the very dues meant to maintain their community amenities. As residents grapple with rising maintenance fees and deferred repairs, questions swirl: Who exactly is Ms. Beaumont wining and dining on the community's dime, and why? The board was asked to look into this stunning revelation, but thus far has had no explanation for these “office expenses.”
Beaumont, who oversees the day-to-day operations of the upscale SugarTop Resort Homeowners Association (HOA), has recently become a controversial figure in the mountain enclave known for its stunning views and tight-knit vibe. Appointed general manager in recent years, she spearheaded the 2023 launch of the Overlook Tavern, a new on-site bar lounge hailed as a revenue booster for the HOA, that was closed shortly thereafter due to its poor performance.
Behind the scenes, financial records obtained by this investigator paint a picture of extravagance that has nothing to do with resort upkeep. According to a detailed ledger of HOA expenditures reviewed by our team, Beaumont authorized no fewer than 53 restaurant charges over the 13 months for which records were obtained totaling a jaw-dropping $4,760.
Sources wonder if the outings were "personal favors." Beaumont is known for courting prospective and active board members with special favors such as exclusive rooftop parties and buying their used items with HOA funds. Another resident pondered, “Could she be treating her roommate, who is her subordinate, to dinner? I heard one resident asked employees if they were taken out to dinner. The employees questioned responded negatively. This journalist wonders who exactly is being treated to dinner out at HOA expense? Currently, there is only speculation as to the need for restaurant meals paid for by the HOA. We wait anxiously to find out the purpose. Perhaps Ms Gorman/ Beaumont can pay back the HOA quickly, so we can sweep it under the rug swiftly like the personal loans. That rug is looking rather lumpy!
The list of charges is as telling as it is troubling.
Jun 26, 2023: Bella's- $64.98
Jun 27, 2023: Pedalin Pig- $75.26
Jun 27, 2023: Bella's- $70.85
July 7, 2023: Banner Elk Cafe-$65.00
July 10, 2023: Pedalin Pig- $142.50
July 26, 2023: Bella's- $119.59
July 26, 2023: Highlander's- $111.70
Aug 3, 2023: Bella's- $97.13
Aug 4, 2023: Bella's- $105.26
Aug 7, 2023: McDonald's- $52.39
Aug 8, 2023: Bella's- $58.56
Aug 15, 2023: Banner Elk Cafe- $64.14
Aug 29, 2023: Bella's: $93.63
Aug 31, 2023: Bella's: $51.85
Sep 1, 2023: Applebees: $57.69
Sep 5, 2023: Bella's- $56.73
Sep 8, 2023:Bella's- $89.39
Sep 11, 2023:Bella's- $65.80
Sep 13, 2023: Highlander's- $65.85
Sep 19, 2023: Pedalin Pig- $425.36
Sep 20, 2023: Bella's- $91.20
Oct 4, 2023: Bella's- $188.01
Oct 5, 2023: Bella's- $279.21
Oct 10, 2023: Highlander's- $51.33
Oct 11, 2023: Cracker Barrel- $22.40
Oct 13, 2023: Banner Elk Cafe- $71.01
Oct 16, 2023: Bella's- $102.86
Oct 30, 2023: Highlanders- $64.47
Nov 1, 2023: Pedalin Pig- $71.18
Dec 20: 2023: Bella's- $97.49
Jan 10, 2024: The Pedalin Pig - $102.48
Jan 17, 2024: Bella's- $100.14
Feb 1, 2024: Bella's- $94.07
Feb 6, 2024: Bella's- $173.78
Feb 8, 2024: Highlander's- $ 84.84
Feb 14, 2024: Ham Shoppe - 67.72
Feb 26, 2024: Pedalin Pig - $29.89
March 11, 2024: Bella's $72.30
March 14, 2024: Highlander’s- $139.74
March 26, 2024: Pedaling Pig- $54.10
April 3, 2024: Come Back Shack- $10.15
April 4, 2024: Chik Fil A- $48.34
April 10, 2024: Pedalin Pig- $57.84
April 11,2024: Highlander's- $97.32
April 22, 2024: Uber Eats- $72.64
April 22, 2014: Uber Eats- $10.89
May 1, 2024: Kay's Kitchen- $42.43
May 13, 2024: Pedalin Pig- $ 51.83
May 15, 2024: Jillian's- $84.46
May 21, 2024: Puerto Nuevo- $35.79
May 22, 2024: Pedalin Pig $67.97
July 2, 2024: Bojangles- $77.00
July 16, 2024: McDonalds $52.16
This does not include more thousands of dollars charged to Instacart at Lowes Food; could individual bills reaching $600 possibly be take out meals? Inquiring minds want to know!
These figures, pulled from HOA financial statements, represent just a fraction of the discretionary spending under Beaumont's watch. While the HOA's annual budget allocates funds for "administrative expenses," insiders say these meals far exceed any legitimate business need. "We're talking about dues that homeowners scrape together for pool repairs and road paving, not funding Ms. Beaumont's social calendar," said one anonymous resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal. "Who are these people she's taking out? Friends or co-workers enjoying freebies? It's a slap in the face."
Beaumont's defenders, including current board members, condemned the one board member who helped expose these expenses. That board member has sold his unit and moved on due to the hostile environment created by his work to expose these records.
The fallout has been swift. "We've got potholes in the parking lot and Reserve Study needs, but apparently, Italian dinners are priority one," fumed a long-time resident. In the meantime, the question lingers: In a community built on trust and shared costs, how much more will homeowners stomach before the bill comes due?
Homeowners are urged to attend the upcoming zoom meeting to voice concerns. Alternatively, they can ask questions through the “official communications” channel set up by Ms. Beaumont that uses HERSELF as Gatekeeper of any information the board receives.