American Surf Parks plans to build a surf park and amphitheater on the 20 acres of land between the sports center and Grissom Parkway. City council approved the 15-year lease agreement last May.
The park includes a surf lagoon that makes four different types of waves for all experienced level surfers. The park will also have a skate park, climbing walls and even a child care center.
Local builder Jeff Skelley of Nations Homes is also the park’s C.E.O.
Skelley said plans are for the surf park and amphitheater to feature professional and amateur surf contests. He said the surf lagoon would create up 1000 world-class waves per hour.
The estimated capacity of the amphitheater is approximately 2,000 spectators with fixed seats and 8,000 more in the seating bowl.
The park will cost about $41 million to build.
Construction of the Surf Park is expected to begin in 2021.
IT IS BIG, BUT WILL IT HELP CHANGE THE BRAND IMAGE?
Business owners, like Tuvia Wilkes, believe Myrtle Beach needs more investors like these. He questions whether this large investment can overcome the brand issues associated with, what he calls, the incompetence of local city government.
High profile shootings are ongoing. The Myrtle Beach city brand is now better known for its poor city leadership rather than the beaches that once attracted millions of tourists.
Good News
John Pedersen, who has been called one of the most incompetent city managers in America, steps down in November.
Controversial and liberal Myrtle Beach Mayor Brenda Bethune is up for re-election one year from now. The business community will be working to unseat her.
OFFICER KILLED MAKES NATIONAL NEWS
As we reported, the killing of Officer Jacob Hancher, hurt the town’s image. The city compounded that issue by not making a fully transparent statement on what happened.
It has been 11 days since Officer Hancher was shot on October 3rd. The city has yet to hold a press conference explaining exactly what happened. Police experts we spoke with state that up to five protocol issues were missed during the shootout. Questions about Police Chief Amy Prock’s competence have been raised.
When the city refuses to come forward on issues like these, the public can only speculate.
A Surf Park Can’t Hurt
Downtown business owners say a $41 million surf park can only help.
Those same owners are hoping the city of Myrtle Beach majors in the minor details of running a city in lieu of continuing to chase big investment deals.