The Pelicans Baseball stadium debacle examples issues that question the leadership surrounding Myrtle Beach Mayor Brenda Bethune and Myrtle Beach City Council.
According to the Myrtle Beach Sun News, the City of Myrtle Beach incurs a yearly loss of $90,000 while operating the Pelicans Baseball Stadium, as stated by city spokeswoman Meredith Denari. This loss is based on the 1998 contract with the Pelicans.
The future of the Single-A club, a Chicago Cubs affiliate, is uncertain as it concludes its 25th season on the Grand Strand. The Pelicans Baseball stadium lease is expiring this fall, and Major League Baseball has introduced new sanctions that necessitate significant upgrades to Pelicans Ballpark.
Pelicans Baseball Stadium
The City of Myrtle Beach has recently imposed a financial burden of $30 million on its taxpayers by acquiring downtown real estate near the former Myrtle Beach Pavilion. However, no private investor has come forward to purchase or collaborate with the city in developing these properties.
The acquisition of a theater in the Arts and Innovation district by the City of Myrtle Beach, facilitated by a shell entity established by the city, will now result in a financial burden of $22.3 million to $30 million for the city’s taxpayers.
Up to $61 million worth of additional investment may be required for new training facilities at the Pelicans Baseball Stadium, as well as, conditioning rooms, and other back-of-house renovations as part of Major League Baseball’s current requirements.
The city considered the possibility of relocating the stadium to the downtown area that it obtained along 7th and 8th Avenue North. The idea was to create a versatile venue that could host concerts and other forms of entertainment. However, these discussions have come to a halt, as no private investor has expressed any public interest in financing such a facility.
Under terms of the team’s 1998 contract, Myrtle Beach holds a 70% ownership stake in Pelicans Baseball Stadium, with Horry County on the hook for the rest. However, Horry County Council has indicated they would like to deed over their 30% ownership of the Pelicans Baseball stadium because the investment bleeds money.
“But the financial burden doesn’t stop with just the stadium expenses. To fund even the minimum upgrades, the city would likely need to issue bonds, which could double the cost for residents,” Myrtle Beach City Council member Bill McClure said in a Facebook post this week.
“The City of Myrtle Beach is working hard with the involved parties to find a way for the Myrtle Beach Pelicans to stay in Myrtle Beach. Major League Baseball has imposed new standards mandating stadium upgrades that could range anywhere from $15 million to $80 million, and it looks like the large majority of the cost would fall on the city [taxpayers]. Negotiations continue and we hope they end with the Pelicans staying in Myrtle Beach,” said Meredith Denari, the Director of Public Information for the City of Myrtle Beach
Assuming a $30 million cost for upgrades, the city would bear the burden of $21 million. Nevertheless, Horry County Government intends to transfer its 30% ownership to the city, resulting in the city’s potential liability for the entire $30 million.
The City of Myrtle Beach collects $150,000 in rent per year from the Pelicans, while in downtown Myrtle Beach, approximately $240,000 is spent on maintaining the Myrtle Beach field and stadium for baseball games.
According to a post made on social media by Myrtle Beach City Councilman Bill McClure, “Issuing a 20-year bond to cover the municipal share would add about $20 million more in debt service.”
“This means that over 20 years, the total cost could reach $40 million. For perspective, that would amount to $1,000 per resident, based on current population estimates.”
Keeping the Myrtle Beach Pelicans Baseball Stadium and team is the sole focus of the city until 2029, as emphasized by McClure.
“The Myrtle Beach City Council is committed to keeping the Pelicans in town, if at all possible,” McClure said. “But the question remains, at what cost?”
Myrtle Beach Mayor Brenda Bethune may be under close scrutiny by city voters as she approaches her 2025 re-election run.
To maintain residents’ trust, the mayor must consolidate various incomplete projects and address the escalating expenses that taxpayers are aware they will ultimately have to pay for.