Since the 1950s, South of the Border has been known as a tacky tourist spot. South of the Border played a significant role in the decision to reroute I-95 to the Dillon area instead of along the Myrtle Beach coast, thanks to the influence of the group in the South Carolina General Assembly and with U.S. Senator Strom Thurmond at that time.

Up for sale of South of the Border

A section of the South of the Border roadside attraction, located along Interstate 95 at the North and South Carolina border, is currently available for purchase. The popularity of South of the Border has declined since Buc-ee’s opened nearby on the interstate.

The sellers are offering 30 acres for sale, which features the Pedroland amusement park, the SOB Convention Center, a motel, a mini-golf course, some undeveloped land, and a former casino. The asking price is set at $2.85 million.

Certain areas of the attraction are no longer open, but South of the Border continues to feature its distinctive sombrero observation tower, reptile lagoon, gift shops, and dining options. The primary motel and campground remain in business as well.

Real estate agent Ken Jackson expects that the buyer will renovate the property to capitalize on the traffic from I-95. The only stipulation is that the new owner is prohibited from selling fireworks, as that is already within the offerings of South of the Border.

We’ve had a lot of interest from people wanting to do that, but that’s the only thing that wouldn’t be allowed,” he told local news.

Jackson mentions that the available property has potential for redevelopment into a hotel or a similar travel-related venture. He notes that although South of the Border faces new competition from a Buc-ee’s truck stop located a few exits further into South Carolina near Florence, the area continues to attract significant traffic.

Buc-ee’s is the new shiny toy, and it is attractive to travelers as well, but there are plenty of people traveling up and down the interstate, and enough for both businesses,” Jackson said.

But he says it’s unlikely the new owner would reopen the amusement park. I’m not sure there’s much demand for amusement parks of that size anymore, but it’s a great opportunity for someone to go in and build a modern hotel,” Jackson said. It’d be a great place for RV sales or RV service center — anything travel-related, logistics-related.

The real-estate listing indicates that the historic carousel still located on the amusement park property will not be part of the sale.

Since the 1950s, South of the Border has served as an eccentric destination for travelers, yet it has come under fire recently for its cartoonish portrayal of a Mexican man featured in numerous billboard advertisements. These ads often showcase phrases such as You never sausage a place! You’re always a weiner at Pedro’s!

For many years, South of the Border featured a casino due to the legality of video poker in South Carolina, while it remained illegal in North Carolina. However, with the acknowledgment of the Lumbee Tribe, might a Native American-owned casino be a possibility in the future?