Notable dates to mark on your 2009 calendars

MARCH

March 1 | Nonstop flight between Myrtle Beach and Chicago starts on Spirit Airlines

March 11 | Myrtle Beach Job Expo, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center

March 14 | Reopening of the Pine Lakes International Country Club after a multimillion-dollar renovation

APRIL

April 3 | One-year anniversary of The Market Common on the former Myrtle Beach Air Force Base

April 15 | Deadline for filing 2008 tax returns

MAY

Memorial Day weekend | Reopening of Hard Rock Park

May 8-17 | Harley-Davidson rally

May 21-25 | Atlantic Beach Bikefest

JUNE

June 12 | TV viewers must switch from analogue signal to digital

SUMMER

Fantasy Harbour bridge opens, giving a much-needed crossing over the Intracoastal Waterway in Myrtle Beach

Wal-Mart off U.S. 501 plans to open

Carroll Campbell Marine Complex, a tournament fishing and boat launch facility in Georgetown County, set to open

AUGUST

Main Street Connector, which will connect Main Street with S.C. 31 and S.C. 90, opens in North Myrtle Beach .

Aug. 7-9 | Sales tax holiday in South Carolina and North Carolina; buyers don't pay sales tax on clothes and many other items

Aug. 31-Sept. 4 | 26th annual PGA Tour Superstore World Amateur Handicap Championship

SEPTEMBER

Sept. 10-22 | 20th anniversary of Hurricane Hugo

Sept. 7-17 | 10th anniversary of Hurricane Floyd

Sept. 30-Oct. 4 | The Pilgrimage fall motorcycle rally

OCTOBER

Oct. 1-31 | Energy Star Sales Tax Holiday in South Carolina. Shoppers don't pay sales tax on certain energy-efficient appliances that cost $2,500 or less. The state can cancel this sales tax holiday if state revenues don't reach certain levels.

NOVEMBER

Nov. 6-8 | Energy Star Sales Tax Holiday in North Carolina.

Nov. 27-28 | Second Amendment Sales Tax Holiday in South Carolina. Shoppers don't pay sales tax on handguns, rifles and shotguns.

2010

WonderWorks, a hands-on science attraction, is slated to open in Myrtle Beach in spring 2010

Construction to begin on the expansion of Myrtle Beach International Airport, with the addition opening in 2012

Construction to begin on $100 million improvements to the intersection of U.S. 17 Bypass and S.C. 707 during the summer. Work will take about three years.

Opening of the 536-bed, four-story tower that is currently under construction at J. Reuben Long Detention Center is scheduled for mid-2010. It costs $33 million.