Construction on the Pat Boone Family Theater in Myrtle Beach has stopped, and officials said last week they are taking extra time to retool the entertainment lineup with the goal of opening in 2012, much later than originally planned.
The theater, which has been hit with issues since announcing in January 2010 that it planned to open in Myrtle Beach, has run into more kinks with unexpected construction issues and the departure of its headlining act four months ago. Theater representatives declined to give details about what’s holding up construction, but said Morgan Strebler’s departure as the house illusionist has given them a chance to consider other types of talent.
“Our change of plans with Morgan has opened up a lot of new possibilities for the theater,” Kelly Burton, the theater’s sales and marketing director, said in an e-mailed statement. “We’ve been approached by many quality entertainers who have expressed interest in performing at the theater. So, we’ve been taking some time to regroup, sort through that talent, and put together just the right entertainment mix.”
Burton didn’t give details on the kinds of talent being considered or when the theater might open next year. Strebler abruptly left the theater for what the theater manager said was health issues. Officials had said in October that they were close to finalizing an agreement with a new magician.
The planned 600-seat venue was envisioned as a theater with the headlining illusionist that also would host other shows and performers. It also will have a Boone museum featuring some of his memorabilia and an Illusions ultra lounge where adults could hang out late night.
The theater has been plagued with issues since announcing nearly two years ago that it planned to open in Myrtle Beach. It originally was delayed by the down economy and tight lending environment, theater officials said, before announcing in May that it planned to open in August in the former NASCAR Café U.S. 17 Bypass and 21st Avenue North.
Construction at the former NASCAR Café has stopped, with officials saying in October that unanticipated issues were slowing down the work. After missing the August debut, the theater planned to open in October, and had to cancel appearances that had already been announced, including ones by Pete Rose and Pat Boone, when that didn’t happen.
“Renovating the space from a vacant restaurant to a live performance theater is a huge project,” construction supervisor Nick Doria said in October. “We’ve had some unanticipated issues come up that required immediate attention and much time. We have already accomplished a lot of great things in the building, but need to get everything right before the theater opens.”
The city hasn’t been contacted to do routine construction inspections for three months, city spokesman Mark Kruea said.
If the theater had opened as planned, it would have been one of several major new attractions to debut in Myrtle Beach in 2011, including the overhauled Dixie Stampede theater that became Pirates Voyage, the SkyWheel and WonderWorks science museum. Another theater, Legends in Concert, moved from Surfside Beach to Myrtle Beach, just across U.S. 17 Bypass from the Pat Boone theater.
“We’re looking forward to opening in 2012 when, unlike 2011, there will be fewer new attractions debuting in Myrtle Beach,” Burton said via e-mail. “In addition, we’re excited about offering a mix of entertainment that will be fresh and new for Myrtle Beach.”
Local swim-up bar lands on list
A North Myrtle Beach resort landed on a TripAdvisor list of the most refreshing “swim-up bars.”
North Beach Plantation, which has a bar in the middle of a sprawling pool, was one of two U.S. resorts to make the top 10, with reviewers lauding the resort’s amenities.
Room Mate Grace in New York City was the other U.S. pool included, with the rest in Mexico, Costa Rica, Jamaica and other international locales.
Stocking stuffers for you
Myrtle Beach residents sure have been in the holiday spirit, if Google searches are any indication.
Some holiday-related searches in Myrtle Beach far outpaced the national average, according to Crystal Dahlen, a Google spokeswoman.
Searches for “Christmas” have been 2.5 times the national average, “Christmas lights” have been 175 percent higher and “toys” was 246 percent higher, she said.
But the beach, obviously, isn’t a big Christmas getaway destination, with lodging occupancy this weekend expected to reach only 15 percent, according to Coastal Carolina University’s Clay Brittain Jr. Center for Resort Tourism.
“These are the slowest weekends of the year,” the center’s Taylor Damonte said. “The one weekend you want to be home and not somewhere else is Christmas.”
New Year’s is another story. The Grand Strand traditionally sees a bump in occupancy as revelers come here to ring in the New Year. Lodging occupancy is expected to climb to 40 percent to 45 percent New Year’s Eve weekend, Damonte said.
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