MYRTLE BEACH — Horry County officials are just in the preliminary phase of trying to bring approximately 1,020 new jobs to the area, but a decision on whether to proceed further should come in the next few weeks.

That’s the word from Brad Lofton, executive director of the Myrtle Beach Regional Economic Development Corporation, one day after the Horry County Council passed the Project Blue resolution that gives the MBREDC and the county administrator the authority to pursue this company.

The name and nature of that company’s business remains a mystery.

Lofton said he couldn’t reveal those answers because of the confidentiality surrounding the negotiations.

“It’s not an announced project. In fact, we haven’t even won the project,” Lofton said. “It’s a dynamic opportunity for us, and I hope we get it to the finish line.”

He added that the good and bad news is that it’s a fast-track project. The county should have an answer within the next few weeks on whether or not it can move forward, Lofton said, as it’s in competition with a few other sites.

Horry County Councilman Marion Foxworth, who was one of seven council members present at Monday’s special called meeting, said the location being considered is in Carolina Forest.

The client has a self-imposed timeline, Foxworth added, although what that timeline is wasn’t discussed.

“They will be moving very quickly,” he said.

The resolution that passed Monday calls for the county administrator and staff to disburse up to $906,000 from the MBRECD’s product development fund, and up to $894,000 from another county fund to help with project incentives.

If Horry County is ultimately chosen as the company’s destination, the jobs would pay $14.31 an hour.

Recent local job creations include the May announcement that Frontier Communications would be opening a call center in Myrtle Beach that would create 110 new jobs.

The average wage for those jobs is $26,000 a year.

Contact BRAD DICKERSON at 626-0301.