Horry County hotels, campgrounds to re-open this week as coronavirus restrictions expire
Horry County’s hotels will re-open on April 30 after being closed for a month due to the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
The county council will not renew an emergency ordinance it passed in March that barred hotels, campgrounds and other short-term rentals from taking in any new guests in the unincorporated areas.
Horry County Chair Johnny Gardner said the county will continue to follow the governor’s orders banning rentals from hot spot areas for the virus.
Horry County Council Members Tyler Servant said that if nothing changes, the county has no plans to renew the ordinance in hopes of restarting the local economy.
“One in four Horry County residents are currently unemployed, and it is imperative we get the economy back up and running for the residents,” Servant said.
The county is also starting a “Welcome Back Horry County” committee to begin the economic recovery process. It will include local government officials, business representatives and public safety officers.
The decision to not renew the ordinance is ultimately up to Horry County Council. Assistant Administrator Randy Webster did not directly answer if enough testing has been done to deem it safe to begin reopening the hotels. He said testing only provides a snap shot of the current cases and is a nation-wide issue.
“Instead of worrying about the test piece, because that is a snap shot in time, we need to move forward with all the protective measures we can as individuals,” Webster said.
Myrtle Beach City Council met on Tuesday to discuss reopening rentals and will meet again on Thursday to make further decisions.
North Myrtle Beach hotels and rentals can reopen on May 1 as well. North Myrtle Beach followed Horry County and will not renew its ordinance that closed short-term rentals.
Many of Horry County’s short-term rentals are in the southern part of the county in Garden City with a few pockets further north near Arcadian Shores. Most of the rentals in the unincorporated areas are houses or smaller motels and not high-rise hotels like in Myrtle Beach.
Ocean Lakes, located at the intersection of Dick Pond Road and Kings Highway in unincorporated Horry County, already posted on its website that it will be welcoming guests on May 1. Ocean Lakes said it does not know which amenities will be open, but golf carts will probably be rented. You can still cancel your reservation for a full refund.
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster reopened public beach access and retail stores last week as an initial step toward reopening the South Carolina economy.
There is no order from the governor outright banning hotels and rentals from reopening in the county. The only restriction currently stops visitors from “hot spot” areas like New York, New Jersey or Connecticut from renting a room.
McMaster also ordered attractions like amusement rides, bingo halls and bowling alleys to close. Local governments must follow this order. Restrictions on gatherings of more than three people are still regulated as well.
This story was originally published April 28, 2020 at 2:06 PM with the headline "Horry County hotels, campgrounds to re-open this week as coronavirus restrictions expire."
