Plans move forward on new Myrtle Beach bowling alley

Architects are moving forward to draft construction documents for a proposed family entertainment center featuring a bowling alley on the south end of Myrtle Beach after a city board responded favorably to the plan.

The proposed 26 bowling lanes, restaurant, bars and more would go in a 54,000-square-foot space at Glenmark Shopping Plaza in some of the space that formerly housed the Myrtle Beach Flea Market. Nick Colasante, chief financial officer for Glenmark Holding, has said if all goes well he hopes the entertainment center will open sometime in 2016.

Heidi Soos with the city of Myrtle Beach said members of the city’s Community Appearance Board responded well to the concept, saying the proposal had an “exciting design.”

Conceptual plans for the entertainment center presented to CAB last week include 20 bowling lanes and six lanes in a VIP area, two bocce courts with outside seating, two bars, a kitchen, game rooms, party rooms, simulated golf, laser tag, and an outdoor game area.

David Glymph, project architect with Myrtle Beach-based D3G Architects, said CAB members had good suggestions for additions to the project, but there would be no major changes to what was presented.

Glymph said once construction documents are completed – he declined to give a timeline for when plans would be finished – they would be resubmitted to CAB for final approval.

“We’re proceeding with construction documents right now and once they’re approved we’ll enlist a contractor,” he said.

Glenmark would partner with a company that manages 30 similar projects across the country, Colasante said. He declined to name the company last week.

Colasante has said the company would continue with the design and implementation phase to determine the cost of the project and the expected return on investment. Then Glenmark would decide if the venture was worth the expense or if it should come up with another option.

Colasante could not be reached Monday.

The Myrtle Beach Flea Market used to occupy 74,900 square feet in the plaza. The original group leasing the space left the shopping plaza at the end of February and a subgroup calling itself the Grand Strand Flea Market now leases 20,900 square feet, Colasante said.

Earlier this year, the Myrtle Beach Flea Market said that it would not renew its lease and close at the end of February. Since then Colasante said Glenmark has received an influx of calls from people interested in space at the shopping center.

Colasante last week hinted at other additions to the shopping center that is anchored by Food Lion and the recently-opened Anytime Fitness, but said he wanted to wait until contracts were signed before giving the details.

This story was originally published April 6, 2015 at 5:56 PM with the headline "Plans move forward on new Myrtle Beach bowling alley."