Myrtle Beach to continue studying proposed amphitheater, performing arts center

Lack of parking was one concern of Myrtle Beach City Council members with the construction of a proposed 12,000-seat amphitheater and performing arts center on the convention center property next to the Myrtle Beach Sports Center.

Myrtle Beach Convention Center director Paul Edwards said there would need to be about 3,000 dedicated parking spaces to accommodate the proposed facility – and the property already has 2,350 spaces between the convention center and Myrtle Beach Sports Center.

But council members pointed out that those spaces only would be available were there no other activities happening at the other facilities on the convention center property.

“I think, before we put the cart before the horse, I think we need to look at this parking closely,” Councilman Mike Lowder said.

At the City Council budget retreat in Pinopolis Monday, Edwards presented the project that would pair an indoor performing arts center, that would seat anywhere from 550 to 800 people, with the 10,000-seat amphitheater.

The revamped proposal would allow the indoor arts center and amphitheater to share a stage, rigging and light systems – instead of building them in two different venues. The back of the performing arts center stage would have some type of divider that would open to the amphitheater. The previous proposal had the performing arts center attached to and sharing a lobby with the convention center.

City Council gave staff the green light to continue studying the impact of the combined arts facility, which could delay construction of a performing arts center by another year.

The city has been pursing the option of constructing an indoor performing arts center that would connect with the Myrtle Beach Convention Center. Almost 54 percent of city residents who voted on a November 2013 referendum approved the purchase of $10 million in bonds to build the center. The referendum passed 1,915 to 1,641.

The city also has considered constructing an amphitheater that would help bring large concerts – such as the planned Carolina Country Music Fest scheduled for June 4 to 5 on the former Myrtle Beach Pavilion site – and other events to town.

“If we lose the Pavilion site, if it gets developed, we’re going to be looking for another amphitheater,” City Manager John Pedersen said. “I think this is an opportunity to really look at this closely.

“We’ve got two options. The first option [performing arts center] is a quality of life thing almost entirely. The second option [combined amphitheater] is going to bring something here. ... This gives the performing arts community what it wants. And gives us a new facility that is not here.”

A combined facility could cost as much as $15 million, but Edwards said he estimates the project could be built for somewhere between $12 million and $13.5 million. All of those figures are above the $10 million approved by the 2013 referendum.

Chief Financial Officer Michael Shelton said if the city chooses to move forward with the revamped facility, it could only choose to purchase $10 million in bonds due to the language of the referendum. They would have to seek additional bonds, or other funding sources, to fund the remainder of the project.

However, the referendum expires after five years so City Council would have to purchase the $10 million in bonds by 2018.

For more than 15 years, arts supporters have tried to establish a performance venue in Myrtle Beach. After being unable to raise about $2.5 million to partially fund building the center with help from the city, board members asked City Council in 2012 to completely pay for construction.

This story was originally published April 13, 2015 at 9:04 PM with the headline "Myrtle Beach to continue studying proposed amphitheater, performing arts center."