Developer unveils some possible plans for the old Freestyle park outside of Myrtle Beach
The site of a failed amusement park just outside of Myrtle Beach could become a warehousing and distribution hub if the county approves a developer’s plan.
DDC Engineers’ Sean Hoelscher presented a vision for the old Freestyle Music Park during Thursday’s Horry County Council’s Planning Commission workshop meeting. There was no public input, and no vote was taken.
The Freestyle Music Park — also known as the Hard Rock Park — is in Fantasy Harbour off U.S. Highway 501 and has sat dormant since the park closed in 2009. Hoelscher’s clients, including former Myrtle Beach Mayor John Rhodes, are requesting to amend an existing Planned Development District leftover from the theme park that only allows for amusement activities.
A PDD is a contract with the county that allows developers more flexibility, though once accepted, the plans cannot change without governmental approval.
The rezoning request wants to create a warehousing and distribution district around the existing mall at the site. The building is left over from the original theme park and is 300,000 square feet in size.
A warehousing and distribution district could include more than storage facilities. It also allows for breweries, some commercial uses, wholesale sites, a bottling plant or even government offices.
The rezoning request only focuses on the portion of the property around the mall building. If approved, the rest of the PDD would remain zoned for amusement activities.
“Essentially what we’re doing is dividing the existing PDD into two districts,” Hoelscher said. “It provides a viable way for the existing structure and the PDD to really come back to life.”
Hoelscher said his clients want to clean up the property and open up their future options for the area.
Hoelscher said he hopes the building can be subdivided into phases, redeveloped and brought up to building codes in a “timely and efficient manner.”
“It provides our clients flexibility as this progresses and the building is redeveloped,” he said.
The planning commission is scheduled to meet again on Nov. 7 at 5:30 p.m. to have a public hearing on the project and make its recommendation to Horry County Council.
The county council is set to take its first vote on the proposal on Nov. 19.
This story was originally published October 31, 2019 at 6:39 PM.
