Surfs up: Myrtle Beach leases 20 acres of land for new surf park, amphitheater development
Myrtle Beach will be getting a new performing arts center and surf park after officials on Tuesday agreed to lease an approximately 20-acre parcel located behind the Myrtle Beach Sports Center for redevelopment.
American Surf Parks, LLC has plans to develop a $41 million year-round surf and recreation park and an amphitheater site, called Surfworks Adventure Park, on city-owned property located behind the Sports Center and adjacent to Broadway at the Beach, east of Grissom Parkway, and south of Burroughs and Chapin Boulevard.
“This is an exciting project,” Councilman Mike Chestnut said during Tuesday’s City Council meeting held via conference call. “That property has been sitting over there for years and years with no revenue coming to the city.”
Park plans include a five-acre surf lagoon that will generate about 1,000 waves per hour across four different skill-leveled surfing zones. Two zones will generate waves up to 6 feet for more experienced surfers, while the others, with smaller waves, will be available for surf lessons, recreation and boogie boards, according to Jeff Skelley, CEO of American Surf Parks.
“This is something that’s going to take Myrtle Beach to the next level,” Skelley said.
Along with surfing, the park will also have a zip-lining course, water slides, hot tubs, pools, a skate park, rock climbing walls for experienced climbers and amateurs, pools, restaurants, bars, shops, a daycare center, a full-service surf store and accommodations services. The rentals will include 18 bungalow duplexes totaling 36 units, with some that can sleep up to eight people.
On the remaining acreage, the company plans to develop a roughly 10,000-seat amphitheater.
“It really creates a nice venue that the city and American Surf Parks can coordinate events,” Skelly said. “We have interest from Live Nation that has different musical events in the the whole country, and they do have an event in Charleston and they have one in Wilmington and this would be a nice stop for them.”
Skelley added the park can accommodate various public events, such as professional surf, rock climbing, cliff diving and amateur surf contests, movie nights, and meetings, conferences and social gatherings. While there is currently no projected opening date set, Skelley said construction would take about 18 months once the company secures funding.
Myrtle Beach City Council approved a motion for a 15-year lease agreement with American Surf Parks during Tuesday’s council meeting. The lease will begin at $180,000 per year, with a 10 percent hike every five years, officials said, with a projected $495,000 annual revenue stemming from the surf park.
The 15-year lease would have the option for renewal for seven additional five-year terms as long as the proposed use is maintained. If over time the park fails, American Surf Park would be responsible for restoring the land back to its original form, according to the lease agreement.
With the location currently containing roughly 295,000 cubic yards of stockpiled spoiled dirt from a previous development, City Manager John Pedersen said it would cost an estimated $2 million to have it removed. While American Surf Parks will be responsible for the initial site work expenses, the city will reimburse them each year at an amount equal to the annual lease payments for 10 years or until the initial site work investment is repaid, Pedersen said.
Officials expressed excitement for the park on Tuesday, stating it would bring in revenue and a unique tourism destination that will attract people from all over. A project like this takes vision, Councilman Phil Render said.
“I think this is a really exciting development,” Councilwoman Jackie Hatley said. “It’s going to bring a new amenity to our area, a different type of amenity that is nowhere around us.”
This story was originally published May 12, 2020 at 12:07 PM.
