Will Conway score a big-name hotel? City hopes tax break plan lands development.
Waccamaw Outfitters is located at the mouth of Conway’s marina, offering boaters direct access to the company’s namesake river and branded apparel to go along with it.
It’s the kind of store that can only benefit from a rise in foot traffic and tourist visits as the city of 25,000 continues to grow, which is why owner Matthew Varnadore wants to know more about a new economic development incentive.
“Waccamaw Outfitters is not a hobby for me. This is how I pay my mortgage. This is how I take care of my family, like the rest of these small business owners downtown,” Varnadore said. “If you’ve got people living and visiting and staying in downtown Conway, they’re going walk, they’re going to eat, they’re going to shop with us.”
City leaders are exploring a benefits package that would give hotel developers five-year breaks on their hospitality and property taxes, along with an expedited site review plan so they can get to work faster.
“These developments would increase local employment, expand the tax base and create new wealth opportunities in the community,” a description of the incentive program says.
The City Council is expected to finalize the program this summer.
“We’re not trying to compete with Myrtle Beach. That would be ridiculous. But we understand that 501 is a life line to the beach. If you’re a tourist coming into the Grand Strand, Conway’s kind of your last taste of home,” said Devin Parks, economic development director the Conway Chamber of Commerce.
City leaders identified a need for more hotels in its core commercial and business districts in its 2017 downtown master plan. According to the chamber’s business directory, there are currently eight lodging options within city limits.
“We want to share the hidden gem that we are, and we want these visitors to be able to stay in the city of Conway and have the opportunity and see everything it has to offer,” Parks said.
This story was originally published May 19, 2022 at 5:00 AM.