Curveball thrown: Pelican’s owner sweetens the deal with additional $1 million in rent
Myrtle Beach City Council has decided to keep the Myrtle Beach Pelicans minor league team in town for another 30 years.
The vote happened on Tuesday in front of a chamber filled with Pelicans fans after city officials spent nearly an hour discussing the contract negotiations with the team along with two other items.
“I feel like letting the Pelicans go would be a huge mistake,” Councilman Gregg Smith said ahead of the vote.
Before the vote, Myrtle Beach Pelicans Chairman and Managing Partner Chuck Greenberg offered to pay an additional $100,000 a year in rent for the first 10 years to keep the baseball team in Myrtle Beach. That offer is worth $1 million.
This vote comes after a previously unsuccessful lease with Horry County failed at a County Council meeting.
The team will pay the city the following under the new lease agreement according to the new ordinance:
- $850,000 a year for years one through 20
$950,000 a year for years 21 through 30
Due to requirements mandated by Major League Baseball for player development, Pelicans Ballpark in downtown Myrtle Beach needs $20 million of renovations. According to Ordinance 2025-37, Horry County has agreed to contribute the sum of $8,250,000 to the city for the required player development renovations and capital stadium improvements.
“Residents, businesses and property taxes will not go to fund any of this,” city manager Fox Simons said at Tuesday’s meeting.
In this new lease, Myrtle Beach will be solely responsible for the stadium. Council also approved an ordinance that will allow Simons to negotiate with Horry County for their 30% interest of the baseball stadium. According to Simons, the estimated value of the county’s portion of the land is around $2 million.
Council members Jackie Hatley, Mike Chesnut and Mike Lowder voted against the ordinance that approves Simons to negotiate with Horry County to acquire land. That motion still passed.
These discussions and numerous ordinances related to the long-term future of the Pelicans started last fall when Horry County and City Council agreed to extend the old lease by another year.
This story was originally published June 10, 2025 at 11:16 AM.
