Latest news with #MyrtleBeachCityCouncil
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Myrtle Beach leaders OK 2 new developments to keep Pelicans long-term
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — Myrtle Beach City Council on Tuesday approved two new Pelicans' developments as the city works quickly to find a solution to keep the Minor League Baseball team on the Grand Strand long-term. City leaders approved first reading of an ordinance to make Myrtle Beach the sole owner of Pelicans Ballpark, while Horry County still gives the city $6 million for the stadium's needed renovations. The stadium, which is in need of $20 million in improvements to come into compliance with Major League Baseball standards, is 70% owned by the city and 30% by the county. The ordinance would make Myrtle Beach the sole owner of the stadium, but Horry County would still contribute $6 million — or 30% — of the renovations. Pelicans fans, city & county leaders talk unclear future for baseball team 'The county has agreed to contribute the sum of $6,000,000 to the city,' the ordinance reads. 'This contribution is contingent upon the city accepting the conveyance by the county to the city of all of the county's right, title and interest in and to the property.' City leaders also approved first reading of an ordinance with a new 30-year lease agreement between Myrtle Beach and the Pelicans. The lease payment would be $750,000 for the first 10 years, $850,000 for the next 10 years, and $950,000 for the final 10 years. The team's future on the Grand Strand fell in limbo after Horry County leaders approved a different lease agreement than the city previously approved earlier this month. The city expressed disappointment in the county afterward. 'Although the lease was approved, it is not the same agreement passed by Myrtle Beach City Council,' the city said last week in a news release. 'Unlike the city's version, Horry County's lease includes additional concessions unrelated to baseball. Those concessions were added in the last few weeks and relate to an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) and airport funding. Throughout the process, the city has engaged in good-faith discussions with county leaders and council members, as the stadium has been owned by the city of Myrtle Beach (70%) and Horry County (30%) since 1998.' A second and final reading of Tuesday's ordinances will take place at a special-called meeting open to the public at 9 a.m. on June 3. Myrtle Beach Mayor Brenda Bethune says the Pelicans need to resolve their 30% financial deficit in the stadium, now that the county has backed out, by next Tuesday. News13's Skylar Musick attended Tuesday's meeting and will have more info in our afternoon newscasts. * * * Caleb is a digital producer at News13. Caleb joined the team in January 2023 after graduating from Liberty University. He is from Northern Virginia. Follow Caleb on X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here. * * * Skylar Musick is a multimedia journalist at News13. Skylar is originally from Long Island, New York. She joined the News13 team in June 2024 after graduating from Villanova University in May 2024. Follow Skylar on X, formerly Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, and read more of her work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Who's mentioned in calls detailing deadly shooting of Scott Spivey? At least 7 SC leaders
At least seven South Carolina and Horry County leaders were mentioned in phone calls by a North Myrtle Beach restaurant owner who detailed how he shot and killed a North Carolina man in 2023. Some of the calls by Weldon Boyd, owner of Buoys on the Boulevard and one of the two shooters who killed Scott Spivey, highlight Boyd's alleged connections to state and county leaders and his efforts to use those connections to make sure he would not be charged in the death, which was ruled a homicide. Boyd and the second shooter, Kenneth 'Bradley' Williams, have not been charged in the shooting that occurred on Camp Swamp Road in the Longs area in September 2023. The shooting was ruled self-defense. The audio recordings of Boyd were recently released by the family of Scott Spivey. The recordings were part of a wrongful death case filed by the family against Boyd and Williams. The highest ranking official mentioned is state Rep. William Bailey, who is the Republican representative for District 104 in Horry County. In a phone call with his mother and Williams, Boyd says that Bailey was going to recognize the two men as 'heroes' and award them a proclamation that would be presented at the Statehouse. The information allegedly came from his attorney, Ken Moss, Boyd said in the recording. '(Bailey is) going to try to get us a proclamation for bravery where we are going to have to go Columbia and dress nice and be awarded a proclamation for Second Amendment,' Boyd tells Williams. 'Ken (Moss) said he's going to make us look like heroes before this thing is over.' Bailey said April 25, 2025, that he was asked to do a proclamation, but 'It was never considered by me. ... There was no way I could justify that to myself.' 'It was a tragic situation,' Bailey said of Spivey's death. Bailey said he would never consider such a proclamation when a death was involved. Bailey does not know Boyd or any of the police officers involved in the case, he said. His only connection is with Moss, who at one time had been Bailey's attorney. When talking about receiving the proclamation, Boyd also mentions North Myrtle Beach Mayor Marilyn Hatley. Boyd says that Hatley will be given an opportunity to present the city business owner with the award, but she will decline to do so. Boyd over the years has had a contentious relationship with the City of North Myrtle Beach and its leaders, particularly Hatley. Hatley was surprised when she found out that she, and her son, Chad Hatley, a real estate developer, were mentioned in Boyd's recordings. Chad Hatley is married to Myrtle Beach City Council member Jackie Hatley. Hatley said she has listened to some of the calls, but not any where her name was spoken. 'This has nothing to do with me and my family,' Hatley said. 'It's a tragedy what happened. I don't have anything to do with anything. 'I really don't appreciate it. Why they want to drag my name through the mud, I have no idea.' Hatley was not the only North Myrtle Beach council member to be mentioned. Recordings also showed conversations between North Myrtle Beach Councilman Jay Baldwin and Boyd. Baldwin reached out to Boyd days after the shooting. However, Baldwin previously said his only relationship with Boyd was as a constituent. Boyd also talked about Harold Worley, who served on the council since 1999 before losing his seat in 2022 to current council member Jenna Dukes. Boyd's mother and father tell him in several phone calls to reach out to Worley to let him know about the shooting and provide him updates in the case. Worley is Boyd's landlord, owning both the property, building and all the contents in Buoys on the Boulevard, Worley said. The restaurant is located along Ocean Boulevard just off of Main Street in North Myrtle Beach. Worley was not aware he was part of the recordings, but did say Boyd's mother contacted him about the shooting. Worley said he does more business with Boyd's parents than Boyd. When asked if he planned to help Boyd in the case, Worley replied that he had no connections, and that he would remain 'legal and above board.' 'I have to look after my stuff. ... I'm not going to be around any illegal activities,' Worley said, adding that he hasn't seen any illegal activity at the restaurant. In the audio recordings, Boyd makes a point to talk about connections with various law enforcement officials. Boyd tells Williams in one call that 15th Circuit Solicitor Jimmy Richardson told his attorney the two shooters were heroes for killing Spivey 'because this guy was a danger to everyone around him and when everybody else pulled over and backed off or fled, they followed to make sure a police officer could find him.' The Horry County solicitor recused himself early on the case, asking the state Attorney General's Office to review the case. In addition to the county's top prosecutor, Boyd lists other law enforcement, including a county judge, which he does not name, and Horry County Police officers. One of those officers is Brandon Strickland, who was the deputy chief of the administration bureau at the time of the shooting. Strickland and Boyd have a close relationship, and Strickland can be heard the night of the shooting and the day after, assuring Boyd that he 'was taken care of' and that he had been working 'in the shadows' to help with the investigation. Strickland resigned from the department on March 11, 2025. Horry County Police said his resignation came after he was told of an internal investigation regarding his role in the case. Strickland is also under investigation by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division for criminal activity regarding the Spivey shooting case.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
$45 million international student housing complex in Myrtle Beach almost complete
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — A $45 million international student housing project is almost complete and city officials said it's right on time. This complex is located at the corner of Robert Grissom Parkway and Mr. Joe White Avenue. It's been less than a year since Myrtle Beach City Council approved this J-1-housing complex. 'Many of us have been very surprised at how quickly they've been able to get the building up and almost operational,' Assistant City Manager Brian Tucker said. He added that the contractors are currently doing site-work, including finishing exterior pavements and moving furniture inside. 'I know they're starting on the 3rd floor and working their way down,' Tucker said. 'I anticipate it'll be ready for the season, which is a shocker. That's been an amazing project.' Tucker said springtime is here and students are coming. After reading a recent -1 report, he said more than 200 are already here. 'There's already a large inventory of existing J-1 housing units around the city,' he explained. 'So likely many of them will go to where they were last year, or in years past.' However, Tucker said this new complex will be an alternative to what the city already has to help circulate the more dated, less affordable housing options out. By summertime, the complex will only have one of its four buildings completed, which is 300 out of 3,000 beds in availability. Tucker said inside this first building will be kitchens, laundry facilities, recreational areas, and high-speed internet. Since 2018, Myrtle Beach has hosted around 8,500 students through the program, but Tucker said it continues to struggle to stay competitive and affordable. 'The students must go through the state department to make an application for J-1 visa. Part of that is they must have a sponsor,' he explained. 'They also have to have proof of employment of at least 32 hours of a week, and proof of residency.' Tucker said students stay around 90 days, depending on their schedule. He added that this new international housing complex will make the city more competitive and attractive towards the J-1 population. 'We actually have trended down a little over the last couple of years at the number of students we've been able to attract,' he said. 'I think part of the issue has been the lack of satisfactory housing for J-1 students.' Tucker said the next and final step is for the contractors to apply and receive their certificate of occupancy. * * * Jackie LiBrizzi is a multimedia journalist at News13. Jackie is originally from Hamilton, New Jersey, and was raised in Piedmont, South Carolina. Jackie joined the News13 team in June 2023 after she graduated as a student-athlete from the University of South Carolina in May 2023. Follow Jackie on X, formerly Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, and read more of her work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Myrtle Beach takes step toward keeping Pelicans, spending $20M on stadium improvements
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — Myrtle Beach City Council on Tuesday passed a resolution extending the Pelicans lease by 20 years and spending $20 million on stadium improvements. The resolution enters a memorandum of understanding between the city of Myrtle Beach, the Pelicans and Horry County. The city and county have jointly owned Pelicans Ballpark since 1998 and the Pelicans started playing there in 1999. It needs millions of dollars worth of repairs to bring it into compliance with new standards imposed by Major League Baseball. The memorandum of understanding, by its terms, is non-binding, according to the resolution. The term of the current lease will increase to $750,000 during the term of the extension. Horry County Council will have to vote on a similar resolution solidifying the intent to move forward, a Myrtle Beach official told News13. From there, all the specifics of the lease will have to be determined and then voted on by Myrtle Beach City Council. 'Right now, the only specifics are the 20 years, $20 million and $750,000 per year,' the official said. 'There's more to be ironed out for the lease before it is officially set in stone. As was mentioned in Tuesday's meeting, this resolution voted on is a non-binding MOU.' Council also passed second and final reading of an ordinance authorizing an amendment to the current year's hospitality tax budget allowing up to $630,000 for the purchase of security devices that can be deployed during public events. First reading was approved by the council in late January. Some of those security devices include dozens more barriers, a trailer and cabling. The ordinance says the city hosts numerous special events throughout the year that result in large gatherings of people concentrated in areas. It comes in the wake of the deadly New Orleans attack on New Year's Day. News13's Gabby Jonas attended Tuesday's meeting and will have a full report in our afternoon newscasts. Count on News13 for updates. * * * Caleb is a digital producer at News13. Caleb joined the team in January 2023 after graduating from Liberty University. He is from Northern Virginia. Follow Caleb on X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here. * * * Gabby Jonas joined the News13 team as a multimedia journalist in April 2024. She is from Columbus, Ohio, and graduated from Kent State University in May 2023. Follow Gabby on X, formerly Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, and read more of her work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Myrtle Beach area projects to bring thousands of new homes. Here are some of 2025's biggest
Whether it is new hotels slated to change the Myrtle Beach oceanfront or revitalization projects of former area landmarks, developers aim to add new cornerstones to Horry County in the new year. This rush to build runs the gambit from smaller projects to new residential communities with hundreds of planned units. During the 2023-24 fiscal year, Horry County issued 17,522 permits, up by more than 4,000 compared to 2018-19. The permits issued in 2023-24 had a construction value of $1.54 billion, and many of these permits include massive projects that contributed to that estimation. Given the pace of building and development throughout the Grand Strand, these are five notable projects worth watching in 2025. In the coming years, another high-rise hotel will reside along the Myrtle Beach oceanfront. Next to the Hilton Grand Vacations Club Ocean 22 Myrtle Beach at 2200 N. Ocean Blvd., the new property along 23rd Avenue North will also be a Hilton property. Called Ocean 23, the timeshare hotel will have 227 units — including 113 one-bedroom, 79 two-bedroom and 35 three-bedroom offerings. With the property's boulevard-facing side being a maximum height of 253 feet, the new property will also feature a park. Previous renderings for the project shows two pools at the hotel, including a 520-square-foot pool and bar on the rooftop. Developers received approval for the hotel from the Myrtle Beach City Council in January 2025. Along U.S. 501 near Gardner Lacy Road and Carolina Forest High School, the Myrtle Beach area could see its newest mixed-use, residential and shopping area open. Developers plan to build a massive new complex slated for completion in 2027. The Sun News obtained the plans via a Freedom of Information Act request for a traffic study commissioned to analyze the plan's impact on U.S. 501 traffic. The project includes: About 30 buildings, including seven parking garages 1,890 new apartment units 6,300 square foot medical-dental office 267,800 square foot shopping center 139,100 square foot home improvement store 3,000 square foot drive-in bank 5,000 square foot gas station and convenience store 20,200 square foot restaurant space 2,500 square foot coffee shop with drive-thru The development could bring more cars to an area prone to traffic. Conducted by the consulting firm Kimley Horn, the traffic study for the project estimated that the new mixed-use development creates 26,572 new daily trips at several intersections and roads along U.S. 501. While developers plan to finish the project in 2027, work will occur while Horry County completes road improvements to U.S. 501. The project includes completing a six-lane widening of U.S. 501 from S.C. 31 to the S.C. 544 interchange as part of its Ride III road infrastructure upgrades. The county estimates the work will cost $50 million and finish in 2026. At Teddy Bear Circle near Highway 90, more than a thousand homes for prospective residents moving to the Conway area are planned. Auberon Woods is a 1,100-home community planned for a 758-acre land parcel. It will include amenities like a pool and clubhouse. The D.R. Horton project intends to build 194 single-family homes in 2025 and finish the project in 2027. The project isn't the only massive development arriving in Conway. In January 2024, the City of Conway approved the construction of more than 3,300 single-family, townhomes and multi-family dwellings along Highway 701 South in a community called Warden Station. The Myrtle Beach Speedway closed in 2020, and developers want to turn the old racetrack into a new community of townhomes and other units. Developers split the speedway into two separate parcels. The national homebuilder Lennar owns part of the closed speedway. Horry County Land Records' map of the property shows Lennar's plot divided into about 175 parcels. Trilogy Investment Company owns the other part of the speedway. In a June 2024 interview, the company's CEO Jason Joseph told The Sun News that Trilogy's community will include 226 townhomes, with units ranging from 1,200 square feet to 1,400 square feet. The Trilogy community will be called Rêve at Champions Point, and the first townhomes will be finished in 2025. Joseph added that the community will be built-to-rent, meaning residents cannot purchase their property outright. He added that built-to-rent appeals to residents 55 and older. 'People are moving there and renting by choice not because of affordability necessary of buying but because they want the flexibility of movement,' Joseph said in a June 2024 interview. 'You're creating community; you have the benefits of home life. (Built-to-rent) give you the lock and leave flexibility as well.' River Oaks Drive in Carolina Forest looks different in February 2025 than it did one year ago. Dense trees previously lined the road near the World Tour Golf Links and River Oaks Golf Club. Now, the trees sit in dense stacks on dirt-covered land prepped for development. According to Horry County Land Records, developers plan to build a new community called North Cove. The project is part of a larger plan to close River Oaks Golf Club and replace it. The Sun News reported in February 2024 that developers bought the course and will add 220 lots to the property. It's unclear when the golf course will finally close.
