3 days ago
Myrtle Beach city manager backs Horry County's $8.25M offer to end joint Pelicans Ballpark lease
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — A key Tuesday vote that would give Myrtle Beach total ownership of Pelicans Ballpark is supported by the city's top administrator amid an $8.25 million offer by Horry County in exchange for ending its part of a stadium lease agreement.
The facility, which is in need of $20 million in improvements to come into compliance with Major League Baseball standards, is currently 70% owned by the city and 30% by the county. City leaders last month agreed to take on full responsibility and accept $6 million in county to aid to pay down those costs.
Since that time, the county has agreed to an even higher, one-time payment with Myrtle Beach being on the hook for all maintenance costs beyond that.
The council will also take a final vote on 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.
Pelicans team president Ryan Moore urged fans to attend the meeting — and for councilmembers to approve the deals.
'Tomorrow is do or die for the Myrtle Beach Pelicans. A 'Yes' vote keeps the team in town for the next 30 years. A 'No' vote would mean the end for the Pelicans,' he wrote in a post shared on the team's official Facebook page. 'We've cried tears of joy together. We've cried tears of grief together. We've fought through adversity together. And through it all, we have stayed together and are better off for it. All because of the special place we call Pelicans Ballpark.'
The city council meeting begins at 10 a.m.
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Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12. See more of his work here.
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