Myrtle Beach in-line for new adventure

Sun News - A group of investors has signed a four-year lease with The Burroughs & Chapin Co., Inc, to use the smaller of the two former Pavilion sites along with a few acres on the South End of Myrtle Beach for two new zip-line adventure courses.  Adrenaline Adventures, a group of businessmen from Columbia, Ohio, Tennessee and Kentucky, would like to have the new zip-line courses open by March 1. The city’s Community Appearance Board gave a nod to the conceptual plans, but no official approval or permits have been granted yet.  “We’re all very excited about this, but it’s still preliminary,” said architect Tom Miller of Miller Design Services in Myrtle Beach. His firm is tasked with designing the sales cabanas and zip-line towers around two themes: The former Pavilion site’s theme will be a “Carolina Beach-shabby-shack” theme, while the property on South Ocean Boulevard between Springmaid resort and Damon’s restaurant will have a “Swiss Family Robinson-tiki” theme.  The South Ocean Boulevard course will be named Ocean View Zip Line Adventures, and the course on the former Pavilion site will be called Myrtle Beach Adrenaline Adventures.  Morgan Armstrong of Columbia, one of Adrenaline Adventures’ principal members, said designs are still in the early stages, and Miller said everything will have to be cleared by structural engineers to make sure “it can stand in the real world.”  The courses will take zip-liners from tower to tower on very fast rides, Armstrong said.  “It’s going to be huge fun,” he said. “It’ll be like you’re flying.”  The city limits the height of the structures to 65 feet, and Armstrong said the plans are to “max that out.”  The company also plans a drop tower at each site, and a children’s zip-line course and play area at the larger South Ocean Boulevard site. Large drop towers have gondolas and carry many passengers, but Adrenaline Adventures’ towers will be more like big bungee jumps with passengers attached to a line that spools out as they descend.  Leasing the properties, he said, works for his company, B&C and the city, because it utilizes B&C’s property until the company decides what else it might want to do with it, brings a new attraction and more revenue to the city, and will hopefully be a moneymaker for Adrenaline Adventures.  “This is going to be a big attraction in Myrtle Beach, Armstrong said. “The drop towers will have people lined up around the block.”  Burroughs & Chapin said it does not comment on contractual matters.  Before construction can begin, the company must have all its plans OK’d by the appearance board and line up all the city building permits. The next appearance board meeting is Dec. 15, and Armstrong said if all goes well, construction could begin in late December or early January.  The Downtown Redevelopment Corporation wrote a letter to the city backing the project.  “We think it’s a good temporary addition to the downtown,” said Executive Director David Sebok. “We’re very supportive of it.”

Lodging fee for guests in the works for North Myrtle Beach

Sun News - North Myrtle Beach area lodging properties could pay more starting next year to raise money to buy advertisements promoting the beach destination.  The North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce, which proposed the $1 a night fee as part of its five-year growth strategy, is working out the details and recruiting lodging properties to participate.  Guests to the properties participating will pay $1 a night that will go toward advertisements that the Marketing Co-op, a chamber committee made up of representatives of the participating properties, will decide how to spend.  The fee will start in February, said Marc Jordan, president of the North Myrtle Beach chamber. About six properties have expressed interest in participating, including Elliott Realty and Myrtle Beach Seaside Resort, he said, adding he plans to recruit more businesses.  "We are in the process of getting everything set up,” Jordan said.  Jordan estimates the fee could bring in as much as $500,000 for out-of-market advertising. The money likely would be spent on Internet ads because that’s a popular way to reach potential visitors these days, but it also could go for TV spots in big markets the chamber can’t afford to advertise in with its current $1 million annual marketing budget, Jordan said. The Marketing Co-op would decide the details.  The extra money is needed so the area can lure more visitors through advertising, Rick Elliott, chairman of the growth strategy group, said in a news release.  “These additional dollars will allow for a targeted marketing message to better brand North Myrtle Beach businesses and North Myrtle Beach,” he said.  The $1 a night charge isn’t likely to turn off tourists already booking rooms because it’s a small amount, Jordan said. He compared it to the sales and accommodations taxes visitors already pay. Still, consumers nationwide have been reluctant to pay more fees during the down economy.  “People pay these fees all the time,” Jordan said. “A dollar probably isn’t going to make a big difference to them. It makes a big difference to us.”  The nightly fee wouldn’t be new along the Grand Strand. Several years ago – before the controversial 1-cent sales tax for tourism in Myrtle Beach – a group of Myrtle Beach hoteliers used the same strategy, creating a nightly room charge to raise money to market the destination.  Jordan envisions eventually taking this concept to restaurants by adding $1 to a table’s bill. But for now, he’s focusing on getting the lodging fee going.  The fee is part of the chamber’s five-year growth strategy, dubbed “Building North Myrtle Beach,” which also includes plans to lure a major attraction to the north end and diversify the beach’s economy.