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Monday, 23 June 2008 |
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Page 4 of 4
Life in the fast lane
The park already has had a financial impact on Myrtle Beach and the surrounding area, and it is expected to continue. Park officials estimate hiring a work force of 3,000, which will make the park the second-largest employer in Horry County.
“The Hard Rock Park is the state’s largest investment in tourism to date, and it’s already having a significant economic impact,” said Brad Dean, president and CEO of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce. “The entire Grand Strand area has been the recipient of that impact during the construction phase, which provided several hundred jobs plus a large number of purchases from area businesses. The park is also helping bump real estate prices, and we can only hope that’ll grow.”
Dean said if the park is successful in attracting the number of new visitors they are hoping for, the economic impact could reach into the hundreds of millions of dollars in its first year.
“Everyone is very excited that they’re here,” said Christopher Price of Price & Company Realty. “I think we’ll get quite a few condo sales from people coming here to visit the park and taking a look around and deciding they want to buy. For owners and investors, the park is a big boon because they can lease out on a nightly, weekly or monthly basis.”
Price said concerns over any negative impact about the park have been rare.
“The area where they built the park is in a more industrial area anyway, where the former Waccamaw outlets were, so there’s not much of a concern for noise,” he said. “As far as traffic, there’s a new bridge coming across the Intracoastal Waterway, and we’re looking at Interstate 73 coming in eventually. Those things were thought of well in advance. There are a lot of arteries to put traffic into.”
The park-goers certainly aren’t complaining — especially those from Myrtle Beach.
“Yes, there will be more traffic, but there also is better employment available because of the park,” DeLauter said. “Plus, tourism keeps our property taxes down. Tourists can be a pain, but you have to appreciate what they do for our community.”
DeLauter and her daughter, Courtney Spalding, 10, munched on french fries before heading back across the park for another spin in their favorite attraction — “Led Zeppelin: The Ride.”
“I’ve ridden it a zillion times already,” Spalding said. “You have to ride in the back — it pulls you faster.”
Writer Shelia Watson contributed to this story.
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