Myrtle Beach is changing and for the better... I hope. Today marked the groundbreaking of Myrtle Beach's newest tourist draw, The Hard Rock Cafe Theme Park. My business, 803 Productions, was one of the many invited to watch the event. It was a pretty impressive event as far as press releases go. But what does this really mean for the face of Myrtle Beach?
The impact that the Hard Rock Cafe Theme Park is going to have on the Grand Strand didn't hit me until I arrived at the ceremony. I mean, I didn't think about the size and nature of the beast until I was actually standing there on the ground on which it is going to be built. The park is going to be massive. Built on the old Pottery ground which has served as a great location for many business ventures in the past, the Hard Rock Park is sure to leave its mark on the Beach as well.
THE CHANGES
Driving to the event was a chore, which signifies the first major change to the Grand Stand area: roads to and from the beach. We don't have them, but with a major theme park in the works we will get them. We have to in order for the $400 million dollar park to survive. Let's face it, Myrtle Beach is a tourist market and the only way to ensure that the market survives is to reinvest in its infrastructure. This could be a positive thing or a negative one.
I am on the fence.
I live about 40 min away from work right now. New roads would mean new ways to get to work. However, with the new roads supporting a new theme park means more and more people and traffic. This can either add or subtract to my daily commute. We will have to wait and see.
Ladies and Gentlemen The Gov. Mark Sanford
As the event went on an airplane flew overhead and landed by the nearby Myrtle Beach International Airport. Change number two: reinvestment in the airport and air travel to the beach. Not only are we going to have to revamp the airport but with a theme park in between Disney World and Six Flags we will have to get more carriers to come into the beach. I think this will be great. I am a big fan of air travel. The more carriers the more options. The more options the better the fairs. Yet this will take time.
Not good for Mother Earth
Third is mass transit. The new park is estimated to bring in about 3,000 new jobs. Right now our mass transit system sucks to say the least. No real structure supporting or promoting it. I can't find maps or timetables anywhere not to metion pick-up and drop-off points are so sparatic it is scary. The new jobs should mean more options for mass transportation. The surrounding towns of Marion and Mullins have a tremendous unemployment rate and the park should help alleviate it as long as we can get the workers back and forth to work.
Yes, that is the actual Beatles Bus.
I really can see Myrtle Beach turning into a small Orlando. With new roads and air travel supporting the theme park means new visitors to the grand strand. I understand that Hard Rock is not a media mogul like Disney but with a good infrastructure in place here at the beach means more business looking at the beach. And I am not talking about tourist dollars any more I am talking about real businesses with real money. Throw a young up-start Creative Technologies group (us) into the mix and I think we have something that is going to be good. It will take time but during that time my company and I can hone our skills to be a leader in the changing face of Myrtle Beach.
803's Sticker Work for Hard Rock Theme Park In Action
There are a few other things to think about as well.
1) A new interstate into the beach would mean that the same towns we're trying to help with unemployment will be by-passed.
2) MB is not that high on class. What clientele would a theme park like this bring?
3) In a lot of towns I have visited that have theme parks, the areas surrounding them are a little rough (Six-Flags Atl). How will this affect the homes and properties around the park?
The list goes on and on. I guess we will just have to wait and see.
