Issue 52, April 6, 1998
The strand's biggest event of the year, the Sun Fun Festival, is scheduled for June 5 - 8 this year. Myrtle Gras, the beach's tribute to New Orleans, is April 25.
Senior Day 98 will be held at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center May 9 from 2 - 5 p.m. There will be entertainment, gifts, and groups and businesses related to the retirement community participating.
On May 2 the Divas of Disco will perform at Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium. Thelma Houston, Sister Sledge, Gloria Gaynor, Alicia Bridges, and Vicki Sue Robinson will be featured. Hosting will be Deney Terrio (remember 'Dance Fever'?). The show will begin at 4 p.m. Tickets are $25; call 843-444-3500 or 843-444-8032. This concert is a replacement for the Village People concert that the Broadway at the Beach nightclubs wanted to hold. That concert was vetoed by the management of Broadway at the Beach. The Divas of Disco concert is a part of the Gay and Lesbian Pride Festival.
A Taste of Broadway is being held April 19 from 2 - 6 at Broadway at the Beach, with the restaurants of the complex featuring their food and a wine tasting as well. The Classic Auto Beach Festival will be held at the Hard Rock Cafe parking lot from April 16 - 18. Little River's Blue Crab Festival is slated for May 16 - 17 this year, with music, food, arts, and crafts. Call 843-249-6604.
Bo Diddley will perform in concert at Sandpipers's in Murrells Inlet April 17 at 10 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance; call 843-651-1050.
At the House of Blues this month, the Chairmen of the Board and the Fantastic Shakers perform April 11, the Deftones April 17, and Widespread Panic April 27 - 29.
On April 25, a cheerleading competition will be held at the beach. Thanks to the South Beach Neptunes for this tip. More info as I obtain it.
The acclaimed Tidewater Golf Course at Cherry Grove has opened a new 18,000 square foot clubhouse overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway. The store left vacant by the nationwide closing of Electric Avenue at Seaboard Commons is being filled with a Sports Authority superstore, part of the country's largest such chain. Construction has begun on the new theme restaurant Alabama Grill, next to the Nascar Cafe. The Myrtle Waves Water Park may offer, in a low profile manner, alcohol this year. The IMAX Theater may add 3-D capabilities to its attraction later this year. Broadway at the Beach will be getting a petting zoo, Stella's Ark, in the near future. A restaurant and video gambling center, Monte Carlo's, is planned for the former location of Rosa Linda's in central Myrtle Beach.
Further crowd control plans for this year's Memorial Day Bike Festival are being drawn up. The state and nearby cities are loaning officers and 2 helicopters. Two booking stations will be setup along Ocean Boulevard. The city is asking residents and visitors not to call about noise during the weekend, so officials can concentrate on serious violations and traffic control.
The TWA / Jet Express flight arrangement didn't last long. Citing lack of demand, TWA pulled out. Local travel agents weren't surprised. They are complaining about poor service from the Jet Express charter service, which is often slow in paying commissions. Last June the airline canceled over a third of its flights, sometimes leaving travelers stranded.
I-73, a new interstate that is being proposed to run from Detroit to South Carolina, was in the news recently. Residents south of Georgetown down to Charleston have voiced opposition to this portion of the proposal, saying the road is not needed and would adversely affect the quiet pace of the area. U.S. Representative Mark Sanford has introduced a bill to end the highway officially in Georgetown, and effectively in Myrtle Beach (there has been disagreement about the Myrtle Beach to Georgetown segment). No money has ever been allocated for this freeway, so it's not being built anywhere anytime soon.
More statistical evidence of the strand's growth: So far this decade, Horry and Georgetown are the third and fifth fastest-growing South Carolina counties, and Brunswick is the second fastest-growing North Carolina county. Horry grew 17.4 percent to 169,178; Georgetown grew 13 percent to 52,336; Brunswick grew 29.3 percent to 65,938. Last year 2386 apartments and condos units were built in Horry, ranking it 37th in the nation.
The Flatiron Building, that funny-shaped thin triangle of a structure in downtown Myrtle Beach, is being torn down, to be replaced by a small park.
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