While some of the newest projects aimed for the beach may be pipedreams, a few are bound to come to fruition! Bob Bestler, columnist for the local Sun News, discussed these new undertakings in a recent article. In no order of importance, we’ll review a few of these and add some of our own!

Art Linkletter Planetarium - Mike Ries, operations director for the $60-million, family-theme planetarium and educational facility backed by TV personality Art Linkletter, says the group hopes to close soon on property located off S.C. 544 near U.S. 17 Bypass in Socastee. Ries said the project could break ground in May or June. The planetarium is spearheaded by Linkletter's friend Jane Lipan of Surfside Beach and would include a 192-acre planetarium, a Sandman Space Dreamatarium, a theme hotel and a restaurant.

Hard Rock Amusement Park - Things are still moving forward on the proposed new theme park project Hard Rock Cafe is involved with and will lend their brand name to. The name “Hard Rock Park” with a logo said to look just like the Hard Rock Cafe signs has already been filed with the trademark office. The proposed 150-acre park may cost $200 million to build and would have a wide range of thrill rides, heavy Rock & Roll themeing throughout, plus an outdoor concert venue that could hold 15,000 people. Development of Hard Rock Park, is moving a little slower than they would like at the moment, and opening is likely to be pushed back until 2006. The delays are necessary for the developers to finalize all of the financing for the park and will actually work out better for the area due to the scheduled completion of a new waterway bridge to provide better access to the Myrtle Beach area.

International Trade Center - Several years ago, when it became apparent that Myrtle Square Mall would close when the new Coastal Grand Mall opened in March of 2004, Burroughs & Chapin Company began to consider what would be the highest and best use for the Myrtle Square Mall site. Burroughs & Chapin determined that the site provided a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the City of Myrtle Beach to expand its convention center to become a national/international convention and trade show facility, with an additional state trade mission attached. The company proposed that the City join with the State and County to consider this opportunity. It now appears if an international trade center is ever to be built at the Myrtle Square Mall site; a private developer may have to lead the project, Myrtle Beach officials said recently. That's because the city cannot afford to buy a sizeable amount of land at the mall site, according to city officials. The city is near its limit for debt and, without a new source of revenue, it's unlikely the city could absorb any more. The 60-acre site has an estimated $40 million price tag. The city could form an authority or corporation similar to the Downtown Redevelopment Corp. according to City Manager Tom Leath. Leath said that group, likely appointed by the city, could hire a developer to finance the land purchase, and build and operate the trade center until giving it to the city in 20 years or so. Officials say they must make a decision quickly to ensure $7 million earmarked for the project by state lawmakers doesn't go elsewhere.

The Atlantic Center Arena - This project, in the early stages of development, is to be built on the campus of Coastal Carolina University near Conway. Developers say the arena would offer concerts and sporting such as CCU basketball, hockey, minor league football, and professional wrestling. A previous effort to build an arena on the former air base failed after developers failed to show how they would fill 800,000 seats a year. While the beach still holds its position as the major attraction for visitors, any and all of these projects, should they be completed, will add to the appeal of a Grand Strand vacation.

The Myrtle Beach Pavilion Amusement Park - The city's Downtown Redevelopment Corp. and Pavilion owner Burroughs & Chapin Co. Inc. have backed California-based Webster Realty Investors as the park project's master developer. Webster's $200 million vision for the Pavilion site includes two hotel or time-shared towers, an amphitheater that could seat between 500 and 1,000 people, 210 residential units, six restaurants, shops, landscaped walkways and a roller coaster aimed at keeping some of the Pavilion's history. The original Pavilion building along the oceanfront could stay or go. A bridge would take pedestrians over Ocean Boulevard. Officials didn't talk about how to pay for the $200 million project or whether the Pavilion would move. City leaders want to generate more year-round traffic along the beachfront by replacing the seasonal amusement park with development that would lure tourists and locals to the city's core even in the winter.

HL Hunley Exhibit - A new 4,200 square foot building at Broadway at the Beach will be devoted to the Civil War submarine the HL Hunley. Burroughs and Chapin says it will open the Hunley exhibit in a building now under construction. The display will include interactive exhibits telling the story of the first submarine in history to sink an enemy warship. It's scheduled to open in July. The exhibit will be called 'Adventures in Science, History and Nature,' and will give guests an interactive look at the historical events surrounding the Hunley—from its construction and operation to its recovery off the coast of Charleston in 2000.