[Dukeis#1]

This was pointed out to me by someone on TN. I figured it would be OK here since it's in South Carolina.

Help Save Myrtle Beach's Pavilion Amusement Park

Mr. Mark McBride, Mayor of Myrtle Beach, North Carolina, met with
members of the American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE) on Saturday, September
28, 2004, to discuss how ACE can help save the Pavilion from the planned
redevelopment into an upscale shopping, dining and residential district.
The current development plan is to destroy the entire area and build
beachfront dining, a shopping level topped by condominium towers.

We, in light of the mission of ACE to protect and preserve coasters,
have been asked to express our feelings concerning the planned
destruction of one of the final half-dozen beach-side amusement parks by
first sending a note to the members of the Myrtle Beach city council
this week (first public discussions are scheduled for Thursday,
September 2. You can find a list of the addresses below, or refer to the
Myrtle Beach city web site for other contact information.

Mark S. McBride, Mayor, P. O. Box 2468, Myrtle Beach, SC 29578

Michael Chestnut, Council, 1202 Ragin Street, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577

Charles "Chuck" W. Martino, Jr., Council, 7602 Briarwood Drive, Myrtle
Beach, SC 29572

Susan Grissom Means, Council, 990 Antilles Court, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577

Philip Render, Council, 5709 Quail Hollow Lane, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577

Judy Rodman, Council (mayor pro tem), 9301 Kings Road, Myrtle Beach, SC
29572

Randal G. Wallace, Council, 6506-C Wildwood Trail, Myrtle Beach, SC
29572

Interested individuals can also email the developer with their concerns
about his plans. Mr Barry Landreth, Webster Realty Investors
(barrylandreth@websterrealty.com).

More information will be posted on http://www.ACESoutheast.org in the future
(along with some photos of the park from Saturday), but I can't stress
enough that to escape the wrecking ball is to act now. Next Sunday at
11:00 PM in Panama City Beach, Florida, the Miracle Strip Amusement Park
will turn off the lights FOREVER. We have seen what the closing of
Opryland did in Nashville. Now, without our thoughts and actions, the
Myrtle Beach strip could become yet again the lifeless victim of the
developer's wrecking ball.

Thanks for your support.

Robert Ulrich
American Coaster Enthusiasts
Regional Representative
Southeast Region
<a href='http://www.ACESoutheast.org' target='_blank'>www.ACESoutheast.org</a>

[Cephas]

Hate to be the Devil's Advocate, but What was relatively good at the pavilion besides the Hurricane (I think thats what its called)?

[montumax]

Hate to be the Devil's Advocate, but What was relatively good at the pavilion besides the Hurricane (I think thats what its called)?

Do you know anything about the history of the Pavilion and its significance to Myrtle Beach? When I was writing an article about the Hurricane for Rollercoaster magazine, I learned about the past history of the park. What started out as an assortment of rides (basically a traveling carnival that set up permanently in the location that we know today) became the basis for what formed the Pavilion as we know it. This was many, many moons ago.

The Pavilion is one of the many reasons that many families go to the MB area. When I was younger, going to ride the Swamp Fox and the Pavilion was always one of the highlights of my beach trip. Places like those two parks offer an experience that many big name chain parks (Carowinds included) can't offer. Where else can you go up a lift hill taking in the wonderful ocean air? To me, the view of the ocean from the Swamp Fox's lift is one of the most beautiful sights out there. I'd hate for future beachgoers and younger coaster enthusiasts to lose the chance to have such memories as I had when I was younger. I'd give anything to have Magic Harbor still around (circa when the Corkscrew was there.) That was a nicely done park!

What's good at the park besides the Hurricane? Let's see...the Rainbow (another great view of the ocean), the Haunted Hotel (complete with scare conditioning), the Mouse, that wonderful pipe organ, the Calypso, the Mad Mouse, those wonderful ice cream cones complete with the different toppings, the Lil Eagle, and my favourite thing to do in the park at night: the swings. You know, a park visit isn't just about the coasters. Its everything else that goes along with it. The atmosphere. The food. The games. I think so many focus just on the coasters, they forget about everything else.

I wish more of the younger coaster fans would learn more about the history of the hobby: the parks that aren't in existence anymore, the coasters that are no longer around, etc. I think they'd appreciate the hobby more and understand why we don't want to see parks like Miracle Strip or the Pavilion go goodbye.

[Trev32]

Where else can you go up a lift hill taking in the wonderful ocean air?

Every other Beach that has a rollercoaster lol j/k.



Anyway, oh well, i never got to go there, but i hope those rides find a new home!.

[montumax]

Somebody had posted this on TN:

<a href='http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/mld/myrtlebeachonline/entertainment/visitors_guide/9488382.htm' target='_blank'>Latest News</a>

I found this poll that is on the same page with the above article.

<a href='http://forums.prospero.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=kr-generalforum&msg=782.1&ctx=0' target='_blank'>Pavilion Poll</a>

Be sure and read some of the discussions below the poll. There's some interesting stuff in some of the posts. Somebody mentioned that they want a store like Saks 5th Avenue in the new development to replace the Pavilion.

Wonder if Saks would put signs in the front windows that say "Going Out for Business"?

[carowindsfreak13]

I never been there even though i live near charlston. I hopefully go there. So yes I hope it is saved.

[Cephas]

I think that a very small percentage of rides at the pavilion are one of a kind rides that you can ride only there. I know some people will argue that location is everything, but when I go to the beach, I go there to go swimming, not to go into some tacky amuesment park so I can ride clones of flat rides I've ridden before at other parks. The Hurricane might be a one-of-a-kind attraction, but I got the ride experience from it that I got from the Manhattan Express (At, NY, NY Hotel and Casino in L.V.); I just couldn't stand to ride either again. The swamp fox on the other hand is just awesome (I just had to say that so I wouldn't be banned).

Save the Pavillion so you guys don't whine about it!!!

[carowindsfreak13]

We don't really care if you don't like the pavilion. You can express your thoughts the way you want. I mean this nicely.
Really I don't care about the pavilion

[montumax]

I really think the whole point of trying to save the Pavilion (some "tacky" amusement park) is lost on some of you.

[swampfox43]

^Max, the younger kids will not understand the importance of the Pavilion area until maybe 10-20 years from now. Then they will look back and say "man I wish that cool amusement park with the coasters was still here by the ocean". There is no sense of nostalgia with the younger set. They haven't been around long enough yet to even grasp the importance of preservation. Today's teens (and younger) are wanting bigger, better, faster & newer without any regard for the past whatsoever. You can easily progress to the future without destroying the Pavilion.

You & I, and many others on this board, completely understand the importance of what the Pavilion is to Myrtle Beach. It IS Myrtle Beach. Seaside amusement parks are becomming a thing of the past. Not because they aren't popular, but because the greed of high dollar real estate. The Pavilion has been there for over 65 years. It has operated on a limited schedule SUCCESSFULLY for over 65 years. It has never lost money. The greedy bastards known as Burroughs & Chapin simply want a 12 month facility. Forget all the low class, slummy hotels on 9th - 20th avenues south of the Hurricane coaster. Keep the slums and lets tear down the Pavilion instead. Their priorities are certainly not in order.

I was watching the "Memories of Myrtle Beach" special last week on PBS. They mention how important the Pavilion was when it opened in the 1940's. The MBP is a piece of history that needs to be preserved. That's hard for anyone who grew up in Charlotte to understand. A city that continually destroys it's history. Once it's gone, it's gone forever. Charlotte residents have become conditioned to the fact that it's OK to destroy the older architecture and get some cookie cutter strip mall like every other city has.

ACE will hopefully be making a strong presence at the upcoming meeting.

[Dukeis#1]

Swampfox pretty much stated the thoughts of myself many others on this board.

I think that a very small percentage of rides at the pavilion are one of a kind rides that you can ride only there.  I know some people will argue that location is everything, but when I go to the beach, I go there to go swimming, not to go into some tacky amuesment park so I can ride clones of flat rides I've ridden before at other parks.

Your in the minority if you only go to the Beach to go swimming. What do you the rest of the time? No shopping or dining or visiting the strip attractions?

I doubt the general public (That's 98% of the people that visit the Pavilion) really care that they can ride the same rides somewhere else. It's not like they say "I rode a Wave Swinger at my local fair one time, So I'm not going to ride the one here".

The Pavilion is a Myrtle Beach landmark and is one of the biggest money makers on the strip. When some people think of Myrtle Beach, the Pavilion is one of the first things that comes to mind.

We don't need to loose such a classic beachside park to another standard shopping center and hotel. If they want to build another set of shops that sell over-priced souvenirs, then they should go ahead. They just shouldn't build it on such an important part of MB's history.

[MarkD]

And, after living at Myrtle Beach for 20 years people ask me why I moved. Hmmm... I wonder!

Myrtle Beach has always been about the greenback. It is a shame to even think about tearing down the Pavillion. That is one area that everyone thinks about when you mention the beach.

[bgwfreak]

I went to MB this summer for the first time in years (well not counting one concert last November) just because of the threat of losing the Pavilion.

I love the location of the park and their wild mouse is just way too much fun! Banked turns, who'd of thunk it. lol

The park is so much a part of the history of that area, I would hate to see another shopping complex or hotel go in there.

Just like Opryland, it would be a shame to do that.

[montumax]

To me, the Pavilion has the best set of flat rides in the area! That's one reason that I go there (and its not to ride the Hurricane.) We don't have a Top Spin, Chaos, trabant, Calypso, and the swings (just to name a few that I can recall off the top of my head) anywhere in this area. I'd kill to see some of those rides at Carowinds or even SFOG.

If they had a real drop ride, the park would be set. But, that'll probably never happen. I had heard of one going over next to the beach where that small go kart track is at next to the Pavilion offices. Oh well....

[Cephas]

I think that I have changed my mind and am now thinking that what if I was in Myrtle some time in the future, it would be a shame to say "It would have been cool if the Pavilion were still there..." You don't really realize how much you like things untill they're not there.

<span style='color:red'><span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>SAVE THE PAVILLION FROM HURRICANE FRANCIS!!!</span></span>