[swampfox43]

<a href='http://www.myrtlebeachherald.com/' target='_blank'>http://www.myrtlebeachherald.com/</a>

If the link doesn't work, the story goes something like this (I hope this is OK Jonathan):
National group weighs in on Pavilion debate

By Tom O'Dare
The Herald
September 2, 2004

Myrtle Beach—Myrtle Beach Mayor Mark McBride got an unexpected boost
from a national group that backs his efforts to keep the Pavilion
where it is.

At a Saturday afternoon press conference in front of the Bowery,
Robert Ulrich, regional representative for the American Coaster
Enthusiasts, said the 8,000 members of his group would do whatever it
takes to help preserve the Pavilion amusement park. The ACE is the
largest roller coaster group in the country.

Ulrich said the future development of the Pavilion area has garnered
national attention among many amusement park related groups.

McBride has been a vocal opponent of massive redevelopment of the
Pavilion area along Ocean Boulevard. He tried to get the Myrtle Beach
City Council to pass a resolution last week supporting the idea of
keeping the Pavilion where it is but was rebuffed in a 6-1 vote.

Ulrich said the coaster group not only visits roller coasters
throughout the world, but it also works to preserve amusement parks.

He said the idea of tearing down amusement parks only to be replaced
by different types of development has proven to be a downfall for many
communities.

"Myrtle Beach should look at what happened to Nashville when Opryland
was shut down," Ulrich said. "It was replaced by an upscale shopping
mall and Dollywood in Pigeon Forge and Holiday World in Santa Clause,
Indiana had great surges in attendance the next year."

"And by all accounts, Nashville's tourism still has not recovered to
the pre-closure tourism levels of 1997."

Ulrich said Panama City, Florida has been moving away from family
beach destinations in recent years in lieu of upscale housing
developments. The result, he said, has been the closing of many
businesses in town that have depended upon the typical family
tourists.

"This Saturday night, they turn the lights off for the last time on
Panama City's amusement park that is roughly identical to the Pavilion
park," Ulrich said. "This could very well be the death knell for many
businesses in town there."

Ulrich and several club members with him said history and tradition is
a major driving force for many members of the enthusiasts group.

They pointed to the club's efforts to save the oldest roller coaster
in the United States located in Altoona, Pennsylvania. The club worked
with park owners there to save the 1902 coaster.

"There is a certain charm to Myrtle Beach that isn't strip centers and
shopping malls," Ulrich said. "Part of that ambience is the Pavilion.
It's sad to think that this tradition would be wiped away and replaced
with something you could find almost anywhere in the country—chain
stores and condominiums."

Victor Shamah, owner of the Bowery, said he isn't opposed to
redeveloping the overall area in and around the Pavilion but moving
the Pavilion itself would be a mistake. The Bowery has been located at
the end of Ninth Avenue North beside the current Pavilion building for
sixty years.

McBride said he actually isn't opposed to improvements in the area as
long as the historical Pavilion is left intact. He said the Pavilion
is synonymous with the city of Myrtle Beach to the millions of
visitors who visit each year.

The Downtown Redevelopment Corporation has been charged by the city to
redevelop the Pavilion area and has picked a developer to come up with
a master plan.

The developer presented a preliminary plan this spring that included
high-rise condominiums and more upscale shops, restaurants and
entertainment venues than currently are found in the area.

The plan called for removal of the amusement park and artist
renderings did not show the Pavilion building itself included in
future models.

The DRC and Pavilion owner Burroughs & Chapin said the idea of
redeveloping is to come up with something that will draw visitors to
the area year-round.

Both the DRC and Burroughs & Chapin are quick to point out that no
final plan for the area has been adopted.