New surf resort opening at Broadway at the Beach, replacing closed theater. What to know
The long-awaited Myrtle Beach area surf park has an opening date at Broadway at the Beach.
Surfworks’ 28-acre resort will open at Broadway at the Beach in 2027 at the site of the now-closed Palace Theater, pending permits, according to a press release from the PR firm LHWH Public Relations.
A spokesperson for LHWH did not return a request for comment before publication.
The Myrtle Beach property will have a beach club, surf academy, restaurant and other amenities. The partnership between Burroughs & Chapin and Surfworks departs from the long-planned surf park — the first man-made one in South Carolina.
While the resort will still open near the ocean, developers initially planned to open on a 22-acre parcel along 21st Avenue North owned by the City of Myrtle Beach. The facility is supposed to anchor the city’s sports entertainment district, and The Sun News reported in October 2023 that the surf park project would cost $70 million and open in the spring of 2026.
The Sun News also reported in May 2020 that the 22-acre site had nearly 300,000 cubic yards of spoiled dirt, which the city estimated would cost $2 million to clear. My Horry News reported in May 2024 that the project was delayed several times due to funding issues, clearing the spoiled dirt, and rising costs and interest rates. My Horry News also reported that the city extended the land deal’s finalization for the surf park three times.
City of Myrtle Beach Director of Public Information Meredith Denari said in a phone interview that developers made several non-refundable payments totaling $300,000 for those extensions, and the city will keep that money.
She also said developers decided they had found a better location for the surf park.
“I honestly agree,” Denari added.
Denari said she wasn’t involved in negotiations regarding the proposed surf park. Denari added she couldn’t comment on those negotiations or why the city and developers did not ultimately move forward with the deal.
“It’s a matter of the private sector. They found a more desirable location that they wanted to move forward with,” she added. “There is no ill will. We welcome them. They’re an exciting addition to the city of Myrtle Beach.”
The 22-acre tract’s future is unclear, and Denari said there was no news to release now.
“Certainly something exciting that will be a benefit to our residents and to our visitors, and that will complement the location and what’s already around it,” She added.
Broadway at the Beach’s Surfworks project is the newest experience attraction the site has added in recent years. Along with the Tiger Woods-partnered PopStroke and Topgolf, Broadway at the Beach has focused on unique, experience-based retail that new generations of visitors are more inclined to.
