A Margaritaville tower, a surf-park hotel, a taller Breakers and a Surfside Hampton Inn are all moving forward. None opens before 2028, and three of the four lean on public land or public money.
By David | Myrtle Beach News | November 13, 2026 https://x.com/myrtlebeachnews
The Grand Strand’s hotel pipeline got a fresh roll call this week. Myrtle Beach News tallied Four Hotels that have recently cleared hurdles: a 296-room Margaritaville resort downtown, a 127-room Hampton Inn & Suites in Surfside Beach, a 150-unit hotel tied to the long-promised Wavegarden surf park at Broadway at the Beach, and a 20-story replacement tower at the Breakers Resort.
Read one at a time, each sounds like routine growth news. Read together, they tell a sharper story. Added up, the Four Hotels would put roughly 800 rooms on the books, but the real thread connecting them is not the room count. It is the deal-making behind them. Three of the four involve city-owned land, tax credits or reimbursements, and the one that doesn’t is the smallest and farthest from downtown. For Horry County residents, that is the part worth watching long after the renderings fade from the news cycle.
Here is what each project is, what the public is being asked to contribute, and when — realistically — anyone might check in.
The largest of the four is the Margaritaville resort planned near Ocean Boulevard and 17th Avenue North, on the old Chesterfield Inn site. Developer Innisfree Hotels told City Council on Nov. 10 that it plans to spend $90 million on the project. The city describes an 18-story building with 296 rooms, ballroom and conference space, a restaurant and bar, and an oceanfront pool [City of Myrtle Beach, 2026]. Innisfree projects at least 350 construction jobs, followed by about 200 full-time positions and roughly $8 million in first-year payroll.
Construction is expected to start in December, with opening targeted for the first quarter of 2029.
The public’s stake here isn’t cash. It’s land. Council’s Nov. 10 vote was the first of two readings on an ordinance that would swap some city-owned alleyways to the developer and sell others at fair market value [City of Myrtle Beach, 2026]. In return, council has asked for boardwalk improvements between Plyler Park and 16th Avenue North with shared costs, a public parking lot and public restrooms, though those items remain requests rather than binding commitments [City of Myrtle Beach, 2026]. As this outlet reported earlier this week, the appraised value of the alleys has not been made public [Myrtle Beach News, 2026].
One note on branding: the Sun News summary describes a water park and swim-up bar, while the city’s own announcement describes an oceanfront pool. WMBF reported a lazy river and waterslides on the beach side, plus a possible resort day pass for locals when occupancy allows. Locals should expect a resort pool deck, not a stand-alone attraction.
If Margaritaville shows how public land can grease a project, the surf park shows how public tax dollars can.
The surf park has been “coming soon” for about a decade. The newest version, led by a group called WGMB that includes Highgate, South Street Partners and Twin Point Capital, would build a roughly 5.5-acre Wavegarden lagoon and a 150-unit hotel on the former Palace Theatre parcel at the U.S. 17 Bypass and 21st Avenue North [WavePoolMag, 2026].
The city has agreed to contribute up to $20 million, structured as a long-term property tax credit known as a special source revenue credit [MyHorryNews, 2026]. Council’s support was not unanimous; members Jackie Hatley and Phil Render voted against the incentive package, which passed 5-2 in September [MyHorryNews, 2026]. On Nov. 10, council gave final approval to placing the property in Horry County’s multi-county business park, a step tied to financing the city’s share.
Here’s what deserves credit: the money is back-loaded. The developer must invest at least $150 million and finish 80% of the project before the city pays anything. That is a meaningful protection for taxpayers, and it stands out among this week’s projects. It is also worth noting that the project’s price tag has been reported at both $150 million and $170 million in recent coverage [WavePoolMag, 2026]. The higher figure, if accurate, means the developer’s stake would be more than eight times the public contribution.
The schedule is long. Construction is targeted for July 2027 and opening for March 2030 [The Sun News, 2026]. And the deal isn’t done: Horry County Council still has to approve the business park agreement in two readings.
Head east on 21st Avenue North from the surf park site and you reach the third project.
At the ocean end of the same street, a developer wants to tear down a 107-unit building at the Breakers Resort and replace it with a 230-unit, 20-story tower. City Council passed both readings — even though the Myrtle Beach Planning Commission had unanimously recommended denial [The Sun News, 2026].
The public money is smaller here but still real. Council approved an agreement with PBB Development LLC to reimburse 2% of the owner’s $65 million investment, capped at $2 million, with the owner spending between $1.3 million and $2 million on public improvements inside the planned development.
Two things stand out. First, a unanimous “no” from the Planning Commission is not a minor footnote. Planning commissioners are the residents appointed to weigh density, traffic and design before council votes, and council set their recommendation aside. Residents should ask what council saw that commissioners didn’t — and whether that reasoning is on the record.
Second, the deadline is generous. The ordinance requires construction to finish by November 2032 [The Sun News, 2026]. That’s six years out. Because the new tower replaces existing rooms, its net addition to the market is about 123 units, not 230.
Taken together, the surf park and the Breakers tower bookend 21st Avenue North, a corridor this outlet has noted is filling with high-rise development [Myrtle Beach News, 2026]. Traffic and parking along that stretch are a fair question for the next public hearing.
The fourth project is a different animal entirely.
Down the South Strand, OM Hotel Group broke ground July 29 on a 127-room Hampton Inn & Suites at 1100 U.S. 17 Business, on the frontage road beside Johnny D’s Waffles [Town of Surfside Beach, 2026; MyHorryNews, 2026]. Plans include free hot breakfast, an indoor pool, a fitness center, meeting space and an outdoor patio, with opening expected in spring 2028 [Town of Surfside Beach, 2026].
Mayor Robert Krouse called it one of the largest financial commitments the town has seen and pitched it as an affordable option for families visiting the “Family Beach”. The size of that commitment depends on who’s counting. The town administrator put it at $18 million when the project surfaced in 2024 [WMBF, 2026], while OM partner Vic Shah described a $25 million investment at groundbreaking. Rising construction costs could explain the gap, but neither side has said so publicly.
What’s missing from the coverage is notable: no reported incentive, land swap or tax credit. This is a family-owned company betting its own money that Surfside can stand on its own as a destination. For the town, the gain is added taxable capacity under its existing 1% hospitality fee and 0.5% local accommodations tax [Myrtle Beach News, 2026], not a new revenue stream.
Step back from the four projects and three patterns emerge.
Public help is the norm, not the exception. Myrtle Beach is offering alleyways for Margaritaville, up to $20 million for Wavegarden and up to $2 million for the Breakers. Each deal may be defensible, but the city’s terms vary widely. The surf park money waits until the project is 80% built. The Breakers reimbursement and Margaritaville land swap carry no comparable performance trigger that has been made public. A consistent standard would protect residents better than case-by-case negotiation.
The rooms are years away. Gross, the four projects add about 803 rooms. Net of the demolished Breakers building, it’s closer to 700. Not one is scheduled to open before spring 2028, and the last could arrive as late as 2032. Grand Strand timelines also tend to slide: the Compass by Margaritaville hotel in North Myrtle Beach was once advertised for early 2025 and is now slated for early 2027 [The Incentivist, 2024; Myrtle Beach Area CVB, 2025]. The surf park itself was once projected to finish in 2021 [WavePoolMag, 2026].
The numbers keep shifting. Two of the four projects carry conflicting cost figures in the public record. That’s not evidence of wrongdoing, but when public incentives are calculated as a share of investment, the investment figure matters.
Myrtle Beach News will keep tracking each vote. If you plan to speak at any of these meetings, check the city and county calendars for confirmed dates.
Four Hotels – The Sun News (via Yahoo News), “Four new hotels planned for the Myrtle Beach area. When will they open to guests?” (2026): https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/four-hotels-planned-myrtle-beach-144318110.html
Four Hotels – Myrtle Beach News, “A $90 Million Margaritaville Resort Is Coming to Myrtle Beach. Here’s What Locals Should Watch Before the Final Vote.” (2026): https://myrtlebeachnews.com/a-90-million-margaritaville-resort/
Four Hotels – WMBF, “Myrtle Beach City Council approves alleyway transfers for proposed Margaritaville resort” (2026): https://www.wmbfnews.com/2026/11/11/myrtle-beach-city-council-gives-initial-approval-alleyway-transfers-proposed-margaritaville-resort/
Four Hotels – WPDE, “Myrtle Beach City Council advances $90M Margaritaville resort proposal” (2026): https://wpde.com/news/local/myrtle-beach-city-council-advances-90m-margaritaville-resort-proposal-jimmy-buffet-ordinance-tourism-boardwalk-plyler-park-construction
Four Hotels – WBTW, “Third Margaritaville resort location one step closer to opening” (2026): https://www.wbtw.com/news/grand-strand/myrtle-beach/third-margaritaville-resort-location-one-step-closer-to-opening/
Four Hotels – WPDE, “Myrtle Beach gives final OK to Wavegarden ordinance tied to $20M city contribution” (2026): https://wpde.com/news/local/myrtle-beach-city-council-gives-final-approval-to-wavegarden-financing-agreement-broadway-at-the-beach-development-multi-county-business-park
Four Hotels – MyHorryNews, “Myrtle Beach considers $20 million investment in wave park” (2026): https://www.myhorrynews.com/news/myrtle-beach-considers-20-million-investment-in-wave-park/article_952b9711-99ae-4bd0-8965-6a4394e0dd03.html
Four Hotels – MyHorryNews, “Myrtle Beach wave park to become part of multi-county partnership” (2026): https://www.myhorrynews.com/news/myrtle-beach-wave-park-to-become-part-of-multi-county-partnership/article_5df4101a-a342-457b-9a5b-3950853cbcd9.html
Four Hotels – WavePoolMag, “Myrtle Beach Advances $150 Million Wave Park Project” (2026): https://wavepoolmag.com/myrtle-beach-wave-park/
Four Hotels – NorthMyrtleBeachVacations.com, “Myrtle Beach Surf Park Approved” (2026): https://www.northmyrtlebeachvacations.com/myrtle-beach-surf-park-wavegarden-approved-2026/
Four Hotels – The Sun News (via NewsBreak), “Developer moves to replace downtown Myrtle Beach hotel with twice-as-large tower” (2026): https://www.newsbreak.com/myrtle-beach-sun-news-1592580/4886872578633-developer-moves-to-replace-downtown-myrtle-beach-hotel-with-twice-as-large-tower
Four Hotels – Myrtle Beach News (MyrtleBeachSC.com), “The Breakers Group Is Building Again” (2026): https://myrtlebeachsc.com/the-breakers-group/
Four Hotels – Town of Surfside Beach, “Groundbreaking Hampton Inn & Suites” (2026): https://www.surfsidebeach.org/m/newsflash/Home/Detail/816
Four Hotels – WMBF, “Hampton Inn & Suites breaks ground in Surfside Beach, set to open in 2028” (2026): https://www.wmbfnews.com/2026/07/27/hampton-inn-suites-breaks-ground-surfside-beach-set-open-2028/
Four Hotels – Post and Courier, “A hotel group is spending $25M in this coastal SC town. Here’s why.” (2026): https://www.postandcourier.com/myrtle-beach/surfside-beach-hampton-inn-om-hotel/article_cc121ba6-cac5-4569-af95-e3cea15700cd.html
Four Hotels – MyHorryNews, “Hotel breaks ground on newest addition to Surfside Beach business scene” (2026): https://www.myhorrynews.com/news/hotel-breaks-ground-on-newest-addition-to-surfside-beach-business-scene/article_cf1eeeed-0a79-4029-901c-3f7e7654e3c5.html
Myrtle Beach News (MyrtleBeachSC.com), “New Hotel in Surfside Beach to Break Ground 15 Months Late” (2026): https://myrtlebeachsc.com/new-hotel-in-surfside-beach/
Myrtle Beach Area CVB, “Myrtle Beach Welcomes a Wave of New Lodging Investments” (2025): https://www.myrtlebeachareacvb.com/news/myrtle-beach-welcomes-a-wave-of-new-lodging-investments
The Incentivist, “Myrtle Beach welcoming new hotels & restaurants” (2024): https://theincentivist.com/myrtle-beach-south-carolina-new-developments-2024/
