MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW)- News13 first reported to you in February, the Oceanfront Merchants Association had cancelled its annual St. Patrick’s Day Festival.
Wednesday the Myrtle Beach Downtown Redevelopment Corporation Board of Directors held its Strategic Planning Retreat. The Executive Director of OMA was one of the downtown groups to make presentations. She explained why the group canceled the event.
“A lot of it was road construction caused revenue to be down in our area, business was down for the merchants and that was a trickle effect that led into low sponsorship level and then without the inkind services from the city as it just kind of tipped the scale for us to make that decision,” Peggy Iverson said.
Last month, Myrtle Beach City Council denied a $2,800 request for “in-kind expenses” for police, cleanup, etc. at the event.
City leaders say OMA has received more than $1 million dollars through accommodations tax and the Downtown Redevelopment Corporation in the last three years.
“City Council would prefer to give the group money one time unless there are extenuating circumstances rather than have that group come back and ask for a little extra money.” City spokesperson Mark Kruea said.
However, this week city council approved nearly $60,000 for similar services to the upcoming Carolina Country Music Fest.
“City Council takes it on a case by case basis currently. And with the Carolina Country Music Festival, the small investment, the 59-thousand dollars will certainly be returned to the economy by that large massive four day country music fest,” Kruea said.
OMA says it costs them more than $100,000 for the St. Pattys Festival and this year they exhausted all cost saving measures. Directors say they will have to make changes moving forward.
“We are going to re-evaluate what kind of festivals we do next year and if it’s going to be pretty clear across the board where we won’t get the inkind support from the city anymore to have these other festivals then we’ll probably gear it more towards the festivals that don’t require inkind service,” Iverson said.
Instead of a festival, next weekend OMA will offer a “Get Your Green On” weekend. If you wear green to a participating business you will get the Irish Special. There will also be live bands playing next Friday and Saturday.
OMA is also looking to get city approval for a Cornhole Tournament in April and a New Year’s Eve celebration with an Oyster Roast in December.
