Myrtle Beach Update

American Airlines announces nonstop flights between Myrtle Beach and New York's LaGuardia Airport starting June 4.  Service will be for Saturday and Sunday flights on a 50 seat Canadair Regional Jet.  Flights will depart from LaGuardia at 9am Saturday, arrive 11:34am and depart Myrtle Beach at 12:04pm Sunday to arrive in New York by 2:22pm.

Myrtle Beach will have nonstop flilghts to Canada this summer on a carrier new to the area.  WestJet will start flying nonstop routes, twice a week  to Myrtle Beach from Toronto May 2.  The flights, on Thursdays and Sundays, will leave Toronto at 9:30am and arrive at Myrtle Beach 11:35am.  It will then leave Mrytle Beach at 12:20pm and arrive in Toronto at 2:14pm.  The seasonal service will last until Oct 24.  Tickets went on sale Monday with special introductory fares of approx $166 for one way to Myrtle Beach.

Myrtle Beach Airport update..crews are putting finishing touches on a $118million expansion which is expected to be complete March 19.

The Barefoot Golf Resort Love Course reopened September 10.  The Championship nine at the World Tour Golf links is adding Mini-Verde Bermuda greens  is scheduled to reopen October 1.  The renovation projects all include the installation of ultradwarf Bermuda greeens which offer a premier cutting surface but becomes stressed in the summer heat.  The Love Course joins Barefoots Dye Club, Prestwick, the Grande Dunes Resort , Myrtle Beach National Kings North and Meadowlands Golf Club in reopening.

The 10th Grand Strand Hootie & the Blowfish Monday after the Masters will be April 9 at the Barefoot Resort & Golf Dye Club.  Davis Love III has committed to make his first appearance this year.  Other commitments include John Daly, Tommy "Two Gloves" Gainey and Conway native Kristy McPherson.  ESPN's Mike and Mike in the Morning is returing for a live broadcast from 6-10 am.  Tickets go on sale 11am Saturday at the House of Blues, Barefoot Resort pro shops and all Ticketmaster outlets.  Tickets are $15.
The event has sold out its approx 6000 tickets in each of the past six years and are often sold out prior to the day of the event.

Flights to two new destinations from Myrtle Beach start this week.
Myrtle Beach Direct Air will fly two times a week to Hagerstown, MD and Lakeland, FL from Myrlte Beach International.  The flights will run Thursdays and Saturdays.

Source-The Sun News

Paid rounds played on the Grand Strand in the spring golf season increased for the second consecutive year, and the increase was more significant in 2011.
After increasing approximately 5.5 percent in March, April and May in 2010 compared to 2009, they jumped another 8.7 percent this year over last.
Marketing initiatives have driven interest.  They include an ESPN Radio campaign.  Weather and an increase in direct flights may have played a part, as well.   Source...The Sun News

Myrtle Beach is the best beach destination in the US for the second consecutive year, travel website TripAdvisor announced Tuesday.  The city ranked first for US beach destinations and sixth for beach destinations worldwide in the 2011 Travelers Choice Awards.  TripAdvisor's listing is based on user reviews.

Flights between Myrtle Beach and Toronto begin next week for the spring season.  Porter Airlines will operate four round-trip flights each week beginning February 17 between Myrtle Beach International Airport and Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport.  The flights will be on Sunday, Monday, Thursday and Friday.

Myrtle Beach's boardwalk is in the running for an economic development award from the Municipal Association of South Carolina.  The 1.2 mile boardwalk also has been recognized by National Geographic as one of the top 10 boardwalks in the country.

A Myrtle Beach inn is among the "Top 25 Hotels in the United States" in 2011, according to national website Trip Advisor.  The Marina Inn at Grande Dunes, 8121 Amalfi Place, was 18th in the annual ranking.  The hotels on the list are selected base on TripAdvisor user reviews.

Coastal Carolina was chosen Sunday as one of the 16 regional hosts.  The NCAA Myrtle Beach Regional will be held this weekend at BB&T Coastal Field, starting Friday and running through Sunday or Monday if needed.  Tickets available at www.myrtlebeachpelicans.com 

The city and MB Chamber will officially open the city's new boardwalk with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at noon, a giant flip-flop shaped cake made by TLC "The Cake Boss" Buddy Valastro.  The event kicks off at 10am and ends 10pm with non-stop entertainment staggered on two stages.  The ribbon cutting is at noon with cake unveiling about 12:30 or 1pm.  Musicians include Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs, Mark Roberts and the Breeze Band, The Coasters, The Catalinas then the finale with Ben E King.
There will also be various arts and crafts vendors, food and a beer garden.  Fireworks will end the celebration.

Myrtle Beach has been named the "Top U.S Beach and Sun Destination" by TripAdvisor.com.  The TripAdvisor Travelers Choice Awards are based on millions of reviews and opinions from travelers on TripAdvisor.com.  The top honor was determined by a combination of destination comments, favorite places and overall popularity.  Myrtle Beach beat our San Diego, CA and Poipu, HI

Allegiant Air starts non stop flights from Myrtle Beach to Youngstown and Knoxville today. The flight to Youngstown will leave MB at 2:45 with a plane returning 3:45.  The Knoxville flight will land in MB 12:35 with a return flight at 4:25.  Allegiant, which started flying to Myrtle Beach a year ago will add nonstop flights to Fort Wayne, Ind and Grand Rapids, Michigan later this month.

Myrtle Beach International Airport has landed a new non-stop flight to Grand Rapids Michigan.  The flight to Allegiants's new hub at Gerald R Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids starts April 30.  It will run on Mondays and Fridays.  The low cost carrier arrived in Myrtle Beach in 2009 with flights to Huntington WV and Allentown Pa and plans to resume those this spring.

The Myrtle Beach boardwalk is a bit closer to having sidewalk cafés after Tuesdays City Council meeting.  The provisions thus far are café seating outdoors can extend no further than 12 feet out into the boardwalk and the cafés can only be run by those who are already providing food services on site.  Pets and bicycles will be restricted before AM March 15 to Sept 15.

The Market Common won a design award from the International Council of Shopping Centers.  The McCaffery Investments development won the Silver award in inovative design and development at the 2009 US Design and Development awards.  Market Common has more than 40 shops and restaurants with apartments above them and is surrounded by housing, live-work townhomes, single family residences and $30 million of new lakes, parks and roads.

The Cypress Inn, a bed and breakfast in Conway and Divine Prime, an upscale steak house at the Market Common, were honored with the prestigious Four-Diamond Award by AAA.  The Cypress Inn has received the award for 12 consecutive years.  The Marina Inn at Grande Dunes and the Myrtle Beach Marriott Resort at Grande Dunes, both in Myrtle Beach, also received the honor.  AAA gives the Four-Diamond awards annually to hotels and restaurants in North America. 

The expansion at Myrtle Beach International Airport is a $90 million project and is expected to offer 400 construction jobs.  The project construction manager, MB Kahn, is helping small local contractors by holding seminars to provide information abut the project, requirements and the application process.

The Coast RTA is expanding its services to Charleston.  The tentative route will start in December.  As of now the express shuttle will start in Conway , head to Broadway at the Beach, stop at Front Street in Georgetown, then continue to Charleston.  It is scheduled to run Thursdays and Saturdays.  Pricing will be $15 one way & $25 round trip with discounted fares for students at $10 & $15.