Sports complex a go, as is tax hike in North Myrtle Beach

Sun News - Council approves $15 million bond - NORTH MYRTLE BEACH -- A new sports tourism facility could be opened to North Myrtle Beach residents and visitors at least two years from now, according to city officials.  City Council members gave a final approval Monday night to a $15 million general obligation bond to pay for the facility and the site it will occupy, as well as an eight-year, 6-mill property tax increase - that will raise North Myrtle Beach's property tax rate to 38 mills - to pay off the $15 million bond. After the eight years, the city's property tax rate would revert to 32 mills, city officials said.  Councilwoman Doris Williams and Councilmen Greg Duckworth and Jay Baldwin were absent. Several residents raised concerns Monday about the tax increase at a time of a downturn in the economy while some think the timing is right to bring in a sports facility that will be beneficial for the city.  "I think it's terrible, in the worst depression, to want to raise any money," said resident Gene Sheppard. "We don't need any more burden on us."  Resident Marti Drummond said she thinks the facility is "a wonderful thing."  "We have to look at the big picture," Drummond said. "It will bring money into the city and help keep taxes down. There's not one person in the city that won't benefit from it."  The planned sports facility is part of more than 1,800 acres of land that could be annexed into the city west of the Intracoastal Waterway near Robert Edge Parkway and S.C. 31.  A request to annex and zone the land into the city and a development agreement between the city and landowners SLF IV/SBI Sandridge LLC, SLF IV/SBI Bay Landing LLC, SLF IV/SBI Spice Hill LLC, and Main Street Commercial Partners LLC, will go before the city's Planning Commission today.  The commission would then forward its recommendations on the proposed annexation and development agreement to the City Council.  According to the development agreement, more than 1,460 acres would be zoned for single-family homes, multifamily homes and/or commercial units, and the city will purchase 133 acres for the sports tourism facility and 6.8 acres for an access road to the park site.  The sports facility will include eight multipurpose playing fields, an amphitheater, a water play area, walking trails and a dog park, according to city spokesman Pat Dowling.  A new, bigger facility will help grow both sports tourism and local use as the city's existing sports fields and facilities are already full with sports tourism events, Dowling has said. He said the city's existing fields and facilities are 60 percent used by residents and 40 percent used for sports tourism.