CCU, Myrtle Beach nearing five-year deal for control of renovated downtown theater
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — Coastal Carolina University will manage day-to-day operations within the city’s renovated Broadway Theater for the next five years — the cultural centerpiece of Myrtle Beach’s evolving arts and innovation district.
“Today, you have the opportunity to take, really, the first public milestone in moving this project forward,” Assistant City Manager Brian Tucker said at a Monday meeting where council members approved a lease and operating agreement with CCU.
Under terms of the deal, CCU will commit to using the 300-seat theater at least 150 days a year and book third parties at least 100 days a year. The city has access for 30 days a year that can be donated to nonprofits or other charitable organizations.
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CCU won’t have to pay rent for the first five years, but would be charged between $7,916 and $8,250 a month over years six through ten if the lease is extended.
The council needs one more vote to formalize the deal, and that’s expected to happen within a few weeks.
Myrtle Beach retains naming rights and any revenues from those deals, according to the agreement.
The 809-811 Main St. building where the theater is located on the National Register of Historic Places. It was originally home to a dress shop run by Helen Mates — which was among the state’s most desirable fashion stops between the 1940s and 1960s.
CCU’s involvement in the project from its earliest stages helped convince city leaders last spring to spend $12 million on a renovation.
In addition to the nearly 3,000-square-foot stage, the facility will have a 35-seat multipurpose room, an outdoor patio and large lobby area with room for 250 people.
“CCU wants to continue to have a great presence in downtown Myrtle Beach, and expand their branding,” Tucker said. “They also see this facility as an opportunity for the theater and drama departments not only to perform, but understand how to operate a theater and just run back-of-the house parts of this as well.”
The multifunctional facility will offer space for academic, theatrical, dance, music, civil and special meeting needs, but there are still some questions.
“Who’s going to change the light bulbs, who’s going to manage concessions, who’s going to run the ticket booth,” Tucker said. “All of those details, we’ve really had to dig into over the last couple of years and figure out to the end of the degree, who does what and when and why and how.”
Tucker said the lease won’t begin until the building is occupied, which he guesses will be around mid-2026.
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Jackie LiBrizzi is a multimedia journalist at News13. Jackie is originally from Hamilton, New Jersey, and was raised in Piedmont, South Carolina. Jackie joined the News13 team in June 2023 after she graduated as a student-athlete from the University of South Carolina in May 2023. Follow Jackie on X, formerly Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, and read more of her work here.
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Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12. See more of his work here.
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