$6.9 Million in federal stimulus money awarded to Horry County airports

March 27, 2009 – Myrtle Beach, SC - Horry County Department of Airports (HCDA) today announced that they have received notification that the County will receive two grants totaling $6.9 million for improvements to Myrtle Beach International Airport and Grand Strand Airport.

The grants are being awarded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), which awards funds to local projects that are “ready to go.”  The ARRA provides detailed and extensive requirements for project funding.  Bill McKown, Chairman of the Horry County Airport Advisory Committee and Vice-Chairman of the SC State Aeronautics Commission states: “This is extremely significant in that Horry County Airports received $6.9 million out of a total $7.4 million earmarked for the entire state of South Carolina aeronautics.  90% of the stimulus funding was awarded to Horry County projects because airport staff was completely vetted and in compliance with all of the criteria.  Airport staff, County Council, and the Airport Advisory Committee were fully prepared and as a result received the lion’s share of the funding.”

The first grant for $2.1 million is for key improvements to the runway lighting system at Grand Strand Airport (CRE) in North Myrtle Beach.  The lighting project is estimated to create 35 construction jobs immediately.  Grand Strand Airport is a general aviation terminal that serves private and corporate aircraft.  General Aviation is the largest segment of aviation in the U.S and in South Carolina’s airports. At Grand Strand Airport, the local economic impact has been quantified with over $10.1 million in local economic activity annually and an additional $3.6 million in earnings.  (Source: SC Department of Commerce, Division of Aeronautics, May 2006).

The second grant for $4.8 million is for the expansion and rehabilitation of Myrtle Beach International Airport’s (MYR) passenger terminal apron.  The project is estimated to create an additional 80 jobs.  MYR is currently undergoing a significant expansion with the addition to the airport’s east side-passenger terminal which will expand the terminal from seven to 12 gates.  MYR’s economic impact on the county is significant, with over $756 million annually pumped in to the local economy, providing earnings of over $325 million and 12,000 jobs (Source: SC Department of Commerce, Division of Aeronautics, May 2006).

Horry County currently has 24 current projects identified for capital improvements at the four county owned airports. Airport Director, Bob Kemp states, “These grant announcements are great news for our county.  We are happy to be able to access any federal funds for infrastructure improvements to any of our airports.”