Adopt A Tree Golf Tourney and More

Thanks to all who signed up and played in our 6th Annual Adopt A Tree Golf Tournament at Wachesaw Plantation East. Many thanks to Rob Mosser GM and Head Professional for his hospitality, Chris Beattie of Legends In Concert, Scott Taylor of the Signature Golf Group, Nora Mason and Joey "Cheescake" of Costco Wholesale, Mendi Hielholzer of The Outback Steakhouse and all the golf courses who donated certificates in support of our project. With the proceeds from the tournament and a few donations, including $1,000.00 from the LAKES POA, we have a total operating budget for next year of close to $4,000. That total is small in comparison to the six figure budget in Pawleys Island and Litchfield, and not a bunch to take care of 2 + miles of beautification, but somehow we "get er done". This project would not have been possible without the help of the volunteers who worked so hard, especially Buddy Sessions and Patrick Burke, who have been volunteering their time for 7 years, to make a difference.


NO WIN FOR MCBRIDE - FORE MORE FOR RHODES

I firmly believe that it was only do to the lack of a known and qualified candidate and lack of funds that John Rhodes was re-elected to another 4 year term. Because of what I still consider a "blunder" in pulling the welcome mat out from under a certain segment of our tourists and costing the City and County millions of dollars, he only was able to gather just 54% or so in the balloting. I wouldn't take that as a vote of confidence over a candidate who has had numerous "incidents" while in office, and nowhere near the money or the endorsements of Rhodes. While we still continue in this recession with very limited job opportunities available and unemployment in double digits, it's going to be a chilly winter on the Grand Strand. I still can't wait to see what happens this Spring, especially in May for what the City and Chamber promote to "reel in" those millions of dollars in revenue we have lost because of their stance. I firmly believe that if the laws that are currently on the books were allowed to be "strictly enforced" during the events and on a year round basis, we could all live in "harmony" while maintaining our resort stature. Part of that penny sales tax could be used to advertise to people that we do have "bike rallies" in our "resort area" and what the dates are, so families could plan accordingly. I don't like being tied up in the traffic or hearing a lot of the noise; but I understand what those events mean to the local businesses and their employees. Most people use the bars as examples of who makes the money during those weeks, but those people also eat, attend local entertainment venues and S P E N D! I already see too many places closed for the winter or possible closed for good. I don't profess to be any kind of economist, and sometimes looks can be deceiving, but you would need a lot of "smoke and mirrors" not to see the vacant strip shops and the failed businesses in our area. Other towns live with the festivals and I am sure there are many more "retirees" in Daytona Beach than on the entire Grand Strand! Maybe we should have sent a contingent there to find our how they continue to have their rallies, prosper, and keep their residents "happy" having the event.


HOW ABOUT A SOUTHERN CARIBBEAN CRUISE - 10 Nights In Paradise???





Our Ports Of Call will be:

San Juan (Stay May 6th or 7th for $136 per night)
Bridgetown, Barbados
Castries, St. Lucia
St. Johns, Antigua
Philipsburg, St. Maarten
St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands

You can fly round trip from Myrtle Beach International, spend 2 nights in San Juan, 8 days cruising on the Serenade Of the Seas, 10 nights in the Southern Caribbean for just $1460 per person with all taxes, port fees, etc.

Ever cruise with a group?? You need to join us and find out how much fun it can be! It starts with a "meet and greet" prior to the cruise, we have custom cruise t-shirts, group cocktail party, group dance party in the Vortex Disco, cash miniature golf contest with trophies and other fun contests. We have 38 people signed up to go so far...come join the PARTY!!!

NEED MORE INFO????

CALL SAM STAMPS AT THE "CRUISE CORNER" 1-888-742-7242.....Sam booked the first cruise and has been our Travel Agent for 8 cruises now...Need a cruise, any cruise
work with the "Cruise Corner" for personal and professional service.



DOUG DECKER WINS "LEGEND IN ENERGY AWARD"

Congratulations to my good friend Doug Decker who was honored for the 2nd time this year, named a 2009 Legend In Energy  at the 32nd Annual World Energy Engineering Congress in Washington, DC, November 4th thru 6th.  If you folks remember, it was Doug Decker who appeared on my show numerous times with information concerning the expenditures and the viability of building the West Side Airport Terminal that I strongly opposed with him.  I remember quite vividly how Liz (Ethics Violations, Suspended License and Speeder, who PAYS HER TICKETS) Gilland called Doug out as a person who had "bad information".  Doug was also named by John (Why Can't I Be County Administrator) Weaver, along with myself, Paul Gable and Bill Darby as a bunch of "Looney Tunes" because of our opposition.  However, history has now shown, thanks to the courage of the MB Community Appearance Board, that the project was not necessary, ultimately costing the County millions of dollars in fees for studies and plans for design.  However, even though it cost millions of dollars to "shoot the plan down", those dollars are nothing in comparison to the over 150 million dollars that will now be saved.  Doug is an outstanding member of our community, who used his own funds to put together the presentation he utilized at numerous meetings before groups in Myrtle Beach and Horry County.  I am proud to be his friend, and proud to have worked with him, Paul and Bill on a project that was JUST NOT NEEDED!  Doug was also inducted into the Association of Energy Engineers Hall of Fame in 2001 and their is a Douglas Decker Lifetime Achievement Award in his honor.  the full article written by Paul Gable appeared in the Thursday, November 19th issue of the Waccamaw Times.


WHO IS THAT WASCALLY WABBIT "ELMER FUDD"

By now you should know the person behind the Elmer Fudd postings that the MB Chamber of Commerce was so "HOT" to nail!  It's one thing to post an opinion, but totally another to post unfounded "truths" when the evidence is just not there. Although my personal opinion would not be a vote of confidence for them and some of the things they do, I only post what I know to be true.  My own personal opinion is that I don't see that 1 cent sales tax as the "saving tourism" in Myrtle Beach.  After being passed in August, it was "lauded" as quickly as October of being an instrument that "saved" the last part of the tourist season for our area.  However, looking at the weekly room occupancy statistics published in the Sun News, it didn't seem to have that "great" of an impact, if any, especially after many businesses lost hundreds of thousands of dollars to start the season off.  Take the "lauded" winter Beach Ball Classic....do we know the income figures from that event??
Not that I can find.  What I do know is that:

1.  Its Estimated that it brings around 4,000 people to the Grand Strand in the dead of winter.  Okay, but  Mayor BB gets the Convention Center for a week for free, estimated at $250,000.  That means aside from any advertising, it cost $62.50 per person to bring them here.

2.  The tournament also provides boarding to the participants in the tournament. If the cost was $30 per night and a team of 15 were here for a week, that's another $3150 per team, times how many teams????  I don't have the information on whether or not they are fed.

3.  Many of our local teams are in the mix for the tournament....are their families counted in the 4,000 figure?
And just where does this figure come from??  What is the estimated average dollar amount spent?  What is the average stay?

4.  Once again, what are the attendance figures for those games???  How much is made on concessions?
Who gets it?  Our Mayor?

If the event is such a big "money maker" how come so much is given away???

You want to bring people to the Grand Strand.....Use the 1 cent sales tax to pay for the prize money to bring the now economically struggling PGA Tour back to the Golf Capital Of the World, and just like the World Am, set up the Worlds Largest 19th hole Wed, Thurs, Fri and Sat at the Convention Center.  With so much money placed on television exposure....how much exposure would be get with 4 days of "live" national coverage????  It would be a lot more than the several million dollars laid out in prize money.  It would bring "thousands of people" here and could be a tournament sponsored by a "City" instead of a "Corporation".

Mr. Mayor, and Chamber, chew on that idea for a spell!
God Bless
Lou

Letter To Bring Casino(s) To The Grand Strand

Ladies and Gentleman,
As we all know, our economy here in Myrtle Beach is in terrible shape and continuing to regress, putting many people in the Unemployment Lines. I know this first hand, since I have been out of work for over 7 months now, with no end in sight, especially in the broadcast industry. I continue to watch as States all around and near us continue to approve ways to increase revenue; Casino Gambling.

Before we go into conversations about the Bible Belt and the South, let's get realistic about the number of Taxpayers and Residents who are struggling on the Grand Strand. Just today in the Sun News, the editorial talked of the remarks of Danny Knight and how Horry County was in need of money to continue services or cut back on them. How do you raise money in an already heavily taxed economic structure like we presently have; by raising taxes, or looking for alternative means? If you allowed your constituents to vote on a matter such as this, it would overwhelmingly be "look for an alternative means". Sure, there have been some ideas out there about taxing trailers that ride without tags, or maybe adding another tax on the tourists, but I'm talking about something to add real revenue to the coffers, a major Casino or two with all types of gambling.

As I ride around the Grand Strand during the "slow" part of the year, look at the failing businesses and empty shops, I think back to the days of the slot machines and how things changed when they were banned. Were the slots good for business on the Grand Strand? Of course they were, but what was wrong was the Legislation that governed the control of those machines to the point that it was "overkill" and found in any nook and cranny that complied with the Law. Secondly, the State and County really had no way to collect it's "fair share" from those machines. I speak with experience on the matter since I ran machines in Baltimore for more than 8 years while running a local tavern and know how the machines worked.

We have a wonderful, but eroding beach and wonderful golf...How many other resort destinations, especially along the East Coast have that? We have another long list of failing and closed attractions and theaters, the most recent being the Hard Rock Theme Park debacle. We also have had a number of golf courses go out of business because the housing "boom", now a "bust" was a more viable money maker than running a golf course without enough golfers. We have the "seedy" gentleman's clubs up and down the Grand Strand, numerous dating services and massage parlors, gambling boats and a State run lottery. Look at the financial deal alone with those little casino boats, and the thoughts of a major casino or two should have everyone "salivating" with $$ signs.

My old home State of Maryland just had the voters authorize the placement of 15,000 slots at 5 selected locations. My friend in Pittsburgh told me how they approved a casino there and have a temporary one set up in a tent while the structure is being built and people are lining up outside to play. There was a gentleman from Connecticut who wrote and told me of the prosperity from legalized gambling there. I know of many people who travel to Tampa, Cherokee, Atlantic City, Louisiana and other places just to gamble money they could have spent here. What do you think attracts the majority of attention on the cruise ships...the Casino, it is filled almost each night!

This is not some stupid "pie in the sky" dream, but something that is echoed each day and agreed to by every person the idea is presented to. However, I present the idea with a Casino or two being voted in by the citizens of Horry County, and the proceeds from such being used to improve our roads and infrastructure, similar to what the State run lottery does with the schools. This would free up millions of dollars that could be used for many other things.

Would we have people with gambling addictions? Sure we would, but we have that now with people who play the Lottery and other games. They will find a way and find a bookie to satisfy their needs whether we have a Casino or not, just like we have people now who are addicted to legalized alcohol and tobacco. But what we would also have would be more people working and more income for the Horry County coffers. Just like our current recession is a trickle down effect, so would the Casino's, but with a more positive spin. More people in hotels equals more people in restaurants equals more people in the shows and more people on the golf courses and other tourist sites.

Think now of the future for Horry County before Marion County puts a "roadblock to the beach" up with their big Bingo Hall and RV Park that will only be the beginning there. I would like one or more of you to come forward with a legislative idea to present this to the voters of Horry County and let them decide. Just think of the up-front money we could get from a major player as a "franchise fee" alone, just for the right to build here. You tell me what we will need to get this issue on the ballot and I will create the necessary volunteers to work with you and get this issue passed. Our future in Horry County needs a better "driving force" than golf courses and sandy beaches. This is truly a "build it and they will come" idea for progress and financial gain for our community.

I await a reply from someone with the "courage" to do this!
God Bless
Happy Thanksgiving '08
Lou Krieger