CONWAY -- Building a rural civic center in western Horry County will cost nearly $115 million, according to the latest projections from county officials.
This month, county leaders agreed to move forward with designing the project, the first phase of which will include a 200-stall barn, an indoor equestrian arena and fairgrounds.
The county purchased about 500 acres near the intersection of U.S. Highway 501 and Hardwick Road for the center in 2022. The site is expected to eventually hold an expo hall, RV camping spots, walking and riding trails, and a National Guard readiness center. The new design was the most expensive of four proposals county officials considered.
"Go big or go home," County Councilman Al Allen said.
Allen chairs a county committee that met Sept. 9 with representatives from Johnson Consulting to consider design proposals for the center. The option the committee supported calls for a 140,000-square-foot arena with nearly 4,000 fixed seats as well as concession stands, restrooms and dressing rooms.
Although the original goal for the property was to host equestrian shows and rodeos, that vision has expanded into a multipurpose center that can host a variety of events, said Charlie Johnson of Johnson Consulting.
"That's the right answer for your county," Johnson said. "You're a dynamic market and I think it's very important to future-proof these types of buildings."
Johnson Consulting offered up some of the different ways the space could be used. Along with equestrian events, the center could host sports competitions, graduation ceremonies, flea markets, livestock expos, boat and RV shows and even religious events.
The other design proposals would have meant reducing the size or features of the facility with the cheapest option coming in around $85 million. But Allen emphasized the importance of building a world-class center and investing in the western side of Horry.
"I'm hoping that this rural civic center will help to maintain the rural identity and some of the old-school rural culture of Horry County," he said.
The next step in the project will cost over $700,000
The design phase will involve Johnson Consulting meeting with Horry County officials, stakeholders and other community leaders to craft a master plan. Mechanical, electrical and civil engineers will meet with the consultants as well as food service experts and landscaping architects.
This phase will cost more than $700,000, according to the county's projections. Designing and engineering for the project will cost about $15 million.
As for the funding the total cost of the center, that's still a question mark. The county has $35 million in cash already and county officials hope to secure additional grants and state funding since the project has regional significance.
"There has been a lot of interest from those sources but those sources have held back on committing until they saw that we were committed in the project," Allen said. "Through this step today, I believe that shows that Horry County is committed to this project."
Another option could be using the county's hospitality fee revenues over the next 12 years, Allen said.
The idea for such a center has been discussed for years. Horry Electric Cooperative, which contributes more than $400,000 annually to the project, originally wanted a site to host its annual meeting, but county leaders saw a need for a complex that could also host agriculture and equestrian events.
County officials have said the center could draw nearly half a million people each year and generate an economic impact of more than $29 million.