"New Myrtle Beach airport terminal endorsed"

Sunday, July 20, 2003

New airport terminal endorsed
Officials now looking for $185 million
By David Klepper
The Myrtle Beach (SC) Sun News


It looks as if the Myrtle Beach International Airport will build a 14-gate
terminal across the runway from the current facility after all.

Now, officials want to make sure they know where the money will come from to
cover the terminal's $185 million cost - about the same amount of money it
would take to build an interstate from Myrtle Beach to Florence.

The Horry County Council Ad Hoc Airport Committee endorsed the plan at a
meeting Friday, effectively ending the possibility of expanding the current
terminal or building a larger one near it.

A bigger terminal will relieve congestion at the current site and prepare
for expanded air service - a long-sought goal of the tourism industry.
Officials hope the terminal will satisfy demand for at least two decades -
when a regional airport may be built between Myrtle Beach and Marion.

"This is one of the most significant things we will deal with for a long
time, with the exception of roads," said Councilman Mark Lazarus. "How are
we going to handle the growth for the next 20 to 30 years?"

County Council has the final say on any plans to expand the airport. Earlier
this year, some council members, led by Lazarus, said they wanted to
reconsider older plans to expand the existing terminal rather than build a
new one.

But a study released last week endorsed the new terminal plan, called the
west-side plan by officials. A terminal on the west side would cost about
the same as an expansion and be more efficient and conducive to airport
growth.

"The writing is on the wall," said acting County Council Chairman Terry
Cooper, a member of the ad hoc committee. "We need to go west."

The terminal's construction costs are estimated to be $110 million. The
other $75 million will go toward architecture, engineering work, contingency
reserves and financing costs.

The cost estimates are preliminary. Cooper said he thinks the estimate can
be brought down. "I think these numbers can be tweaked a lot," he said.

Local tax dollars will not be used, officials said.

Some of the costs will be paid by the fee imposed on airlines and passengers
using the terminal. Officials had hoped that the Federal Aviation
Administration would cover most of the cost, but figures released Friday
indicated the level of support may be as low as 15 percent. No one knows how
much FAA support the county can expect.

Scott Seritt, manager of FAA Atlanta Airports District Office, said last
week that the FAA could pay for up to 90 percent of the project but probably
not more than 50 percent of the total cost.

"We've got to figure out how much they'll be willing to pay," said
Councilman Marion Foxworth. "That's the big question."

As plans stand now, construction of the terminal will begin in 2005 and
should be complete in 2007.

Officials said they want to know more about the FAA's contribution and
precise cost estimates before work begins.

County Councilwoman Liz Gilland proposed building the terminal in stages.

Once plans for the new terminal are finalized, officials may turn their
attention to proposals for the large, regional airport. That airport would
serve Florence, the Grand Strand and possibly Wilmington. Though the
construction of such a facility is at least 20 years away, officials said
they need to start planning now.

Local and regional officials should "start immediately working on a regional
airport concept," Lazarus said.

Officials said they will also revisit the airport's master plan, which now
includes plans for a second, and possibly a third, runway.

"We are a long way from needing a second runway," said Foxworth, who
suggested deleting the plans for additional runways.

Myrtle Beach City Council members who worked with the county committee said
they would prefer to see an expansion of the current terminal.

That way, Harrelson Boulevard would continue to service the airport. The new
terminal plan calls for an access road through the former air base. The city
hopes to extend Harrelson Boulevard to Kings Highway.

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