2013 Legislative Luncheon

Nov. 20, 2013
11:45 a.m.-2 p.m.
Myrtle Beach Marriott Resort at Grande Dunes
8400 Costa Verde Dr. (Oleander Ballroom), Myrtle Beach

Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce represents 2,500 members and serves as a liaison between our membership and elected officials to ensure that the voice of business is presented to all levels of government. We are committed to helping influence legislation and public policy in a way that benefits our community and local business.

Attend this year’s Legislative Luncheon and hear from a moderated panel discussion with members of the Horry-Georgetown Legislative Delegation to learn where your elected officials stand on important issues affecting the Grand Strand. The chamber also will present its legislative priorities and agenda for 2014.

Scheduled to attend: Sens. Ray Cleary and Greg Hembree and Reps. Heather Ammons Crawford, Carl Anderson, Alan Clemmons, Nelson Hardwick and Mike Ryhal.

This event is free for MBACC members and $55 for nonmembers. Register online.

Become a Tabletop Sponsor at a cost of $500 and receive a reserved table for up to 10 guests. Sponsorship includes a prominent location near the front of the room, logo on printed material, table signage and more! Sponsorship is available for MBACC members only. Contact Kema Faulk at (843) 916-7276 or Kema.Faulk@VisitMyrtleBeach.com.

Sports Complex to put Heads in Beds

 Myrtle Beach’s upcoming sports complex has one mission, and that is to put heads in beds during both our peak and shoulder seasons.

As sports tourism continues to grow, it’s only plausible that the Myrtle Beach area work to make itself not just a premier beach destination, but a world-class sports destination as well.

This 100,000 square-foot indoor facility will include eight basketball courts, 16 volleyball courts, a café and retail area, an entertainment zone complete with a climbing wall and a 1,500-seat telescopic bleacher system. It is also configurable for numerous indoor sports.

Additionally, this facility is going to be located adjacent to the Myrtle Beach Convention Center and will have 426 parking spaces.

Construction on the $12.4 million facility is slated to start in February 2014. Work is expected to take one year before its grand opening in February 2015.

Myrtle Beach’s evolution into a premier sports tourism destination is projected to be a successful and profitable venture. The total number of sporting events is expected to go from 21 in the first year to 33 by year five.

By that fifth year, the projected economic impact is $28.5 million.

This complex is going to be a major victory for the Myrtle Beach area. We look forward to how it will help us expand and grow our family-friendly brand.

75th Celebration

Come and celebrate our birthdays with us! We’ve got cupcakes!
July 20, 2013 .. 5:30 – 10:30 p.m.
Between 8th and 9th Ave.
If the city of Myrtle Beach and the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce were kings, than 2013 would be our diamond jubiliees!

Everyone is invited down for the Beach Music Festival on July 20 to honor the 75th anniversaries of both Myrtle Beach and Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce. It’s going to be a day of fun, music and, as we said, cupcakes!

The festivities get underway at 5:30 p.m. on Ocean Boulevard, between Eighth and Ninth avenues, and run until 10:30 p.m.

Beach music aficionados will get their fill throughout the event. The Catalinas will perform on the main stage at 5:30 p.m., followed by The Original Drifters at 7:30 p.m. and the Temptations Review featuring Dennis Edwards at 9:15 p.m.

The real showstopper, however, is centered around dessert. Katherine Kallinis Berman and Sophie Kallinis LaMontagne, both featured in TLC’s hit series ”DC Cupcakes” and owners of Georgetown Cupcakes, will attempt a world record by building a giant pyramid with 7,500 of their best cupcakes for what they hope is the world’s largest cupcake birthday cake.

We’re hoping for a world record here, but no matter what, it’s the crowd who comes out ahead. The sisters will host a meet-and-greet with the public between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. Then, at 7 p.m., those cupcakes will be there for all to enjoy!

So, come down to the Beach Music Festival and help us celebrate our milestones in style. And use #myr75 to join the conversation in the days leading up to the big day and during the party itself.

Business Support Needed for Work Ready Communities

The availability of skilled workers is the No. 1 factor in business location decisions. South Carolina’s nationally recognized Work Ready Communities program gives counties a way to earn certification of their workforce and thus assure employers of the quality of their workforce. This prestigious recognition gives these areas decided advantages when competing to retain, grow and attract both human capital (jobs and talent) and financial capital (investment). To receive Work Ready Communities designation, Horry County needs 190 businesses to support the project. It is free to sign up and the end result is powerful: Businesses can use this nationally recognized program to recruit and hire new employees and promote and train incumbent workers. Read More

Health Care Reform Employer Update

What you need to know and what’s new for health care reform
Aug. 7, 2013
Sheraton Myrtle Beach Convention Center Hotel
2101 N. Oak St., Myrtle Beach
Free. Register Now

8-8:30 a.m. – Registration

8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. – Program
The Employer Stake in Health Reform – Overview of Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

Breakout Sessions – Complying With the Health Care Law
1. Businesses With 50+ Employees
2. Businesses With Fewer Than 50 Employees

Understanding the Federal Health Insurance Exchange

General Q&A

Speakers (as of July 10)
Ed Johnson, vice president and health care consulting actuary, Stanley, Hunt, DuPree & Rhine
Jason Cogdill, corporate counsel and benefits attorney, ProBenefits
Christy Williams, district manager, ADP
Sam Monroe, chamber of commerce marketing representative, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina
Brennan Paige Lane-Crowe, group marketing representative, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina
Dan Claas, AVP group and individual underwriting, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina

To help you navigate the health care reform track, Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce is teaming up with Myrtle Beach Area Hospitality Association and other local and national organizations to present the 2013 Health Care Forum. The workshop will take a closer look at the key decisions facing employers and discuss the trends that will impact the future of health care. An impressive lineup of speakers and panelists will highlight the rapidly changing health care landscape – both in the United States and South Carolina – its effect on employers, and the obstacles and straightaways that lie ahead.