One of the most wildly popular news items on WavePoolMag recently was the announcement of the Myrtle Beach South Carolina wave pool. We were a bit perplexed as to why it received so much traffic as it was just another project announcement. Why this development? It’s not as sexy as a new Kelly wave and it’s not sparkling with the celebrity effervescence of Pharrell’s Virginia Beach project. But the Surfworks Adventure Park has some major mojo going.

It turns out that the same consultation team that steered The Wave and Surf Snowdonia to completion are also involved in helping the $41Million wave pool open its gates to the public. Destination Consultants is a branch of the giant real estate investment management firm Colliers International.

In a recent article on Business Leader, the team at Destination Consulting spoke about the uniqueness of a surf park at the beach and how to make it all work.

“We were introduced to the team from Myrtle Beach because of our involvement in The Wave, from 2013 onwards, and Surf Snowdonia, 2012 onwards, in the UK. They (Surfworks Adventure Park) had seen the Wavegarden technology proposed for both of those and wanted to pursue something similar,” said Matt Hyslop, of Destination Consulting.

According to Hyslop since the waves in Myrtle Beach are marginal at best most of the year, there’s a demand for good waves from the experienced surfers in the area. This crew will seek out the advanced sessions, but it’s the fact that much of America vacations in Myrtle Beach that will help ensure a profitable surf park.

“This business model is centered around doing big volumes in the peak season, with a very quiet, and potentially closed, winter,” Hyslop said in the article. “The big market opportunity though is the huge seasonal tourist market. There’s a massive American market for summer holidays, and Myrtle Beach is a very popular destination for people who want to hit the beach, and enjoy surfing on the coast, or playing golf at one of the many courses.”

Myrtle Beach is a well-known vacation destination on the Atlantic coast attracting some 20 million visitors annually. Surfworks Adventure Park will join other Myrtle Beach landmarks including a giant Ferris wheel, boardwalk and the Ripley’s Aquarium. Both Myrtle Beach and nearby Surfside Beach have also been designated Autism-Friendly destinations by the Champion Autism Network. https://championautismnetwork.com/

Matt said that his Destination Consulting team did initial market and financial feasibility work, helping prepare the first business plan as early as 2015.

“We have supported them through various updates of the business plan over the last four to five years, and have provided general supporting advice. We’ve played a good ‘critical friend’ role with them.”

The Surfworks Adventure Park just signed a 15-year lease for a 20-acre parcel just a few blocks from the Atlantic. American Surf Parks will run and operate the full-size Wavegarden Cove wave pool. The development will include a hotel and amphitheater along with the usual surf shop, surf school and restaurant. Look for the Surfworks Adventure Park to open in 2022.

Stay tuned for a full in-depth interview with Destination Consultants…