The City of Myrtle Beach has filed a lawsuit against Horry County. The city claims the county has illegally been collecting “tens of millions of dollars per year“ through a hospitality fee.
In the complaint filed in Horry County District Court, the city takes issue with at 1.5% hospitality fee Horry County has collected from Myrtle Beach and other municipalities since January 1, 2017. The fee was collected on accommodations, food and beverage, and amusements.
Myrtle Beach requests an end to the collection of that fee from the city and any other municipality since that date. The city also claims that a refund would be appropriate for any fee money collected after that date.
Previously, Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach and Surfside Beach have voted to end a scenario in which the municipalities have sent Horry County the 1.5% hospitality fee that has been collected within those municipalities.
The 1.5% hospitality fee took effect on January 1, 1997 and was supposed to end on January 1, 2017, according to the city’s complaint.
Myrtle Beach filed the lawsuit on behalf of itself and also Atlantic Beach, Aynor, Conway, Loris, North Myrtle Beach and Surfside Beach.
