The Conway Riverfront draws people from all over Horry County, and soon they may be able to enjoy a play or concert there as well.
The Theater of the Republic on Main Street in Conway proposed the idea of building an amphitheater on riverfront to the City of Conway. The theater has drawn performance-lovers to Main Street for almost 50 years, and now hopes to take its next big production outdoors, to an even bigger stage.
“Everyone has a vision. It’s surreal to see it happen,” said Executive Director Tim McGee.
For more than five years, he’s dreamed of sharing the history of Conway and the Waccamaw River through a musical performance. He said there was one thing he need to make the story come to life.
“You can’t do a show called Spirit of the Waccamaw and the river be five blocks away,” he said.
On Monday night, Conway City Council voted to conduct a feasibility study to determine whether building an amphitheater would be possible downtown. Though the city hopes to build it along the river, the study would determine the exact location and whether there is enough interest for the venue.
According to city spokesperson Taylor Newell, the city will apply for grants to fund the study, which could cost anywhere between $1,500 and $15,000.
“We’ve been talking a long time about how to make Conway a tourist destination. That’s a way to bring people from the beach and get them here,” she said.
Newell said Conway has looked to other cities for inspiration, and currently favors an amphitheater similar to the one in Lexington, South Carolina. It also sits along a river, and seats approximately 900 people.
“[McGee] would like to see 700 seats, and while that would be great, the city would good with even 400, if we were able to accomplish something like that,” she said.
According to Newell, the city would own the venue and rent it out for other performances. McGee hopes to see jazz bands, symphonies, or even student groups perform there.
“We’re losing a lot of our arts, so anytime that a community can provide such an amphitheater, something that would keep the arts alive for every aspect of the city, not just the theater,” he said.
Conway City Council plans to schedule a workshop to continue discussing the amphitheater.