NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – North Myrtle Beach residents will head to the polls on Tuesday to decide if they want to pay for a Tourism Development Fee, also called TDF. 

According to city officials, if passed, this fee will bring on a one percent sales tax in North Myrtle Beach, and it would take effect roughly two months after Tuesday’s vote.

“The real issue here is do you want to give a designated marketing organization $8.5 million the first year, and 80 percent of that every year after, to market tourism out of state to bring more people to North Myrtle Beach,” said Pat Dowling with the City of North Myrtle Beach. 

The new one percent sales tax would be paid by all residents and visitors to the city. Dowling explains sales tax revenue from the first year, estimated to be about $8.5 million, would go to an “as-yet-to-be-determined Designated Marketing Organization” to market the city’s tourism aspect in out-of-state areas to draw more people to North Myrtle Beach.

After the first year, 80 percent of the $8.5 million would continue to go toward marketing the city in out-of-state regions, and the other 20 percent – roughly $1.7 million – would go to the city for “some property tax reduction” and to enhance public parking spaces.

In this scenario, North Myrtle Beach city leaders would control how the 20 percent is spent, but the city would not have direct oversight of the 80 percent for marketing purposes. He also said council could decide to split the money between the North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce or the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce for marketing.

Initially, the North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce brought the issue to city council and asked for what is called a “super majority vote,” according to Dowling. However, city council decided they did not want to vote on this issue, because they wanted to leave it up to the residents who would end up paying for the tax. 

“They said if you want this issue, then we’ll put it on the referendum and let the people decide, and abide by what the people decide,” said Dowling. He said if the vote passes, the money will start being collected in about two months, but if it does not pass, the issue cannot be brought up again for at least two years. 

You must be registered to vote in North Myrtle Beach to vote on the TDF referendum. The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday. Below is a list of polling locations: 

  • Windy Hill 1 Precinct – Windy Hill Fire Station # 3 (33rd Avenue South)

  • Windy Hill 2 Precinct – Fire Station # 5 (Barefoot Resort – 4740 Barefoot Resort Bridge Road)

  • Crescent Beach Precinct – J. Bryan Floyd Community Center (1030 Possum Trot Road)

  • Ocean Drive 1 Precinct – Fire Station #1 (2nd Avenue South)

  • Ocean Drive 2 Precinct – St. Stephens Episcopal Church- (11th Avenue North)

  • Cherry Grove 1 Precinct – Chapel By The Sea Church (Sea Mountain Highway)

  • Cherry Grove 2 Precinct – Fire Station # 4 (Little River Neck Road)