Chicago Cubs' Single-A Affiliate Needs City Assistance to Remain in Myrtle Beach

Major League Baseball wants an answer by May 30 as to whether the municipalities have hammered out a funding agreement, as well as a lease with the team, that will allow the Pelicans to remain in a renovated venue.

The Pelicans have occupied the stadium since 1999, when they signed a 20-year lease. Their inception brought the return of baseball to the city, which had been without the game since the 1992 departure of the Myrtle Beach Hurricanes (High-A, Toronto Blue Jays).

Since that initial lease expired in 2018, the Pelicans have been on a series of extensions. But something needs to be done now, given the MLB deadline.

According to the Tuesday council agenda, the stadium needs an estimated $20 million in upgrades.

Horry County is proposing to contribute $6 million toward the stadium renovations under one big condition: the city of Myrtle Beach must agree to assume Horry County’s 30% ownership stake in the land and stadium.

Should the council agree to the Horry County proposal, then the council would need the final OK from the Pelicans on a 30-year lease, which would see payments graduate from $750,000 to $950,000 annually over the lease term. The council, under the proposal, also would assess a per-ticket fee for events at the stadium to help pay for improvements.

The proposal to shift $6 million and the rights to the property was one of three that Horry County offered after its meeting last week. That proposal would absolve the county of any future liability.

According to the council agenda, the city is not considering the other two proposals made by the county, which were more complex and would have been difficult to agree to before the Friday deadline.

During previous meetings, the city council has expressed its desire to keep the Cubs’ affiliate in Myrtle Beach. Now, the city must commit to taking over the stadium to make that happen.