Mediator declares impasse in Hospitality Fee suit; Myrtle Beach ready to proceed

The City of Myrtle Beach and other municipalities worked diligently to resolve the ongoing Hospitality Fee issues arising from Horry County’s unlawful collection of that fee. Despite our best efforts and the best efforts of the court-appointed mediator, it appears that Horry County is unwilling to settle.

During mediated negotiations, we reached a settlement agreement in principle which was approved by Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach, Atlantic Beach and Aynor. It would have funded both I-73 and improvements to SC 22. Myrtle Beach’s position evolved several times during the course of the mediation in an effort to find a reasonable settlement to which both parties could agree. However, at its December 16 meeting, Horry County Council rejected the negotiated agreement, which its own authorized representative had previously approved.

The Myrtle Beach City Council expressed disappointment at the county’s eleventh-hour rejection during a special City Council meeting on December 19. The mediator has since declared an impasse in the talks. The City of Myrtle Beach will vigorously prosecute its case to protect our citizens’ interests and the interests of those who were required to pay the county’s unauthorized Hospitality Fee. Unlawfully collected money is not “tax” revenue and should be returned to those who paid it.