The greater Myrtle Beach area continues investing in sports and recreation facilities creating more places to play, compete and stay active. From modernizing stadiums and expanding athletic complexes to adding new pickleball and disc golf venues, America’s most popular beach destination continues raising the bar.
“Communities across the Grand Strand are making long-term investments in amenities where both recreational activities and large-scale competitions can thrive,” said Stuart Butler, president of Visit Myrtle Beach. “Whether it’s a friendly game of pickleball or a national baseball championship with hundreds of players, modern sporting venues help make our region an appealing place to live and visit.”
As Butler further explained, these projects help the Grand Strand attract youth sports tournaments, amateur competitions and active travelers while creating more recreational opportunities for local residents.
Sports tourism matters because it brings the Grand Strand’s visitor economy and local quality of life together in a way residents can see and enjoy. When families travel here for baseball, soccer, pickleball, golf, disc golf or tournament weekends, they support local hotels, restaurants, shops, attractions and hospitality jobs. At the same time, the facilities built to host those events become everyday assets for the people who live here.
New & Improved Places To Play - Here are some of the newest investments in sports and recreation facilities across South Carolina’s Grand Strand:
- Enhancements to Myrtle Beach’s Pelicans Ballpark were unveiled in April, featuring upgraded seating, a state-of-the-art video board and a new 15,000-square-foot event venue, The Diamond. The new building is designed to host both sports-related activities and community, corporate and special events year-round. For over 25 years, the ballpark has been one of the Grand Strand's premier sports and entertainment venues, serving as the home of the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, the Chicago Cubs' Single-A affiliate, while hosting thousands of fans each season.
- June marked the 20th anniversary of The Ripken Experience Myrtle Beach, one of the nation's premier youth baseball tournament destinations. The milestone coincided with several recent enhancements, including new turf at Ebbets Field, upgrades to The Bullpen gathering space, all-new outfield fences and a new outdoor food venue.
- The Bridge at World Tour Golf Links opened in July as Myrtle Beach’s only Toptracer driving range, featuring 16 hitting bays and technology that allows golfers to play virtual courses, practice or compete in interactive games.
- Located in the heart of Myrtle Beach’s Market Common, Styers Athletic Complex at Grand Park completed a full renovation of all nine multipurpose fields in February. Each field received new turf, including around the pitching mound and home plate for improved durability and weather resilience.
- Earlier this year, the North Myrtle Beach Park & Sports Complex completed a major expansion, adding five new soccer fields, six baseball/softball fields, freshwater ponds, walking trails, playgrounds and picnic shelters to the facility. The complex now features 12 championship-caliber baseball and softball fields split into two six-field configurations, 13 soccer and multipurpose fields, an amphitheater and more.
- The North Myrtle Beach Park & Sports Complex also opened Cypress Nook Disc Golf Course this June, providing players with a wooded course that winds through towering cypress and pine trees and features technical fairways and significant elevation changes. The addition gives the complex two 18-hole disc golf courses.
- Just north in Little River, Pin Point Myrtle Beach opened this March, combining restaurant dining and special event space with nine indoor pickleball courts, seven golf simulators and interactive entertainment in a single destination.
On The Horizon - Exciting new sports and recreation facilities are on the way. Here are some of the upcoming projects taking shape now:
- Site preparation began in July on The Dink District, an indoor pickleball venue with 14 professional-grade courts located in Carolina Forest, just west of Myrtle Beach.
- Construction is underway for The Piper at Legends Golf Resort, a new nine-hole, lighted par-3 course designed for day and evening play, food, drinks and entertainment.
- North Myrtle Beach’s Central Park Pickleball Complex is set to open next year with the addition of 15 pickleball courts.
- The Myrtle Beach Convention Center is undergoing various upgrades to enhance both the guest experience and the facility’s operations, including receiving a new curtain wall, ceilings and lighting updates, and additional natural light. The project is expected to be complete in fall 2027.
These investments are complemented by continued enhancements to the Grand Strand’s dining, lodging and entertainment offerings. Recent additions include colorful lighting along a seven-block stretch of Ocean Boulevard in the heart of Myrtle Beach’s entertainment district; the opening of Guy Fieri’s Downtown Flavortown, an immersive dining and entertainment attraction in Myrtle Beach; and Ole Smoky Distillery and Yee-Haw Brewing Co., Broadway at the Beach’s newest indoor-outdoor restaurant and brewery.
