District outlines five-year baseball, softball upgrades; $25 million allocated, potential shortfall flagged

The Horry County Facilities Committee on March 24 received a detailed presentation of the district's five-year baseball and softball athletic improvements plan and was told that design changes at several sites have delayed the program slightly and created a probable funding shortfall.

Joe Birch, a facilities staff member, outlined the planned scope for the athletic renovations across nine high schools: improved drainage, new sod, irrigation, backstop and fencing renovations, stadium-style seating around home plate to meet classification seating requirements, dugout renovations, prefab press boxes, batting cages, and upgraded concessions and restrooms sized to the seating counts required for state playoff eligibility.

Birch said site constraints at some schools led the design team to recommend demolition and reconfiguration in order to achieve the intended wraparound stadium seating. At Aynor High School, for example, he said the existing press box and concession stand date from the 1970s, sit close to home plate and prevent the planned wraparound seating; the team recommends demolishing those structures, installing wraparound seating with a prefab press box and constructing a new restroom/concession building behind the seating. Similar adjustments are planned at Conway High, Carolina Forest High, Myrtle Beach High and North Myrtle Beach High, and the district expects to begin phase 1 of construction this summer with completion by the next season.

Committee members were told that $25,000,000 was allocated over five years for the program. Birch reported the program is “about a million dollars short at the end” under the current estimates and that the district will monitor material prices — especially aluminum for bleachers — and revisit each phase’s pricing as design and bids progress. He identified possible options to address the projected shortfall, including reallocation from the capital improvement plan or use of undesignated reserve funds. “I’m a little concerned with some of the price increases,” Birch told the committee.

Pam Dawson asked whether large renderings for the Socastee fields would be available for public viewing; Birch said conceptual plans exist and staff can update and make them available. Dawson also asked about interest on the $5,000,000 that the committee had set aside; Mr. Gardner, a staff member, replied that the funds are held in an interest reserve available for construction projects.

Members discussed the need to revisit cost estimates as material markets evolve; Birch said he expects final contractor pricing for phase 1 within about 30 days and will return to the committee if revisions are needed.