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PRT seeks recurring marketing funds and capital for state parks after strong post‑pandemic revenue year
Summary
The Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism reported record park revenues and proposed 21 budget items including $3.7 million for statewide marketing, $18 million for new state park development and $11.5 million for maintenance and upgrades across 48 parks.
Dwayne Parrish, director of the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism, updated the subcommittee on tourism marketing and state park operations, saying parks produced strong revenue and that the agency seeks funding to sustain growth and complete capital projects.
“We had around 56,000,000 in revenue,” Parrish said, summarizing state park performance through the most recent year of reporting.
Nut graf: The department presented 21 line items in its FY25 request to address employee pay compression, statewide marketing competitiveness, property development for new parks, maintenance and infrastructure upgrades and beach renourishment planning.
Key recurring and capital asks included $3,700,000 for statewide marketing (the second marketing request in six years), a recurring competitiveness salary adjustment to raise full‑time FTEs toward $35,000, $18,000,000 for agency property development (to open new parks including Pine Island, Misty Lake, Dearborn, Ramsey Grove, Mayforest and Black River), and $11,500,000 for maintenance and upgrades across existing state parks (asbestos abatement, housing and cabin upgrades).
Other items: $5,100,000 to operate nine DOT‑owned welcome centers; $6,000,000 for road paving inside state parks in partnership with DOT (priority parks listed); $500,000 recurring for the Undiscovered South Carolina grant program for non‑metro communities; $6,000,000 destination‑specific marketing for primary tourism hubs; and a $7,000,000 request to restart a state beach renourishment program that previously cost $43,000,000 over three years.
Parrish said some position requests are for authorization only and funded from State Parks revenue. Senators asked about trail and park damage from Hurricane Helene; Parrish said several parks and trails remain closed for cleanup, some bridges were replaced under DOT emergency procurement and FEMA will reimburse about 75% of eligible costs.
Ending: Committee members praised park staff response after storms and discussed possible follow‑up requests if FEMA reimbursements leave residual state match needs.
