Myrtle Beach Surf Park Approved: What the $170M Wavegarden Deal Means, and Where to Surf Until 2030

On the morning after Myrtle Beach City Council voted, the ocean off North Myrtle Beach looked the way it usually does in late September, a low, easy roll of green water folding onto the sand, a few boards bobbing past the break, and a handful of early walkers with coffee cups watching the surfers wait for a set that might or might not come. That patience is part of surfing on the Grand Strand. The waves here arrive on the Atlantic’s schedule, not ours, and anyone who has spent a week hoping for a good swell knows the feeling of checking the water from the balcony every hour.

On Tuesday, September 22, 2026, the city took a large step toward changing that equation. Council approved an incentive agreement for a Wavegarden surf park on the corner of the US 17 Bypass and 21st Avenue North, right beside Broadway at the Beach, a project now reported at $170 million. If it is built on schedule, surfers will be able to catch a machine-made wave in the middle of Myrtle Beach by the summer of 2030.

We first wrote about the idea earlier this month in our look at the surf park planned near Broadway at the Beach, and our news desk followed the council’s first reading of the agreement. This piece picks up where those left off, with what the final approval actually requires, how the numbers have shifted, and, because 2030 is a long way off, where you can paddle out on real Atlantic swell this week.

What City Council Approved

The vote approved an incentive agreement between the City of Myrtle Beach and WGMB, short for Wavegarden Myrtle Beach, the development group behind the project. According to WMBF and WPDE, the partners in that group are Highgate, South Street Partners, Twin Point Capital and W.M. Jordan. The agreement lets the city contribute up to $20 million toward the project, but it is structured so that the city pays nothing up front and the money only flows after the park is at least 80 percent complete.

That approval is an important milestone, though not the last one. WMBF reported that Horry County still has to approve a Multi-County Business Park designation for the site, which is a separate step from the city vote. It is worth keeping that in mind when you read headlines that make the park sound like a done deal. The city has said yes to its part of the arrangement, and the rest of the process still has to play out.

If the figures sound different from what you read a few weeks ago, you are not imagining it. When we first covered the proposal on September 12, the project was being described at roughly $150 million. Coverage of the final vote puts the total at $170 million, with at least $125 million of that required to come from private investment. Big developments tend to grow and shift as plans are refined, so treat every number here as the current reported figure rather than the final word.

What Is Planned on 21st Avenue North

The centerpiece is a surf lagoon of about 5.5 acres built with Wavegarden technology, the same family of wave-making systems used at inland surf parks elsewhere in the world. Around the lagoon, the plan calls for a 150-room hotel and, according to WMBF, more than 20,000 square feet of food and beverage space, along with retail and a sports tourism component. In other words, it is being pitched less as a single attraction and more as a small resort district built around the wave.

The location matters as much as the lagoon. The corner of the US 17 Bypass and 21st Avenue North sits right next to Broadway at the Beach, which already draws crowds for its shops, restaurants and attractions around the lake. A surf park there would add a new reason to spend an afternoon in that part of town, and it would give families who already make the drive down from North Myrtle Beach for an evening at Broadway one more thing to fold into the day.

One point worth clearing up, because it comes up in conversation around town, is that this project is the Wavegarden proposal from WGMB. It should not be confused with earlier surf park ideas or other brand names that have floated around the Grand Strand over the years. When you see news about the Myrtle Beach surf park from here forward, the Wavegarden plan beside Broadway at the Beach is the one moving through city and county approvals.

How the Incentive Deal Works

For anyone who follows local development, the structure of this agreement is the most interesting part of the story. Rather than handing over money at the start, the city’s contribution of up to $20 million is tied to progress on the ground. WPDE reported that the park must also operate for at least five years, and that the developer would owe repayment if the park fails, closes or is sold. Those guardrails are meant to protect the city if the project stalls halfway through or changes hands soon after opening.

The projections attached to the deal are large. Reported estimates call for about 364,000 visitors a year, with $58.1 million spent at the park each year and another $12.7 million spent elsewhere in the area. WPDE added projections of 44,800 hotel room-nights and roughly $3.2 million a year in revenue for the city. Projections are just that, of course, and the real test will come once the lagoon is full and the first sessions are booked.

Why a Wave Pool Appeals to a Beach Town

It can seem odd at first that a beach town with the whole Atlantic on its doorstep would want a man-made wave. The answer is consistency. The Atlantic here is often gentle, which is lovely for families and for long swims, but it means surfers can go days without a rideable wave, especially in the calm stretches of summer. A lagoon can deliver the same wave again and again, sized for a first-timer in the morning and a strong intermediate in the afternoon, and that kind of reliability is what supporters hope will draw visitors in every season.

The Timeline, From Groundbreaking to 2030

According to WPDE, the agreement requires construction to begin by September 1, 2027, and targets an opening date of July 1, 2030. That gives the development team about a year to finish county approvals, final design and financing before shovels go into the ground, and then roughly three years to build the lagoon, hotel and surrounding space.

For vacation planning, the honest takeaway is that this is a project to watch rather than one to plan around yet. Families who book a beach week for 2027, 2028 or 2029 will likely see construction fencing near Broadway at the Beach instead of surfers. We will keep following the county vote and the construction start, and we will update our coverage as dates firm up, but any family hoping to ride the lagoon should confirm the opening before building a trip around it.

What a Surf Park Could Mean for Grand Strand Visitors

If the park opens as described, it will change the rhythm of a Grand Strand vacation in small but real ways. A rainy-day plan might turn into a surf session. A group of teenagers who have spent a week watching surfers from the shore at Crescent Beach could take a lesson on a predictable wave and then carry that confidence back into the ocean. Adults who surfed years ago might finally have a place to shake off the rust without fighting a crowded lineup.

It could also add to the long list of things to do in Myrtle Beach that do not depend on the weather or the tides. Broadway at the Beach is already one of the easiest places to spend an evening, and a surf lagoon next door would give the area a daytime draw with a very different energy from the shops and restaurants. For North Myrtle Beach visitors, it would be a reasonable drive south, the kind of outing you plan once or twice a week before heading back to the quiet end of the Strand.

How to Surf the Real Ocean Near North Myrtle Beach Now

Until 2030, the only waves on offer are the ones the Atlantic sends. That is not a bad thing. Surfing the ocean off North Myrtle Beach is a sociable, low-key affair, with a friendly lineup on most mornings and plenty of room to learn. The key is going with local knowledge, and the shops and schools below are a good place to get it.

Surf Shops and Lessons Close to Your Rental

Bert’s Surf Shop, at 806 21st Avenue South in North Myrtle Beach, is a familiar name in the Crescent Beach area and a natural first stop for wax, rentals and advice on where the waves are breaking. You can reach the shop at (843) 272-7458. Farther south, Ron Jon Surf Shop sits at Barefoot Landing, 4810 Highway 17 South, a convenient place to pick up gear while you are already out for dinner or a stroll along the waterfront.

For instruction, Kokopelli Surf Camp offers lessons and camps and can be reached at (843) 340-9565. The camp also runs kayak and paddleboard tours, which makes it a good option for mixed groups where not everyone wants to surf. Native Surf Lessons works out of the Cherry Grove area and offers lessons year-round, which is useful if your trip falls in the shoulder seasons when some summer programs wind down. Schedules, prices and minimum ages vary, so call ahead and confirm before you go.

Reading the Water and the Seasons

Surf on the Grand Strand depends on weather systems well offshore, so the best waves tend to arrive on their own schedule rather than any calendar. Rather than trusting a rule of thumb, check a surf forecast the evening before, then stop by or call a shop in the morning to ask where it is breaking. The folks behind the counter know which stretches are working on a given tide and which are flat. It also pays to check the city’s current beach rules on surfing areas and seasons before you paddle out, since those can change from year to year.

If you want to see the local surf community at its most lively, the Carolina Cup Surf Fest is a good introduction, and our story about discovering surfing, paddleboarding and kayaking in North Myrtle Beach is a warm, beginner-friendly primer for families trying it for the first time.

Planning a Surf-Minded Beach Week

A surf-focused week in North Myrtle Beach works best when you stay close to the water and keep the mornings open. Many surfers like to go early, and being able to walk down to the sand with a board under your arm makes it easy to check conditions before breakfast. Stretches like Ocean Drive, with its easy access to shops and restaurants, and Windy Hill, with its calmer, residential feel, both give you a quick path from the front door to the water.

Groups that travel with boards, wetsuits and beach carts appreciate room to spread out. Beach houses give families space for boards and gear, and our oceanfront home rentals in North Myrtle Beach put you steps from the sand, while oceanfront condos put you a short elevator ride from the beach, which is handy when you want to paddle out, come back for lunch and go out again when the tide turns. Either way, you can spend the week learning on real ocean waves and keep an eye on the surf park’s progress for a future trip.

Frequently Asked Questions

Make North Myrtle Beach Your Surf Base

The wave machine is still a few years away, but the Atlantic is right outside the door, and a week in North Myrtle Beach is a fine way to learn it. Stay close to the sand, take a lesson, talk to the shops about where it is breaking, and plan a visit to Broadway at the Beach to see how the surf park is coming along.

Sources: WMBF (September 2026), WPDE (September 2026), and Thomas Beach Vacations coverage from September 2026. Project figures, dates and approvals are subject to change, and surf shop hours and lesson schedules vary by season, so confirm details directly before you go.