“We do have a lot of weekend traffic, and when they check out at 11 a.m., we don’t give them a lot o

But something should have. Fireworks, a confetti shower, celebratory horn blasts, something, because that customer's bill, and the two percent state accommodations tax added to it, catapulted Florence County permanently into the ranks of "high-tourism counties, in South Carolina.
The designation myrtle beach south carolina hotels represents a boon for local retailers because, in one fell swoop, Florence is unshackled from the state's dated, and oft-confusing "Sunday codes" or "Blue Laws," as they are often known. Stores here can now open before 1:30 p.m. on Sundays. That could happen immediately, but several major retailers said it would likely be two or three weeks before new times were implemented.
Hotel tax revenues for Florence County were $901,865 in fiscal year 2011, on sales of some $45 million. The state's Sunday codes (Title 53, Chapter 1) note that "The General myrtle beach south carolina hotels Assembly finds that certain areas of the State would benefit greatly from a complete exemption from Chapter 1 of Title 53 (which prohibits Sunday retail sales before myrtle beach south carolina hotels 1:30 p.m.). This benefit would be a result of an expanded tax base thereby reducing the burden placed on property owners myrtle beach south carolina hotels through the property tax." Consequently, the code reads, when accommodations taxes surpass $900,000 in a county, that county is forever exempt from the Sunday codes. (Note: myrtle beach south carolina hotels The Sunday codes do not cover the Sunday sales of alcoholic beverages, in the county, so there is no change there). Just how the $900,000 was arrived at, isn't clear. It probably seemed like a lot at the time.
Florence County barely made it over the threshold, but by code a penny is as good as a pound (or its dollar myrtle beach south carolina hotels equivalent), and qualifies a county for an eternal exemption. Of course, local business and hospitality leaders expect Florence's revenues will continue to grow anyway.
myrtle beach south carolina hotels "We were close just before the recession hit," said Ron Glancy, president of the county's hotel-motel association. "We dropped some, but we've been creeping myrtle beach south carolina hotels back. We're all thrilled that we made it."
"We're really in the middle myrtle beach south carolina hotels of a kind of perfect storm here," said Glancy. "We're on the way to Myrtle Beach, we're in this sweet spot along a major interstate junction and we've got a great team that's bringing people to Florence, to our hotels."
Glancy myrtle beach south carolina hotels said a coalition that includes the Florence Convention and Visitor's Bureau, the Florence Sports Council, the civic center, the city, the county, the Florence Chamber of Commerce myrtle beach south carolina hotels and more has done "an incredible job of maximizing our hotel assets."
He pointed to a handful of religious conventions that assemble in the city every year, "selling out one of both exits (meaning the I-20/I-95 nexus at Magnolia Mall, as well as the Highway 52/I-95 exit) for the better part of the week," the avalanche of sports tournaments now populating Florence Freedom park, and the stream of shows into the Florence myrtle beach south carolina hotels Civic Center.
Holly Beaumier of the convention and visitor's bureau, said the combination of more events, myrtle beach south carolina hotels enhanced promotion and additional rooms put Florence over the top. Two new hotels were built at the US 52 exit in the past few years. Others were erected beside the convention center along Radio Road.
"Anything I might say would just be a guess," she said. "We'll have to wait until it's been in place awhile to see. But it's bound to be a positive for our tenants and for other retailers in the county."
"We do have a lot of weekend traffic, and when they check out at 11 a.m., we don't give them a lot of options other than to leave," he said. "Someone on the way to the beach might stop here and pick up a swimsuit, or some other supplies. Now they can." Bob Sager, store manager for Belk at Magnolia myrtle beach south carolina hotels Mall, said the change will mean more than 90 extra retail minutes.
"We've thought for some time that we're losing Sunday traffic to Columbia and Myrtle Beach, just because myrtle beach south carolina hotels of this," Sager said. "We don't know what the impact will be but we're looking forward to it."
Hitting the "high tourism" threshold brings one other change. Florence County and Florence City can now expand how it uses the other hospitality myrtle beach south carolina hotels tax, the three percent surcharge on local meals. The working theory here is that a "high tourism" area places more demand on local services, such as law enforcement. myrtle beach south carolina hotels The hotel tax dollars must still be spend on tourism-related ventures, but some of the food tax can now go for other services. That's significant. Florence County took in more than $1.3 million from the restaurant tax last year. The city's take was more than $3 million.
myrtle beach south carolina hotels That likely will be good news for law enforcement, but it could mean less for the convention visitor's bureau, the civic center and the sports council. Beaumier said she'll be meeting soon with local officials to make sure the changes aren't too broad.
The Sunday codes, or "Blue Laws" are a tip of the hat to that "old time religion," which sought, and obtained, government help in preserving at least an interpretation of a religious law – the fourth commandment instructed the Jews to "keep the Sabbath holy." Hardliners may not have as strong a hold on popular sentiment as they once did, but they're still in the force in the Pee Dee, which is smack dab in the middle of the Bible Belt.
While the law has been watered down over the years statewide, so that realtors, newspapermen, factory workers and even light bulb salesmen could do their job, a basic prohibition against shopping during myrtle beach south carolina hotels or near the traditional Sunday worship hour has stayed in place.
Petitions to gain even a temporary myrtle beach south carolina hotels stay from Sunday code restrictions during the Christmas holidays have drawn some religious opposition in recent years. The past threeyears, the city and county councils have both passed ordinance waiving the code for 60 days in November and December.