HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WPDE) - A company that's expected to bring about 1,000 jobs to Horry County is closer to becoming a reality. It's called Project Blue.
In a special meeting Thursday night Horry County Council approved a resolution to offer the company behind Project Blue an incentive package. They also passed a first reading of an ordinance that says the county may incur some debt from the economic program down the road.
Brad Lofton, President of the Myrtle Beach Regional Economic Redevelopment Corporation said if the deal goes through the annual payroll will be about $30 million a year with a $75 million economic impact on the community.
There are few details about the project but officials have said the pay rate for the jobs will be $14.36 per hour, the business would not be tourism based and will be located west of the Intracoastal Waterway.
Chairman Tom Rice explained why the name of the company involved in project has not been released, "Economic development is a tricky and sensitive area and if you want companies to take you seriously and if you want them to consider you. Then you have to be willing to keep their information confidential until the deal becomes concrete."
Rice goes on to say if the deal goes through, he expects the company to be operational by late winter early spring.
Councilman Marion Foxworth and Harold Worley did not vote in favor of the ordinance.
