Broadway at the Beach facts for kids
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| Location | Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, United States |
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| Coordinates | 33°42′56″N 78°52′55″W / 33.715627°N 78.881949°W |
| Opening date | July 4, 1995 |
| Developer | Burroughs & Chapin |
| Owner | Burroughs & Chapin |
| No. of stores and services | 150+ |
| Parking | 5,000+ |
Broadway at the Beach is a huge shopping and fun place in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It's owned by Burroughs & Chapin. This amazing spot cost $250 million to build. It covers about 350 acres, which is like 265 football fields!
You can find three theaters, over 20 restaurants, and more than 100 cool shops here. There are also fun attractions, night clubs, and hotels. Everything is built around a big lake called Lake Broadway. About 14 million people visit Broadway at the Beach every year!
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Exploring Broadway at the Beach
Broadway at the Beach is split into different themed areas. Each area has its own special look and feel. These zones include the New England Fishing Village and the Caribbean Village. There's also the Charleston Boardwalk and Heroes Harbor.
Celebrity Square is a cool area with a warehouse theme. It has nightclubs that stay open later than the other parts of the complex.
Fun Attractions to Visit
This complex is home to many exciting attractions. You can catch a movie at the AMC Theatres Broadway 16. Dive into the ocean world at Ripley's Aquarium. See amazing tribute artists at Legends in Concert.
You can also explore the upside-down building of WonderWorks. Meet your favorite stars at the Hollywood Wax Museum. Or enjoy classic rides at the Pavilion Nostalgia Park. These rides came from the old Myrtle Beach Pavilion.
Where to Stay
If you want to stay close, there are three hotels nearby. A Hampton Inn is right inside the complex. Across 29th Avenue North, you'll find a Fairfield Inn and a Holiday Inn Express. This area is called Lakeshore at Broadway.
History of Broadway at the Beach
Burroughs & Chapin first announced plans for this big project in 1993. Broadway at the Beach officially opened on July 4, 1995. Important people like Senator Strom Thurmond and Governor David Beasley were there for the grand opening.
Some of the first places to open were Hard Rock Cafe and Palace Theatre. Famous music acts like Savage Garden and Weird Al Yankovic performed at the Palace Theatre. More stores and restaurants were added over time.
New Additions and Changes
In November 1996, a Planet Hollywood and All Star Cafe opened. These restaurants were very popular. Celebrities like Bruce Willis, Jennifer Love-Hewitt, and Will Smith even visited for their grand opening in 1997.
In 2011, Legends in Concert moved to Broadway at the Beach. WonderWorks, a science attraction in an upside-down building, opened on April 4, 2011. In 2012, the Backstage Mirror Maze and The Vault Laser Maze opened. These mazes are inspired by a real bank robbery story.
Recent Updates and New Spots
After Labor Day in 2015, Planet Hollywood closed and its unique globe-shaped building was taken down. Some clubs in Celebrity Square also closed. But new and exciting places quickly took their spot!
In 2015, it was announced that the city's first Dave & Buster's would open here. A new, bigger Hard Rock Cafe opened in 2016. The old Hard Rock pyramid building was removed to make space for Dave & Buster's. A Wahlburgers restaurant also opened in 2016.
The former Carlos'n Charlie's restaurant became Paula Deen’s Family Kitchen. Celebrity Square got a fresh new look. It changed from an old "French Quarter" style to a modern warehouse district feel. In 2017, Celebrity Square was officially renamed "The Avenue."
Changes to the Palace Theatre
The Palace Theatre, a large performance hall, was damaged in October 2016. Because of the damage, the building was later taken down starting in April 2017.
Exciting New Rides and Shops
In 2018, a new attraction called the 360 Observation Wheel opened. It's a 156-foot-tall Ferris wheel with 36 gondolas, each seating six people. It also has a million lights that can flash to music!
A 4D ride based on The Simpsons also opened in 2018. It's inside a building that looks like The Azteca theater from the show. Next door, a gift shop designed like the Kwik-E-Mart sells fun items from The Simpsons.
In late 2018, Broadway Louie's, a sports and karaoke bar that had been open for 20 years, closed its doors.
Gallery
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The Hollywood Wax Museum, originally NASCAR Cafe
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Hard Rock Cafe prior to relocation in 2015, currently Dave & Buster's
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Pavilion Nostalgia Park
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Former Planet Hollywood, demolished in 2015; current site of Carolina Ale House
