130-757: Freestyle Music Park , formerly called Hard Rock Park , was a music-themed amusement park in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina . Built on 55 acres (22 ha), the park was located at the intersection of US 501 and the Intracoastal Waterway . It included part of the former Waccamaw Factory Shoppes in Fantasy Harbour, and its headquarters was located in Mall 3. The park opened to the public on April 15, 2008, but following financial issues, it closed later that year on September 24. It reopened under
260-546: A Hard Rock Cafe –themed park in a late-night email to Goodwin, who himself had worked for Hard Rock Cafe in the late 1990s. They spent two hours drawing up plans for the park in a Kinko's store in Hollywood, Los Angeles . Plans for a Hard Rock-themed amusement park were released in 2003, but at the time funding and licensing agreements had yet to be finalized. The park was budgeted at $ 250 million by January 2005, and Binkowski and Goodwin sought $ 25 million to $ 30 million from
390-669: A " tongue-in-cheek celebration of all things Polynesian ," " Born in the USA " became "Kids in America," " British Invasion " became "Across the Pond," and "Cool Country" became "Country USA." The entrance changed names from "All Access Entry Plaza" to "VIP Plaza". FPI also introduced Kids in America, a 17,000-square-foot (1,600 m) children's section with four rides named after hit songs purchased from Zamperla of Italy . The rides are named " Get Off My Cloud ," " Fly Like an Eagle ," " Wheels in
520-411: A $ 100 million development on the site. On January 1, 2019, it was reported that the former Hard Rock/Freestyle Music Park property of approximately 125.14 acres as well as several other parcels was sold by FPI US LLC. to FTPP Bishop Parkway LLC for $ 3,545,000. Former Myrtle Beach Mayor John Rhodes had repurchased the old park property a few days prior, on December 28, 2018, although Rhodes's involvement
650-625: A 20-year period before declining late in the first decade of the 21st century. Tiger Woods declared Myrtle Beach "the mecca of golf" when visiting in 1997. The majority of the area's golf courses are public. The Grand Strand is home of " Hootie and the Blowfish Day After the Masters Tournament". Extensive Chinese investment to the Myrtle Beach area golf market has resulted in a significant surge of Chinese tourists to
780-433: A campaign to generate enough money to buy the former park minus the rides for $ 10 million and convert the old park into an education and entertainment complex. An official with Freestyle gave the group three weeks to come up with the resources to purchase the land and buildings, according to Abiding Village officials. On May 7 it was announced via The Sun News that with 5 days left Abiding Village had raised only $ 1 million of
910-455: A castle theme was added in 2018. Attendance at Legoland California reached 2.5 million visitors in 2013 and nearly 3 million by 2015, nearly double the attendance of Legoland Florida. More than $ 20 million was spent per year on sales tax on food and merchandise. The park employed more than 2200 workers in total: 600 full-time, nearly 500 part-time, and more than 1100 seasonal. In mid-March 2020, in line with other Legoland parks,
1040-532: A city ordinance. In addition, the Court ruled that the ordinance created undue confusion, and that the city itself had invalidated their own helmet law and some other ordinances in a subsequent amendment. The law had been challenged by a group of motorcyclists and a group of Myrtle Beach businesses called BOOST, Business Owners Organized to Support Tourism, who opposed the city's anti-motorcycle tourism policy. Major shopping malls in Myrtle Beach include: The area
1170-485: A combination of nerdy attention to detail, startling irreverence and sly wit." Beth J. Harpaz, Associated Press travel editor, declared Nights in White Satin: The Trip as one of her all-time favorite rides from any park. However, in light of the frozen credit markets during the financial crisis of 2007–2008 , the park could not secure sufficient financing to underwrite its planned advertising campaign. As
1300-634: A controlling interest in 2005. The second park in the United States is Legoland Florida , which opened in 2011. A third park, Legoland New York , opened in May 2021. The Legoland California Resort currently encompasses: The resort site includes two hotels: Lego opened the first Legoland theme park in Billund, Denmark in 1968, followed by a second park in Windsor, England in 1996. The Carlsbad park
1430-400: A convenience store, three dining locations, Everything is Ramen (a ramen quick service location), Cloud Cuckoo Crêpes (a crêpe stand), and Benny's Rocket Fuel (basic food stand with popcorn and pretzels). Attractions: Fun Town is a role-playing amusement area where guests simulate adult skills or professional identities, such as driving cars, steering boats, or fighting fires. Fun town
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#17327732668141560-477: A direct hit by a major hurricane is infrequent in Myrtle Beach. The last hurricane to cause significant damage in Myrtle Beach was Hurricane Hugo in 1989. The worst hurricane in Myrtle Beach's history was Hurricane Hazel in 1954. Myrtle Beach is the largest principal city of the Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC Combined Statistical Area , which had an estimated population of 463,209 in 2023, and includes
1690-413: A drop attraction where riders seated in four pairs raise, drop, and spin around a pole. It features two towers. There is also a carousel called Queen Watevra's Carousel, from LEGO Friends Heartlake City. Additionally, there is also a build area, Build Watevra You Wa'Na Build, and small playground, Benny's Playship, with two tall twisty slides that look like a rocket. There is also a splash pad with fountains,
1820-434: A loan of $ 385 million, though the park only cost $ 225 million to build. Most of the financing, about $ 305 million, was junk bonds . Real estate owners and investors in Myrtle Beach also agreed to give the project $ 37 million in cash, along with several parcels of land worth $ 25 million, if they could obtain a partial ownership stake in the park. A groundbreaking for the park took place on July 13, 2006, although few details of
1950-588: A mile of Grand Strand beach and is a prime location for camping, swimming, hiking, biking, and fishing. Pier 14 by the Boardwalk. The Myrtle Beach Convention Center is a large facility that hosts a variety of meetings, conferences, exhibits, and special events every year. The expansive center, which opened in 2003, has a Sheraton hotel and resort. Each March since 1951 during Ontario 's spring break , Myrtle Beach has hosted Canadian-American Days, also known as Can-Am Days. Tens of thousands of tourists flock to
2080-479: A nearly 28% growth in population. Prior to the arrival of Europeans, the Long Bay area was inhabited by the historic Waccamaw tribe. The Waccamaw used the river for travel and fished along the shore around Little River . Waties Island , the primary barrier island along Long Bay, has evidence of burial and shell mounds, remains of the visiting Waccamaw. The first European settlers along Long Bay arrived in
2210-485: A new park called Dragon Park Ha Long . Both parks have the same owner. The ride opened in 2017 under the name Dragon's Run. On February 20, 2014, The Sun News reported that Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament bought roughly four acres of the park which it used prior to 2008 for its horses to exercise and graze. Area government officials visited China in February 2016 and reported that investors had plans for
2340-731: A new terminal were approved. In 1940, Kings Highway was finally paved, giving Myrtle Beach its first primary highway. The Myrtle Heights-Oak Park Historic District , Myrtle Beach Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Station , Ocean Forest Country Club and Pleasant Inn are listed on the National Register of Historic Places . Also listed were the Chesterfield Inn , Rainbow Court and the Myrtle Beach Pavilion , all now demolished. The Gay Dolphin Gift Cove on
2470-408: A play area and building zone; and Mia's Riding Camp , a carousel. Heartlake City replaced Duplo Village, which included a set of musical fountains and water features collectively called the "Water Works". A temporary installation of the sets from The Lego Movie opened in 2014 at Duplo Village. "DUPLO Playtown", a play area for little kids, and "LEGOLAND Express", a mini locomotive ride through
2600-492: A resort community by Franklin Burroughs , whose sons completed a railroad to the beach and the first inn, Seaside Inn. His widow named the new community Myrtle Beach after the local wax-myrtle shrubs. The Myrtle Beach metropolitan area is one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the country, with an estimated population of 397,478 in 2023. More than 104,000 people moved to the area over eight years, representing
2730-482: A town in 1938 and as a city in 1957. In 1937, Myrtle Beach Municipal Airport was built. It was taken over by the United States Army Air Corps in 1940 and converted into a military base . Commercial flights began in 1976 and shared the runway for over 15 years until the air base closed in 1993. Since then the airport has been named Myrtle Beach International Airport . In 2010 plans to build
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#17327732668142860-444: A water playground themed to the country of Jamaica, several stores, and a 1960s-themed cafe. The park's headquarters, an arcade, and one of the rides were located within the abandoned Waccamaw Factory Shoppes. The park opened to positive reviews. The Times of London's writer Chris Haslam concluded that America's newest theme park brought the genre "from the preschool plastic of Disney to a new age of insubordinate adolescence through
2990-591: A wooden playground for little kids. In 2005, Legoland opened the Wild Woods Golf putting course decorated with off-green LEGO models on the west side of Castle Hill. Wild Woods Golf and the neighboring Enchanted Walk were replaced by the submarine ride LEGO City: Deep Sea Adventure , which opened in July 2018. In the Imagination Zone, visitors can ride a Wild Mouse-style roller coaster called
3120-502: Is 0.16 murders, 1.43 rapes, 4.31 robberies and 10.83 assaults. The FBI reported 483 violent crimes in 2000, of which 1 was murder and 39 were rapes. Myrtle Beach's economy is dominated by the tourist industry; hotels, motels, resorts, restaurants, attractions, and retail developments exist in abundance to serve visitors. Hosting over 20 million visitors annually, the Grand Strand is home to an array of tourist attractions, and
3250-507: Is home to numerous golf courses and mini-golf courses along the Grand Strand and further inland. Myrtle Beach has been called the "Golf Capital of the World" because of the roughly 100 golf courses there, the record 4.2 million rounds played, and many miniature golf courses. 3.2 million total rounds of golf were played in 2017, down a "few hundred rounds" from a decade earlier. The number of golf courses more than doubled to over 120 over
3380-739: Is located in the center of a long and continuous 60-mile (97 km) stretch of beach known as the " Grand Strand ” in the northeastern part of the state. Its year-round population was 35,682 as of the 2020 census , making it the 13th-most populous city in South Carolina . Myrtle Beach is one of the major centers of tourism in South Carolina and the United States . The city's warm subtropical climate , miles of beaches, 86 golf courses, and 1,800 restaurants attract over 20 million visitors each year, making Myrtle Beach one of
3510-482: Is long, hot, and humid in Myrtle Beach. Average daytime highs are from 83 to 91 °F (28 to 33 °C) and average night-time lows are near 70 °F (21 °C). The coastal location of Myrtle Beach mitigates daytime summer heat somewhat compared to inland areas of South Carolina: Thus, while nearby Florence averages 65 days annually with high temperatures of 90 °F (32 °C) or higher – Myrtle Beach averages only 21. The Bermuda High pumps in humidity from
3640-518: Is soon to house the upcoming new area "Lego Galaxy" which will feature a new indoor roller coaster. Miniland USA is a 1:20 scale model miniature park featuring prominent architecture and symbols from seven areas in the United States. Certain models are visible throughout the Legoland park. It was constructed over the course of three years using more than 20 million LEGO bricks. The Coast Cruise ride, which departs from Miniland USA, travels through
3770-728: The Technic Coaster -Test Track (formerly named Project X ), Bionicle Blaster (a variant of a teacup ride ). Kids can also build and race Lego cars down a ramp at Build 'n Test (younger children have a similar build and play area in the same building, named Duplo Play ), play LEGO PC games at the Maniac Challenge (later converted to consoles and renamed the Xbox Family Gamespace after its corporate sponsor), and program robots in Mindstorms . At
3900-421: The 2008 economic downturn deepened during the summer, high gas and hotel prices coupled with limited advertising by the park led to lower-than-expected attendance. The park cited "macroeconomic conditions that significantly depressed overall demand in the travel and leisure industry " and a lack of cash to advertise. The park had borrowed a lot of money and could not convince investors to provide more help to keep
4030-643: The American Revolution , the area along the future Grand Strand was essentially uninhabited. Several families received land grants along the coast, including the Witherses: John, Richard, William, and Mary. This family received an area around present-day Wither's Swash, also known as Myrtle Swash or the Eight-Mile Swash. A separate grant was granted to James Minor, including a barrier island named Minor Island, now Waties Island , off
Freestyle Music Park - Misplaced Pages Continue
4160-472: The Boardwalk was built in 1946 and sells seashells and Myrtle Beach souvenirs. It claims to be the "nation's largest gift shop". Myrtle Beach has been separated from the continental United States since 1936 by the Intracoastal Waterway , forcing the city and area in general to develop within a small distance from the coast. In part due to this separation, the area directly northwest of Myrtle Beach, across
4290-508: The Delaware bankruptcy court declined to force an auction and approved the sale of the park to FPI MB Entertainment (FPI) for $ 25 million. FPI MB Entertainment was a joint venture of FPI US LLC, a company incorporated in Delaware , and MB Entertainment. The partners included Roundbox Advisors, Freestyle Park International, Baker Leisure Group, and two of the park's original owners, Thomas M. Hiles and D. Tim Duncan. Baker Leisure Group managed
4420-470: The Latin music genre , according to sales and marketing director John Stine. In May 2009, HRP Creative Services Co. wanted to make certain attractions separate from the park the new owners planned, with former park CEO Steven Goodwin wanting the new owners to pay royalties . However, a Delaware federal judge said on March 30 that some of the previous owners still owned intellectual property rights relating to
4550-416: The buttocks ) are not permitted in public in Myrtle Beach, including all beaches. Violators of the ban may be arrested, jailed, or fined. The city's "thong ordinance" has been in effect since the 1990s. Myrtle Beach Bike Week, also called "Harley Bike Week", is a week-long motorcycle rally first held in 1940, the same year Kings Highway was paved. The event has attracted as many as 200,000 visitors to
4680-564: The $ 10 million goal. On May 13, WBTW and WMBF-TV reported the Abiding Village would not call the old theme park home. The group held a yard sale on May 12, 2013, and later that evening the group's website listed the total as $ 155,789.82. Abiding Village reps said that they were hopeful that they would still be able to buy the land in the future. Martin Durham, the park's former vice president for entertainment, said many factors led to
4810-455: The 2009 summer season: $ 10 off for South Carolina residents, $ 17.76 for two admission tickets before 4 p.m. and $ 17.76 per admission ticket after 4 p.m. As a result of these discounts, the park also made less money than anticipated. By August, the price for two admission tickets had been raised to $ 19.95. Aside from the renaming of the overall park, sections of the park also got new names; "Myrtle's Beach" (previously "Rock 'N' Roll Heaven") became
4940-461: The 60s and 70s. The beach season in Myrtle Beach normally runs from late April through late October. Sea surface temperatures are often in the lower 80's (26–28 °C) off South Carolina in summer and early fall. The temperature range measured in Myrtle Beach has historically ranged from a record high of 104 °F (40 °C) on June 26, 1952 and August 5, 1954 to the record winter cold of 9 °F (−13 °C) on February 18, 1958. In spite of
5070-598: The All Access Entry Plaza, Rock & Roll Heaven, British Invasion, Lost in the 70's, Born in the US and Cool Country. At opening, the park had amusement rides, live shows, interactive elements, kids' play areas, gardens, shopping and dining attractions. The park included an amphitheater with 10,000-person capacity featuring live daily shows and special performances. The attractions were divided between six zones and included three major roller coasters, in addition to
5200-643: The Aquazone and LEGO Technic Test Track rides had been installed at Imagination Zone. The fourth Legoland , built in Germany, opened in 2002. Dino Island and Coastersaurus opened in April 2004; the park also added Fun Town Fire Academy , a Florida-themed Miniland area, and the Block of Fame for its fifth anniversary. Legoland California installed the first KUKA RoboCoaster in the United States in 2005. However,
5330-568: The City of Myrtle Beach was settled in 2006 without the city paying damages, but with the agreement police would use the same traffic control rules during both the black and the white motorcycle rallies. The South Carolina Supreme Court in June 2010 unanimously overturned one of the 15 ordinances, which had required all motorcyclists to wear helmets , on the grounds that the state law, requiring helmets only for riders under age 21, cannot be preempted by
Freestyle Music Park - Misplaced Pages Continue
5460-537: The Florida and northeastern beaches. Burroughs died in 1897, but his sons completed the railroad's expansion to the beach and opened the Seaside Inn in 1901. Around 1900, a contest was held to name the area, and Burroughs's wife suggested honoring the locally abundant shrub, the southern wax myrtle ( Myrica cerifera ). The Withers post office changed its name to "Myrtle Beach" soon afterward. It incorporated as
5590-618: The Freestyle brand on May 23, 2009, but it closed permanently at the end of the season due to mounting financial problems and lawsuits. Jon Binkowski, a businessman from Florida who had worked in the amusement-park industry, bought a small theater in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina , in 1999 or 2000. The theater, known as the Ice Castle, did not attract as many guests as Binkowski had expected. Binkowski and Rank Group executive Steven Goodwin began developing plans for an amusement park around
5720-594: The Horry County planning commission would approve the expansion of the Planned Development District, but that Horry County council would still need to approve the next step before the project could move forward. There are more than 30 possible uses, but an exact use had not been decided, though the developer indicated willingness to use it for a small packaging site or even using it for something transportation related. On February 1, 2022, it
5850-528: The Ice Castle had been scheduled for foreclosure. The Hard Rock name was licensed from Seminole Nation –owned Hard Rock International , current owners/operators of the Hard Rock Cafe brand, to HRP Myrtle Beach Operations, LLC, which designed and built the park, for a fee of $ 2.5 million per year. Africa Israel Investments owned the majority stake in the park. Investors also included Tim Duncan and AVX Corporation CEO Dick Rosen. Financing also included
5980-426: The Ice Castle known as Fantasy Harbour. Early in the planning process, Binkowski and Goodwin considered theming the park to the four seasons of summer, spring, winter and fall. After investors said a season–themed amusement park would be too generic, Binkowski considered partnering with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to create an amusement park themed to MGM films, but this idea was too costly. Finally, in 2002, Binkowski proposed
6110-595: The Miniland vignettes, including a businessman mooning the presidential motorcade and a man using the toilet in the Grand Central Station model. Miniland officials insist all such scenes are incorporated with full management knowledge and approval. The Star Wars -themed Miniland was expanded with a life-size model of an X-wing starfighter , on display in 2013. A large-scale model of the Death Star
6240-845: The Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area (Horry County) and the Murrells Inlet, SC Micropolitan Statistical Area (Georgetown County). As of the 2020 census , there were 35,682 people, 13,817 households, and 7,678 families residing in the city. At the 2010 census , the population of Myrtle Beach was 27,109. At the 2000 census , there were 22,759 permanent residents in Myrtle Beach, 10,413 households, 5,414 families, 1,356.5 per square mile (523.7/km ), with 14,658 housing units at an average density of 873.5 per square mile (337.3/km ). The city's racial makeup was: Hispanic or Latino residents, of any race, were 13.7% of
6370-648: The Playtown used to be in the Duplo Village/Heartlake City area. When Heartlake City opened, "DUPLO Playtown" and "LEGOLAND Express" became part of the nearby area, Fun Town. On May 9, 2019, DUPLO Playtown reopened in the queue of the Kid Power Tower. In that same year, Heartlake City was removed and replaced with a Lego Movie themed area in 2021. In spring 2020, LEGOLAND California Resort was scheduled to open their biggest addition in
6500-504: The Sky " and " Life Is a Highway ." "CSI: Live", previously performed at Six Flags Magic Mountain near Los Angeles , was added to the park and was based on the CSI TV series. As the park prepared to close at the end of the summer, FPI President Steve Baker said, "Overall, I'm real happy," and that "we're doing our best, and we're here to stay." Baker made these comments despite the fact that
6630-552: The Southern states during his term, traveling down the King's Highway . He stayed a night at Windy Hill (part of present-day North Myrtle Beach ) and was led across Wither's Swash to Georgetown by Jeremiah Vereen. The Withers family remained one of the few settlers around Myrtle Beach for the next half-century. In 1822, a strong hurricane swept the house of R. F. Withers into the ocean, drowning 18 people inside. The tragedy made
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#17327732668146760-646: The United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 23.69 square miles (61.4 km ), of which 23.42 square miles (60.7 km ) is land and 0.27 square miles (0.70 km ) (1.14%) is water. According to the Köppen climate classification , Myrtle Beach has a humid subtropical climate or Cfa – typical of the Gulf and South Atlantic states. The city enjoys abundant sunshine year-round with more than 2800 hours annually. The summer season
6890-495: The Wave Swinger and Balloon Race, previously sold to Seabreeze Amusement Park . On December 20, 2013, The Sun News reported that the 13-acre Family Kingdom Amusement Park had purchased The Magic Bikes and Jump Around Dunebuggies, two interactive family rides which were the right size for the park. In late July 2014, dismantling and removal of the other rides began. As of August 11, 2014, Ital International no longer listed
7020-466: The Withers family decide to abandon their plots along the coast. Left unattended, the area began to return to forest. The Burroughs and Collins Company of Conway , predecessor of modern-day Burroughs & Chapin, purchased much of the Withers family's land in 1881. The growing community was called "New Town" around the start of the 20th century. A post office named "Withers" was established to serve
7150-403: The airport is well connected for both domestic and international tourists. It also serves as a seasonal gateway to and from the likes of Chicago, Dallas and Toronto. The city is between Wilmington, North Carolina and Charleston, South Carolina with U.S. Route 17 serving as the main transport link for those journeying between those cities. Thongs (or any swimwear revealing any portion of
7280-591: The area and also resulted in 25+ golf courses being owned and/or operated by Chinese nationals. Legoland California Legoland California Resort is a theme park , miniature park , and aquarium in Carlsbad, California , based on the Lego toy brand. Opening on March 20, 1999, it was the first Legoland park to open outside of Europe. The park is currently owned by Merlin Entertainments , which took
7410-440: The area for a week's worth of special events. Myrtle Beach is also home to Coastal Uncorked, a food and wine festival held in the late spring annually. The city hosts Sun Fun Festival early each June. Later in June, Myrtle Beach is a popular destination for recently graduated high school seniors for Senior Week . Carolina Country Music Fest (CCMF) is an outdoor country music festival that takes place in June of each year and
7540-749: The area receives a large influx of visitors during all seasons. It is estimated that nearly 100,000 visitors a year are international travelers, including tourists from Canada, Germany and the United Kingdom. Myrtle Beach hosts a variety of special conventions, events, and musical concerts. The area's attractions include its beaches and courses, amusement parks, an aquarium, Legends in Concert , retail developments, shopping complexes and over 1,900 restaurants including seafood restaurants. The area also has dinner theaters, nightclubs, and many tourist shops. Myrtle Beach has approximately 425 hotels, with many on
7670-607: The beachfront, and approximately 157 accommodation units in total. The area is also home to over 80 golf courses and over 30 miniature golf courses. Live shows are offered year round at theaters including the Alabama Theatre , Carolina Opry , Asher Theater, Calvin Gilmore Theater, Legends in Concert , and Medieval Times Family Dinner Theater. Several shows offer special holiday themed shows. The Myrtle Beach Boardwalk opened in 2010 and has been recognized as
7800-459: The case. Following a soft opening in April 2008, Hard Rock Park officially opened on June 2, 2008, with a concert by Eagles and The Moody Blues . The park's opening ceremony was accompanied by a golf tournament that was closed to the public (although this had not been the original plan), where few celebrities showed up. The park featured six "rock environs" celebrating rock's culture, lifestyle, legends and irreverence. These rock environs included
7930-546: The city every May. Black Bike Week , founded in 1980, takes place the weekend around Memorial Day Weekend and is the largest African American motorcycle rally in the US and attracts as many as 400,000 visitors. The event was created in response to a history of discrimination against African-American visitors and riders to Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand Area. The Myrtle Beach government created 15 new laws aimed at preventing all sanctioned motorcycle events within
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#17327732668148060-620: The city in response to controversy including accusations of racism by African-American riders during their event and complaints of lawlessness and poor behavior during all highly attended events. Several lawsuits by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) against Myrtle Beach businesses were settled with agreements that discrimination cease, compensation be given to some plaintiffs, and employees be given diversity training. The NAACP suit against
8190-501: The coast near Little River. Mary Withers's gravestone at Prince George Winyah Parish Church speaks to the remoteness of the former Strand: "She gave up the pleasures of Society and retired to Long Bay, where she resided a great part of her life devoted to the welfare of her children." As the American colonies gained independence, the area remained essentially unchanged, and the coast remained barren. George Washington scouted out
8320-498: The combined Merlin Entertainments. Collectively, the four theme parks had approximately 5 million visitors per year at the time. Under Merlin, Legoland California would add Pirate Shores (2006), a Las Vegas-themed Miniland area (2007), the Egyptian explorer-themed Land of Adventure (2008), and the 5.5-acre (2.2 ha) Legoland Water Park (2010). In 2009, Merlin requested permission to develop an onsite Lego-themed hotel in
8450-419: The company over $ 1 million was granted the right to repossess the property. FPI MB stated in a letter that VenCore was correct that the property "is currently uninsured and not subject to a hurricane contingency plan." In December 2011, FPI US which received the property in an August foreclosure auction, filed papers showing it had mortgaged the property for $ 20 million, money that the company's attorney said
8580-460: The day-to-day park operations. FPI had to completely re-skin and overhaul the park to comply with court rulings. On April 2, 2009, the new owners announced that the Hard Rock name would be dropped. While Hard Rock International had been willing to continue use of the name if conditions could be met, the owners felt that changing the name would give the park a more positive image since the old name
8710-463: The difficulties would continue, meaning that they were less patient. Tetra Financial Group also filed a lawsuit in September for lease payments, taxes and fees. In October 2009, FPI announced that they had lined up some new investors to help the park pay its debts. They signed a memorandum of understanding with the investors. The agreement to purchase Hard Rock Park included paying $ 570,000 owed by
8840-410: The distribution district on the site to 125 acres, which would eliminate most of the amusement uses at what is now a former $ 400 million theme park. If the land change was approved, then 27 types of businesses would be allowed on the property ranging from vehicle and equipment maintenance to RV and boat storage or even wholesale and distribution. On July 9, 2021, it was announced that the following night
8970-515: The economy and the park's past problems contributed to a less than spectacular first season. Many amusement parks were also having difficulties, said David Mandt of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions . Dennis Spiegel, the consultant, said, "It's probably the largest catastrophe in our industry. Quite frankly the park shouldn't reopen." He said for the price FPI paid, they should have been able to make
9100-579: The existing parking lot; permission was granted in October and plans for the 250-room hotel were announced in 2011, making the site a resort in 2013. The first fictional Miniland area, themed with scenes from the six (at the time) Star Wars movies and the Clone Wars television series , opened in March 2011. The water park was expanded in 2014 with a Chima -themed area. A second 250-room hotel with
9230-424: The fire being in a former ticket booth area near where one of the parks entrances used to be and flames were visible upon arrival, but the fire was under control within about 30 minutes and there were no reported injuries. There currently are no indications that the fire was suspicious, and is currently under investigation. On October 10, 2019, it was reported that Horry County received a rezoning application in which
9360-416: The former Hard Rock/Freestyle Music Park for a three-alarm fire. At about 3:00 a.m. the fire was out and investigators were working the scene and the cause of the blaze was not immediately known, but was later deemed suspicious by fire investigators and local police. On June 30, 2019, a debris/structure fire broke out at the former amusement park and a preliminary investigation by fire officials show that
9490-486: The former park owners. In January 2010, the attorney for Hard Rock Park's trustee allowed an extension on that payment as the park searched for new investors. Court documents said the economic situation caused difficulties in making the payments. The park laid off 30 employees early in January 2010. In February 2010, FPI attorney Tobey Daluz announced that the park would not open in March 2010 as planned. She said when or if
9620-409: The government of Horry County, South Carolina . However, as Binkowski and Goodwin were reluctant to submit detailed business plans, members of the county council refused to approve the bond financing. AVX Corporation CEO Dick Rosen and other investors including Ziel Feldman and Safe Harbor Capital Partners managing partner Amnon Bar-Tur created two companies. Myrtle Property Owners I, which invested in
9750-648: The heat of the day – followed by brief and intense downpours. On average, September is the wettest month, with August close behind, due to the combination of thunderstorms and tropical weather systems that peaks these months. Myrtle Beach has mostly mild winters of short duration: Average daytime highs range from 57 to 61 °F (14 to 16 °C) and nighttime lows are in the 36 to 38 °F (2 to 3 °C) from December through February. Winter temperatures vary more than summer temperatures in Myrtle Beach: Some winters can see several cold days with highs only in
9880-467: The history of the park, The Lego Movie World. The opening was delayed until May 27, 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic . The area features Emmet's Flying Adventure – Masters of Flight, a flying theatre attraction (similar to Soarin' at EPCOT and Disney California Adventure). Unlike Florida and Billund, this version will include two theatres rather than one. This area will also feature Unikitty's Disco Drop,
10010-569: The initial incarnation, the movie was interactive and the audience could decide the ending. Later, more movies were added, including Bob the Builder and Clutch Powers (a racing movie). Racers 4-D began alternating with the new Spellbreaker 4-D film in May 2006. Bob the Builder in 4-D: Bob the Builder and the Roller Coaster was added in March 2009. The Legends of Chima debuted on March 7, 2014. The LEGO Movie™ 4D A New Adventure
10140-660: The interactive Voyage to the Iron Reef dark ride at Knott's Berry Farm . This area also features Ninjago Training Camp , a playground that opened in December 2022. The first Sea Life Aquarium in North America opened at Legoland California in August 2008. It has 36,000 sq ft (3,300 m ) of floor area on two stories, featuring a 35 ft (11 m) long acrylic walk-through tunnel and LEGO models in
10270-473: The lake in the center of Legoland. The lake covers 1.73 acres (0.70 ha). Miniland includes the Model Shop, the main design and building office for Legoland's US parks. A large viewing window allows guests to watch master model builders working on new models. Repairs and refurbishment of existing models are also conducted in the Model Shop. Certain model builders have inserted incongruous scenes into
10400-404: The land confirmed the future development of the property will not include an amusement park. On June 24, 2021, it was announced that any chance of the former park site being redeveloped into an amusement area would all but disappear if Horry County officials approved a land use change request for the property. It was expected that the county planning commission would make a recommendation to expand
10530-446: The late 18th century, attempting to extend the plantation system outward toward the ocean. Records are sparse from this period, with most of the recorded history pieced together from English colonial land grant documents. These settlers gained mixed results, producing unremarkable quantities of indigo and tobacco, the two major commodity crops. The coast's soil was sandy and most of the crop yields were of inferior quality. Prior to
10660-428: The mild winter averages, ice days have been recorded, albeit rarely. The coldest daily maximum was 25 °F (−4 °C) in January 11, 1962 whereas the normal year between 1991 and 2020 had the coldest maximum average of 37 °F (3 °C). Overnight lows can be extremely hot and muggy, although the record warm low of 88 °F (31 °C) on July 12, 1942 is some way above the means of 81 °F (27 °C) for
10790-523: The most visited destinations in the country. Located along the historic King's Highway (modern day U.S. Route 17 ), the region was once home to the Waccamaw people. During the colonial period, the Whither family settled in the area, and a prominent local waterway, Wither's Swash, is named in their honor. Originally called alternately "New Town" or "Withers", the area was targeted for development as
10920-489: The nation's #3 boardwalk by National Geographic and one of the best US boardwalks by Travel + Leisure magazine. The Myrtle Beach Skywheel opened at the boardwalk in May 2011, and is a 200-foot (61 m) observation wheel, similar to a ferris wheel, with glass gondolas that look over the Atlantic Ocean. This is the first wheel of its kind in the U.S. Myrtle Beach State Park , established in 1935, has just under
11050-433: The original theme. The original owners then sued FPI, claiming they had not done enough to change the park, and that the new owners were using intellectual property that was not theirs. This action threatened to delay the reopening. On June 22, 2009, the county planning commission agreed to change the name of Hard Rock Parkway to Fantasy Harbour Boulevard. FPI agreed to pay part of the cost for new signs. Businesses located on
11180-480: The park could still find investors and reopen, according to attorney Allen Jeffcoat. Court documents filed April 13, 2010, in federal bankruptcy court in Delaware say a court ruling will create a lien ; the next step will likely be a Horry County court action leading to the park's sale. On June 29, 2010, a federal court awarded Tetra $ 14 million after Freestyle failed to answer the lawsuit. On June 30, 2010, Baker said
11310-597: The park going. Despite the park operators' reluctance to offer discounted tickets, they began offering discounted tickets during Black Bike Week , as well as to hospitality workers and to residents of the Carolinas . As early as the beginning of August 2008, Hard Rock Park was in danger of bankruptcy, in part because there were so few visitors, and the park did not have enough money in its reserves to offset its lagging attendance. Changes were made to operating hours and planned operating days. The original closing time of 1 a.m.
11440-519: The park had been announced by then. Due to the various unexecuted plans for the site over the years, many local residents were skeptical of whether the proposed park could be completed. As late as March 2007, few details had been revealed about the park, even though its operators had begun hiring the first of 3,000 employees and were looking for a $ 3 million tax abatement from the government of South Carolina . Details of Hard Rock Park were officially announced in April 2007 when its promoters began advertising
11570-585: The park in six cities. At the time of the announcement, Hard Rock Park was to be the first major new amusement park in the United States since Legoland California in 1999. The park's developers also opened a preview center where they displayed a scale model of the park, as well as renderings of attractions. Construction for the park took place during the same year. The park's primary attraction, Led Zeppelin The Ride , topped out during July 2007. Even during Hard Rock Park's construction, questions arose over whether
11700-417: The park is experiencing". Hard Rock Park then announced that they were ending the 2008 season over a month early, laying off most of the employees, and had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. At the time of the filing, the park expressed hopes of reopening in 2009; the following month the company announced plans to sell the park. In January 2009, the company converted to Chapter 7 . In February 2009,
11830-443: The park opened depended on actions of investors who have not been identified. On March 29, 2010, lawyer David Slough said the park would not reopen unless investors allowed FPI to pay Hard Rock Park's debt by the deadline of April 1, 2010. He would not say how close investors were to a deal. On April 1, 2010, Slough said, "Currently, the park has no ability to make the payment." Foreclosure and even bankruptcy are now possibilities, but
11960-602: The park succeed. Spiegel said the park was too far from the beach. The park refused to disclose its attendance numbers for the 2009 season, although officials said admission was less than they had projected. Throughout the season, a series of lawsuits were filed against the park, adding to the park's woes. The lawsuits were filed by Brandon Advertising (for $ 1.4 million) on August 5, 2009, and Roundbox Advisors LLC (for $ 360,000) on August 17, 2009. Baker explained that FPI MB would pay both creditors, saying that Freestyle Park had fewer problems than Hard Rock Park, but people were assuming
12090-465: The park was "aggressively" seeking new investors. Jeffcoat, who had no connection to the case, said Tetra would only be repaid after other creditors who already had claims. On August 9, 2010, foreclosure proceedings were filed against Freestyle Music Park. Mortgage holder FPI US LLC seeks over $ 25 million from park owner FPI MB Entertainment LLC. Loan documents identified the general manager of FPI US LLC as Alexey (Alexei in most documents) Sidnev; Sidnev
12220-554: The park was indefinitely shut down because of the COVID-19 pandemic and reopened on April 1, 2021. Dino Valley is a section with themes of dinosaurs and exploration. It contains a large sand area where children may dig for "fossils" and the Gerstlauer -built Coastersaurus mini steel roller coaster, a close copy of the Legoland Germany junior coaster Drachenjagd , with a ride duration of approximately 2 minutes. It
12350-445: The park was viable. During the construction process, amusement industry expert Dennis Spiegel said the planned park was "questionable" since it could not operate year-round. Local businesspeople also expressed concerns about the projected guest counts, which they believed were overly high; according to Hard Rock Park's developers, the park was supposed to attract 30,000 guests per day. The park's financing consisted mostly of junk bonds, so
12480-479: The park would be forced to make extremely high interest payments on these bonds if they failed to meet the projected guest numbers. Park representatives planned to rely on word-of-mouth marketing instead of a dedicated marketing campaign, and they chose to only partner with certain "preferred" hotels rather than allowing all local hotels to sell tickets to the park. Although the park had been planned to operate for ten months per year, this ultimately turned out not to be
12610-506: The park's demise, but the biggest culprit was the recession that hit right as it opened. On November 12, 2013, local media reported that Freestyle Music Park was trying to sell off many of the rides from the venture. This was despite earlier rumors that Baker had plans to move the Freestyle rides to a park he planned to open in Orlando, Florida . Dozens of the rides were listed for sale with Nashville -based Ital International; exceptions were
12740-480: The park's opening in 1999, the Imagination Zone only referred to the Maniac Challenge/Mindstorms and Build & Test/Duplo Play buildings; the other rides had not yet been built. The Maniac Challenge/Mindstorms building was distinguished by large LEGO models of Albert Einstein 's head, a submarine, and a Technic Tyrannosaurus rex . The LEGO Show Place theater screens 4-D films . In
12870-455: The population. Of the total Myrtle Beach population: Crime rate levels in Myrtle Beach are high compared to the rest of South Carolina. The FBI reported 583 cases of violent crime in the year 2016, of which 5 were murder, 46 were rape and 139 were robbery. Aggravated assault 348, property crime 4395, burglary 469, larceny theft 3555, motor vehicle theft 371, and arson 10 were also reported. The average number of crimes per thousand population
13000-421: The property owner is requesting an update to the Planned Development District and to allow for additional uses on a portion of the site. The 112 acre property is currently zoned for only theme park use and possible uses for the property were to be presented during a planning and zoning workshop on November 7, where leaders would decide on what possible uses will be permitted at the former amusement park. The owner of
13130-430: The property, and that he was not against selling the property undeveloped. Rhodes stated that he was in no rush to develop the property as there might be others who wanted it more than he did. He did state that he had some ideas for the property, but that he had to find out from his contractor if any of his ideas would work with the existing buildings. On February 17, 2019, fire officials were called just before midnight to
13260-494: The proposed theme park and Myrtle Property Owners II which bought land from Rosen with the intent to build a hotel along the Intracoastal Waterway in October 2005. A feasibility study predicted 3 million visitors a year in the park's first year, with growth of nine percent the second year and decreasing growth rates after that. By 2006, a licensing agreement with the Hard Rock franchise was reached, two days before
13390-411: The railroad was finished, employees of the lumber and railroad company would take train flatcars down to the beach area on their free weekends, becoming the first Grand Strand tourists. The railroad terminus was nicknamed "New Town", contrasting it with the "Old Town", or Conway . Around the start of the 20th century, Franklin Burroughs envisioned turning New Town into a tourist destination rivaling
13520-619: The real story of Hard Rock and Freestyle Music Parks. However, the book contains fraudulent deals which Baker denies took place. The park was used as a set on an episode of the TV series Revolution . Several rides and the park itself was used as the scene of a post-apocalyptic amusement park. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Myrtle Beach is a resort city on the East Coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina . It
13650-488: The renamed Explorer Island. These rides date back to the opening of the park. Explorer Island was rethemed and renamed "Dino Valley" and opened on March 22nd, 2024. The Heartlake City section, which opened on May 21, 2015, is based on the Lego Friends brand marketed to girls. The area features Heartlake Fountain , a water play area; Friends Forever Stage , where musical performances occur; Heartlake Stables ,
13780-829: The rides, and it was reported that other rides were being shipped out of the US, possibly to Vietnam . Being taken down was the roller coaster known as The Eagles' Life In The Fast Lane. Other rides from the park already had been sold. As of February 2015, all of the rides had been dismantled. They were reassembled in Asia Park in Da Nang, Vietnam with the exception of the Led Zeppelin/Time Machine, Maximum RPM!/Round About, and Slippery When Wet/Soakd’ coasters (They were set up, but never operated and were dismantled in 2017). The track has appeared in Ha Long, Vietnam at
13910-428: The road would have to pay their own expenses as the road, once called Outlet Boulevard, received its second name change in two years. By mid-September, five of the seven signs on the street itself had been changed. The park reopened on May 23, 2009, with adult admission reduced to $ 39.95 ($ 29.95 for children) and annual passes to $ 64.95 ($ 39.95 for children). Additionally, the park offered three separate promotions during
14040-561: The same company and that FPI US should not have first claim to park assets. FPI MB attorney Nate Fata denied this. In an August 24, 2010, interview, Baker said the park's entire board had resigned, except for one member appointed by Russian investors who would work to sell the park. Baker, who continued to head Baker Leisure Group, believed the park could succeed under new owners. VenCore Solutions, which leased items such as radios and shelves to Hard Rock Park, continued its agreement with Freestyle Park. On September 8, VenCore, claiming FPI MB owes
14170-452: The site of the old Swash in 1888. On 28 February 1899, Burroughs and Collins received a charter to build the Conway & Seashore Railroad to transport timber from the coast to inland customers. The railroad began daily service on 1 May 1900, with two wood-burning locomotives. One of the engines was dubbed The Black Maria and came second-hand from a North Carolina logging operation. After
14300-550: The tanks. This is a water park area in Legoland California. Planning for the water park began in September 2009, and it opened on May 28, 2010. It is located next to the buildings in Fun Town, meaning admission to the water park is an extra cost ticket in addition to regular park admission. It is the first Legoland to feature a water park; a Legoland Water Park opened in Florida in 2012. At Legoland California,
14430-433: The tropical Atlantic toward Myrtle Beach, giving summers a near-tropical feel in the city. The warm Atlantic Ocean reaches 80 °F (27 °C) or higher in the summer months off Myrtle Beach, making for warm and sultry summer nights. Summer thunderstorms are common in the hot season in Myrtle Beach, and the summer months from June through September have the most precipitation . In summer, thunderstorms normally build during
14560-435: The two separate fires were not "of an accidental ignition." A witness told police that they saw smoke coming from the park and that they saw a group of people leaving the site and was able to provide police with a license number, but nobody has been arrested in connection to the case and police continue to investigate. On September 6, 2019, at 5:20 a.m., fire officials responded to a reported commercial structure fire, with
14690-564: The upper 40s F (7–9 °C), while other winter days can see highs in the upper 60s and low 70s F (19–23 °C). Myrtle Beach averages 33 days annually with frost , though in some years less than 15 days will see frost. Snowfall is very rare in Myrtle Beach; however, at least a trace of snow falls a few times each decade. In February 2010, a rare 2.8 inches (71 mm) of snow fell in Myrtle Beach. The spring (March, April and May) and fall (September, October and November) months are normally mild and sunny in Myrtle Beach, with high temperatures in
14820-409: The warmest annual minimum. Summer thunderstorms are typically brief, but severe thunderstorms do occur on occasion. Tornadoes are rare, with the most significant event occurring in 2001 when multiple tornadoes touched down in the area. Tropical cyclones occasionally impact Myrtle Beach, though weaker tropical storms and weak tropical lows are more common. Like most areas prone to tropical cyclones,
14950-517: The waterway, remained primarily rural for a while, whereas its northeastern and southwestern ends were bordered by other developed tourist towns, North Myrtle Beach and Surfside Beach . Since then, the inland portion of the Myrtle Beach area has developed dramatically. Myrtle Beach is 67 miles (108 km) by highway southeast of Florence, South Carolina , 94 miles (151 km) northeast of Charleston, South Carolina , and 74 miles (119 km) southwest of Wilmington, North Carolina . According to
15080-474: The weak retail toy market led to the sale of the four Legoland theme parks in July 2005 for $ 456 million to Blackstone Capital Partners , a private equity firm based in the United States. Blackstone had previously purchased Merlin in May 2005, which owned the Sea Life Centres and London Dungeon ; the two assets were combined as Merlin Entertainments , with Lego taking a 30% ownership share in
15210-423: Was "a high energy, interactive show that rocked the house." The 11 characters were named Kira, Kimmy, Dot, Spin, Chase, Bounce, Trip, Jive, Jam, Cali and Zach. They sang original and cover songs from the past and present. On October 26, 2010, the book Grand Strand by former park employee Reid Barwick, became available for purchase online. Many of the details of the fictional "Rocktime Amusement Park" match those of
15340-585: Was a former partner in Moscow -based MT Development, an investor in Freestyle Park that had planned a similar park in Europe. Court filings showed FPI US LLC is a division of MT Development. On August 20, FPI MB Entertainment responded to the foreclosure action, admitting the amount of debt is correct and that it cannot pay. Four out of five creditors responding to the foreclosure claimed FPI US and FPI MB were
15470-463: Was added in 2015, along with a recreation of the trench run scene from the climax of Episode IV. Scenes from The Force Awakens were added in 2017, including what was billed as the longest LEGO model for Star Wars Miniland, a 16 ft (4.9 m) long Resurgent -class Star Destroyer Finalizer . On January 6, 2020, Star Wars Miniland closed permanently. Castle Hill is a medieval castle-themed area. The area includes one roller coaster and
15600-576: Was added in May 2007. This section is designed to replicate the 1920s in Egypt, drawing inspiration from the LEGO Adventurers line (Egypt sub-theme). Land of Adventure opened in March 2008. The Lego Ninjago World opened in May 2016. The area features Ninjago: The Ride along with new retail and dining options. Ninjago: The Ride is controlled by hand motions using "Maestro" technology developed by Triotech , who had previously developed
15730-533: Was added to Legoland California on February 6, 2016. LEGO NINJAGO – Master of the 4th Dimension opened on January 12, 2018. LEGO City 4D – Officer in Pursuit! was added on April 12, 2019. In February 2019, sets from The Lego Movie 2 were installed in the Imagination Zone. Pirate Shores is a splash park with water-oriented rides and attractions. This area was added in 2006, and Captain Cranky's Challenge
15860-415: Was announced that FedEx is planning to invest nearly $ 64 million investment on the property that was once the theme park. In return for the investment FedEx would get a deduction in its property tax rate, only paying on 6% of its assessed value rather than 10.5% for the next 20 years, according to an agreement that was released by county officials on October 4. Flip 5 Live!-Stars Theatre-Kids In America This
15990-494: Was connected with the bankruptcy; also, the "Hard Rock" name was not considered family-oriented. Because of the name change, the bankruptcy court required all Hard Rock souvenirs to be destroyed. Later that month, FPI unveiled a new name for the park: Freestyle Music Park, stating that it would pay homage to a variety of musical genres, including rock n' roll , country , reggae , beach music , pop , R&B , alternative , Christian , disco , and rap . The name does not refer to
16120-426: Was founded in 2015 by Charlotte-based company Full House Productions. Due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus pandemic the festival wasn't held in 2020, but is scheduled to return in 2021 and take place on 10–13 June 2021. Myrtle Beach International Airport serves the city and surrounding area. With regular flights to and from destinations such as Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, New York and Washington,
16250-658: Was installed in 2004 by Ride Entertainment Group , who handles all of Gerstlauer's operations in the Western Hemisphere . Explorer Island was previously named Dino Island. When the Village Green/Explore Village area was taken over by Heartlake City, the Fairy Tale Brook boat ride and Safari Trek on-rail driving ride (originally a walking trail showing life-size African animals built with LEGO bricks) were counted as part of
16380-412: Was moved up to 10 p.m. in August and the park moved to weekend-only operations after Labor Day. With an earlier end-of-season planned on November 2, the park scheduled no concerts past August 30. Hard Rock Park recorded only 370,000 guests during the 2008 season. In September 2008, Africa Israel Investments decided to write off its entire $ 10 million investment in the park "due to liquidity difficulties
16510-597: Was needed for maintenance and other expenses until a sale. Land for a proposed hotel which was never built was later sold in a foreclosure auction on July 2, 2012. Three months before the Summer 2012 season, Alain Wizman of Keller Williams, who had been looking for buyers, said Freestyle appeared unlikely to make a return before 2013. However, on April 18, 2013, local Myrtle Beach newspaper My Horry News reported that local Christian nonprofit arts group Abiding Village launched
16640-443: Was not reported until late February 2019. Rhodes said that he was not sure of what he wanted to do with the property, saying that only that any development would take advantage of the waterway and that "it will not be another theme park." Rhodes applied for demolition permits but did say some buildings might remain. Rhodes, managing partner of the new ownership group, stated on April 6, 2019, that he did not have any immediate plans for
16770-422: Was reported that a permit application for a FedEx distribution facility at the site of the former parks was being reviewed by Horry County government officials. A commercial permit application for an approximately 250,000-square-foot facility was filed the previous month and followed a stormwater permit application for part of the property that was filed in December on behalf of Beach Ford RV. On October 4, 2022, it
16900-411: Was the third to open, in March 1999. At the time, Lego was considering an additional United States Legoland to be located somewhere on the east coast. When the park opened, there were eight themed areas. Starting at the entrance (at the central southern part of the park) and proceeding clockwise, they were: By 2002, Village Green and The Ridge had been combined into an area called Explore Village and
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