Hard Rock on a Roll

The paint is barely dry at the brand new Hard Rock Park in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, but its executives appear to have an insatiable appetite for construction. According to CEO Steven Goodwin, the park recently purchased the closed Waccamaw Factory Shoppes, an adjacent 55-acre tract of land. The tentative plan is to develop a Hard Rock Hotel along with a dining, entertainment, and shopping complex to be known as Paradise City. (No word on whether any of the shops will be selling Axl Rose hair extensions.) Goodwin says the projects should open in early 2011. Also, the park does have plans to present a Halloween haunt (I'll bet the telephone is ringing for Alice Cooper) as well as an event for the holidays. The British Invasion area of the park includes a repurposed sprawling building that had been another defunct mall. The administration offices and attractions such as Nights in White Satin the Trip only use about a third of its capacity, and Goodwin says that the building has plenty of space to present some haunted mazes. Hard Rock Park, which is now soft open for a "Sound Check," will officially open this Friday, May 9. It welcomed venerable folk-rocker Arlo Guthrie today to help announce the addition of Alice's Restaurant. The full-service eatery, based on the famous song, will open in June. Goodwin says that the park will be debuting a daily parade shortly. He also says that a pirate-themed stage show is in the works. And the stage for a soon-to-debut magic show will be adorned with classic red English phone booths. Its name: Phonehenge. The park is planning a two-day grand opening celebration on June 2 and 3 featuring concerts by the Eagles and The Moody Blues.

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Photo: Arthur Levine, 2008. Licensed to About.com