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U.S. Rep. Russell Fry joined us at the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual Legislative Luncheon on Oct. 14, helping open a sold-out gathering focused on the relationships and regional priorities that support a strong business community.
Thank you to all of our members who attended, and for those of you who couldn’t make it, here’s a recap of the event.
Held at the Dunes Golf & Beach Club and presented by the Coastal Carolinas Association of REALTORS®, the luncheon connected our members and local leaders with elected officials ahead of South Carolina’s 2027 legislative session. Congressman Fry shared brief remarks before the program continued with the state legislative delegation, including:
- Sen. Stephen Goldfinch (District 34)
- Sen. Greg Hembree (District 28)
- Sen. Luke Rankin (District 33)
- Rep. William Bailey (District 104)
- Rep. Case Brittain Jr. (District 107)
- Rep. Val Guest (District 106)
- Rep. Tim McGinnis (District 56)
The moderated discussion gave attendees an opportunity to hear directly from their representatives and submit questions about issues affecting businesses and communities across Horry and Georgetown counties.
Three shared priorities highlighted during the program were securing funding to move Interstate 73 forward, investing in the long-term capacity of Myrtle Beach International Airport, and improving drainage and flooding infrastructure.
Each has implications for the region’s ability to support businesses, serve a growing resident population and welcome millions of visitors. Advancing these projects requires coordination among local, state and federal partners, with the business community helping communicate their importance to the Grand Strand’s future.
Chamber President Jimmy Gray emphasized that member input shapes the chamber’s annual advocacy agenda. A sneak peek of the priorities was provided to each attendee with insurance affordability and availability at the top of its 2027 priorities.
For businesses across the Grand Strand, insurance costs influence everyday operating decisions, investment and opportunities for growth. As Gray highlighted, the chamber’s agenda calls for a healthier, more competitive insurance market, stronger protections against fraudulent claims and continued reforms aimed at bringing premiums under control.
The 2027 advocacy priorities for the chamber will be finalized by the end of the year. Initial items include workforce housing, childcare, infrastructure funding, energy costs and reducing unnecessary regulatory burdens. Together, these issues reflect the practical challenges employers face as the region continues to grow, Gray said.
“The luncheon reinforced the value of giving business leaders direct access to policymakers. Those conversations help elected officials understand local needs while giving our members and the regional business community a clearer view of the work ahead in Columbia.”
Gray also emphasized the importance of a unified regional voice on major investments that reach beyond municipal and county boundaries.
As part of the Greater Myrtle Beach Collaborative, the Chamber is strengthening its focus on advocacy and its longstanding purpose of promoting, protecting and improving the Grand Strand business community. Events such as the Legislative Luncheon put that work into practice by bringing people together around shared challenges and opportunities.
Chamber members are encouraged to continue sharing the issues affecting their businesses as the organization carries the region’s priorities into the year ahead.