Roughly $5 million in state tax money could be available to beef up law enforcement during next year’s Atlantic Beach Bikefest.
The money, included in the state budget that takes effect Tuesday, is in response to violence during this year’s Bikefest. During the Memorial Day weekend event, three people were shot to death and there were at least seven other shootings.
Compared with 10 years ago, the most serious crimes during Bikefest have more than doubled, to 114 this year from 42 in 2004.
In reaction, Horry County area officials have called for additional law enforcement to head off violence at next year’s Bikefest.
An amendment in the new state budget authorizes a third of the accommodations tax money that is returned to the Horry County area from the state to be used for policing during events held in May – a period that includes Bikefest.
Based on the last fiscal year, that means about $5 million would be available for Horry County and its municipalities, including Myrtle Beach, for policing.
The state budget also could provide additional money for Bikefest security.
That money would come from $1.1 million in “local law enforcement grants” earmarks included in the state budget. How much of that money will go toward policing during Bikefest has not been determined.