Sun-News from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina • 1

T7s' v' ft A f5'v 1 4 a i- 'Y IN YOUR AREA REGIONAL NEWS JlOCARptipA Senate panel debates banning drivers from using cell phones 1 4C WEDNESDAY Chance of rain i i i 321' 58 -Thursday fireey 60 Realtors hope spike is good sign for housing market MONEY I ID GEORGETOWN -COUNTY! 'i Hi rr T- a5-'S Seahawks FORECAST 1 8C Touchy tortoise missing from sanctuary theft suspected IQ MYRTLE BEACH SOUTH CAROLINA MYRTLEBEACHONUNECOM I FEBRUARY 18 2009 victorious SPORTS I IB 9626-8555 v- -ir fyf ON THE ROAD TO MAY Stiffer rally restrictions enacted by split council Rock Park ByMikb Cherney mdiemeythesunnemcom With the future of this year's Bpring motorcycle rallies at stake Horry County Council Chair- woman Liz GHland initially was so tom that she left -it to chance Faced with casting the deciding vote on a controversial amendment to an already controversial proposal aimed at curtailing the rallies (Slland said she hit both the and buttons at the same time Her vote came out not much been mentioned ONLINE Watch a video from the meeting at MyrtleBeach OnHnoxom Inside Atlantic Beach cancels its Bikefest nfeeting PagoSC tonight by either side that doesn't she said earlier "Sure the economy matters and your jobs matter and that is quality of life if trying to pay the bills But a resort community that attracts In a meeting that lasted more than three hours the council eventually voted to restrict where See COUNCIL Page 8A By Tom Murray tmurraySthaioinewtsom The electronic display sign on US 501 noar Hard Rock Park was optimistic on Nov 11 and it could turn out to bo prophotlc as wall A Judge on Tuesday approved the sale for $25 million The new buyer plans to open by Memorial Day Objections spumed in bankruptcy court By Hbusdca Koran rkoemgStheaaaeumxam Violet Lucas of the Horry Georgetown Bikers Association addreseos the Horry County Council on Tuesday ONLINE Read the court documents and find stories photosand videos of the park atMyrtMeach OnHnsxom hardrockpaifc Inside Checkout! timeline of events since Hard Rock Park opened last year PagSA DEALING WITH CUTS SC tourism in 2009 aims to stay afloat ByLesaFleisher For The Sun News WDJMiNfiTON DEL Hard Rock Park is cm track to get new life this summer after a judge on Tuesday approved its sale for $25 million to FPI MB En tertainment which plana to reopen the park by Memorial Day The sale is scheduled to close no later than 5 pm Thursday but could happen as early as today A federal bankruptcy court judge in Deleware Kevin Carey called the price adequate and the process rigorous Several potential buyers emerged in the past week after the bankruptcy trustee recommended the sale be made to FPL The judge did not allow an auction Tuesday who wanted the opportunity to bid had he said FPI wants to keep the Hard Rock brand but has agreed to destroy any Hard Rock-branded merchandise before the park opens if there is no agreement on extending the license contract lawyers for the companies said in court The original owners had paid $2J million annually to use the brand The judge overruled the objection of Coastal Entertainment a company out of Finland that said it wanted to bid $255 million Officials with legal and accounting firms involved in the case said it would take at least 10 to 14 days for 'the funding to come through to the United States and they could not confirm a claim by the company that it had wired in a down payment of $25 million Carey said Coastal Entertainment came the court too little and too late" A lawyer for Coastal Entertainment Karen Biflerato said she believed her client's bid given time would have been the better offer FPI has said it wants to reopen the park by Memorial Day It would take See PARK Page 8A By Lorena Anderson landersonthesunnewswom Left: Fred Giuliano was the trustee for Hard Rock Park's creditors HILTON HEAD island People in the tourism industry should focus on survival now the tourism chief said Tuesday Chad Prosser director of the SC Department of Parks Recreation and Tourism opened the 2009 Governor's Conference on Tourism and Travel in Hilton Head Island on ONLINE Visit MyiHeleach Tuesday with a some- Onlinexom today fur more what bleak message: updates from the Governor's Just get through this GM Chrysler: Bigger bailout needed ONLINE By Tom Krisuer and Ken Thomas The Associated Press stop producing three vehicle models Conference on Tourism and year Travel on Hilton Head Island This conference drew half the registrants it usually does Prosser said The theme this year is sustainability especially in marketing destinations but for the industry itself the focus is just on making it through the year "Viability right now is the more important issue" he said seeing the game change This is the most challenging situation ever DETROIT General Motors and Chrysler asked the government for an additional $1-1 billion in aid Tuesday a dramatic acknowledgment that conditions in the UJ5 auto industry have grown significantly worse in just two months GM presented a survival plan that also calls for cutting 47000 Meanwhile the United Auto Workers union said it has reached a tentative agreement with Chrysler GM and Ford Motor Co on modifications to labor contracts Such concessions were also condition of the government bailout St BAILOUT I Page 5A For highlights of GM and Chrysler viability plans go to MyrtieBeachOnlinccoin extras jobs globally and closing five more US factories That represents the largest work force reduction announced by a US company in the economic downturn Chrysler said it will cut 3000 more jobs and The Associated Vr file photo General Motors Corvette worker Scott Campbell puts the finishing touches on a Corvette at the Bowling Croon Ky plant See TOURISM Page BA INSIDE Comics Crosswords 60 5F kkksftoday 2C Obituaries 6-7C Scoreboard 58 Television SO VoLS9 9 2009 Sun Publishing Ca.