COLUMBIA --
Allowing private companies to manage state park cabin and hotel
rentals, golf courses and food services could save the state money,
Gov. Mark Sanford said at a budget hearing Tuesday.
Another idea aired by the governor's chief of staff is that the
state turn over some of its less profitable state parks to counties
and private enterprise.
Only 10 out of the state's 46 state parks are profitable,
according to Chad Prosser, director of the state Department of Parks
Recreation and Tour-ism.
PRT was one of three agencies that presented budget reviews and
projections to Sanford on Tuesday. The governor hopes the
information will help him craft a 2003-2004 budget the General
Assembly will take seriously. Other agencies will make similar
presentations in weeks to come.
Sanford urged Prosser to find ways to streamline spending on
parks and recreation order to increase spending on tourism.
"In PRT, the little guy is tourism, but that is the thing that
will attract maximum dollars to South Carolina," Sanford said.
Tourism accounts for 33 percent of PRT's budget, while parks
comprise 49 percent.
Last year, state parks generated $15.8 million in revenue, or 65
percent of the amount needed to run the parks, Prosser said. State
appropriations cover the remaining 35 percent. Most state parks
don't charge admission.
An exception is Hunting Island State Park in Beaufort County. It
charges $3 for adult admission and earns more money than any other
park, taking in $2 million annually, according to Park Director Ray
Stevens. By contrast, Historic Charles Town Landing loses |$1
million a year, Prosser said.
"We have a zoo there," he said. "It is a large part of the drag
on the revenue."
Prosser said millions of dollars in improvements and repairs are
needed at the parks, including $7 million in beach renourishment
work at Hunting Island. Some park rental properties need to be
updated to allow PRT to charge higher rates. And there is demand for
accommodations at the Cheraw State Park golf course, he said.
"Why does the state need to manage golf courses?" Sanford
asked.
Prosser answered the philosophy to maintain accessibility had led
the state to subsidize certain park operations.
Dr. Fred Carter, Sanford's chief of staff, told Prosser the
agency could fund the improvements either by issuing a bond or by
"using someone else's money." A public-private partnership could
generate money for improvements, he said.
Stevens said private vendors have been used twice at Hunting
Island.
"We have tried a private lifeguard service.," he said. "They
stayed two years and left. And we leased our fishing pier operations
to a company. They stayed five years and left."
The companies could not make very much money, Stevens said.
"People come to a park for different reasons, than they go
another place," he said.
Contact Karen Addy at (803) 256-3800 or mailto:kaddy@heraldonline.com
