‘The best there was’: Jack Lazarus’ amusement parks reshaped Myrtle Beach entertainment

MYRTLE BEACH — The fingerprints of Jack Lazarus cover more than four decades of Myrtle Beach’s entertainment history.

Between water parks and kart racing tracks, the amusement giant built the business his family now runs. In the wake of his death June 15 at the age of 87, friends and family have celebrated the North Carolina native who brought so much joy to so many.      

“I’ll remember him every time I’m with my grandkids and every time I’m just at work walking around,” Lazarus’ son, Mark, said. “He’s the one that really taught me the business and got me started in it. We’re just continuing his legacy.”

Jack Lazarus was born in 1937 and grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina. He earned a degree in industrial relations from the University of North Carolina and also met his wife, Bonnie, at UNC before moving to Myrtle Beach in 1976. Here, he launched his iconic family business, the Myrtle Beach Grand Prix.

The park brought the joy of racing in a smaller, family-friendly form. It was what mini-golf is to golf. For decades, Jack Lazarus expanded his business, adding the North Myrtle Beach Grand Prix, Wild Water & Wheels in Surfside Beach and Funsville in Augusta, Ga.

Today, the company runs Myrtle Waves and Broadway Grand Prix, which is across U.S. Highway 17 Bypass from the Broadway at the Beach complex.

Along the way, Jack Lazarus made a point of helping many local teens start their careers.

“He employed thousands of young teenagers and college kids throughout his career,” Mark Lazarus said. “Every year, I have somebody show up asking about my Dad and just thanking him for giving them their first opportunity to work.”

In addition to his entertainment businesses, Jack Lazarus was also an owner of a Volkswagen dealership in Gastonia, N.C.