South-Carolina
South Carolina’s Once-Thriving Theme Park Now Has Only An Abandoned Hotel Left Of Its Legacy – Islands
Near the northern edge of South Carolina stands an abandoned hotel tower in ruins, one of the last original remnants of one of America’s most infamous rise-and-fall stories. Fort Mill, the former home of Heritage USA, a Christian theme park built by pioneering televangelists Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, who were known for their wildly successful TV network PTL (Praise the Lord). Although it had traditional theme park elements like a water park, Heritage USA was more like a Christian Disneyland.
When it opened in 1978, it was a one-of-a-kind vacation destination. Offerings included a chapel modeled after a church in Jerusalem believed to be where the last supper was held and an amphitheater showing performances of Jesus’ crucifixion. As The Washington Post wrote in 1986, it was a “place somewhere between the Land of Oz and a strait-laced Club Med,” an alcohol-free park filled with friendly Christians whose smiles masked an undercurrent of pain and trauma. It was the country’s third-largest theme park by attendance with 4.9 million people annually, behind only Disneyland and Disney World.
But everything soon came crashing down amidst Jim Bakker’s financial and sexual scandals, leading the park to close in 1989, following further damage caused by Hurricane Hugo. While much of Heritage USA has been demolished or repurposed, the crumbling, unfinished 21-story Heritage Tower still stands as the most prominent ruin from this once-thriving theme park. Not only that, it was the construction of this now-ruined hotel that instigated Bakker’s downfall and the closing of the park. So, the Heritage Tower has become not just an interesting abandoned building, but also a provocative symbol of a quintessentially American story of the greed-fueled marriage of religion and capitalism.
Heritage Tower and the collapse of the PTL empire
The Bakkers always appealed directly to their viewers to donate to their projects, and so they did with Heritage USA. After it opened, Jim Bakker wanted to build a new 500-room high-rise hotel. But during the construction of the Heritage Tower in 1987, Bakker was embroiled in a financial scandal that bankrupted the park. For years, he had offered incentives to viewers: If they donated $1000 to PTL, they would get a free room at the Heritage Tower for life. There weren’t enough rooms for all who donated, and Bakker used the money to support his lavish lifestyle. Ultimately, this fraud initiated the investigation that sent him to jail. The incomplete tower was left abandoned, a reminder of what brought Bakker down (literally and figuratively, if Freud has anything to say about it).
In 2004, Rick Joyner, head of MorningStar Ministries (an organization currently implicated in a sexual abuse investigation), bought the hotel. He planned to turn it into a Christian residential living space, but 11 years of litigation left the hotel deteriorating into an eyesore for locals. Bricks are falling off, windows remain broken, and the roof is a home for birds.
In 2024, the lawsuits were dropped and MorningStar was given a deadline to show that the building can be renovated under current building codes. If that deadline isn’t met, it’ll be demolished. So if you want to see the Heritage Tower in its decaying state, check it out soon, as it could be gone or renovated within three years. Note that you can only view this private property from outside. While it’s not one of the creepiest abandoned amusement parks you can visit in America, it’s definitely one of the most unique thanks to its cultural significance.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN’s National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
What you’ll find of Heritage USA today
While you can find other remnants of the theme park, most of it has been demolished and replaced by a suburban housing development. One of the most emblematic ones is the Upper Room Chapel, which was the main attraction of Heritage USA. This replica of a church where people believe the last supper was held was abandoned for years, making it one of South Carolina’s most interesting abandoned chapels. When Heritage USA was open, this chapel was the beating heart of the theme park, where people sought spiritual guidance. After years of being left empty, it was renovated and reopened in 2011. Now, it hosts services a few days a week and events, which you can find on its Facebook page.
Joyner bought up a few of the old Heritage USA properties and repurposed them for MorningStar use. The Heritage Grand, the theme park’s finished hotel, was turned into a MorningStar headquarters. It’s now used as a church, school, conference center, and publishing house. The old Main Street, an indoor mall that sold Christian-themed items – like “praise dolls” who declared “God is love” and “Jesus is Lord” when you squeezed them — remain in use by the dozens of MorningStar residents living on the premises. Heritage USA is just 30 minutes from the artsy shopping mecca of Rock Hill, and it’s the same distance from Charlotte, which makes it an easy trip for both visitors and locals in the Carolinas.
A shark is swimming around a surfer in Aptos, California
Drone footage shows a large shark was seen swimming ominously close to a surfer sitting on his surfboard at Seascape Beach in Aptos, California.
As summer crowds return to South Carolina’s beaches, new data highlights how influential the Palmetto State is on America’s shark risk.
The state has 118 recorded historical shark attacks, the third‑highest total in the nation. Two unprovoked bites have already been reported in 2026, according to Vegas Insider’s Summer Hazard Odds study.
South Carolina remains one of the country’s most closely watched coastal hotspots where incidents from shark bites to lightning strikes are likely to occur. Myrtle Beach, in particular, stands out, as it ranks No. 14 overall in hazard risk and No. 2 nationally for shark‑bite risk.
How likely is a shark bite in Myrtle Beach?
The odds of a shark bite in Myrtle Beach are estimated at 1 in 720,000 during a two‑week trip, equivalent to a 0.00014% likelihood, according to Vegas Insider’s Summer Hazard Odds study.
Even with Myrtle Beach’s national ranking, the numbers make one thing clear: shark encounters remain pretty rare.
Has there ever been a fatal shark attack at a South Carolina beach?
Despite its high risk of recorded shark encounters, there has never been a confirmed or fatal unprovoked shark attack in South Carolina in modern history.
The only such incident on record dates all the way back to 1852 in Charleston Harbor, according to America Surf, a magazine dedicated to surfing.
Myrtle Beach is among America’s top shark hotspots
With new national rankings spotlighting Myrtle Beach as one of the country’s most closely watched shark hotspots.
Vegas Insider’s Summer Hazard Odds study reveals it stems largely from the area’s intense swimmer density and environmental conditions.
With over 17 million visitors each year, Myrtle Beach does see an increase in accidental shark interactions. At the same time, the region’s warm, murky coastal waters create ideal shark-hunting conditions.
What types of sharks are at Myrtle Beach? Blacktips to bull sharks
As concerns about coastal safety rise each summer, understanding which sharks are actually responsible for bites in Myrtle Beach helps put the risk into perspective.
Most incidents in South Carolina involve small to medium coastal species, not large predators, according to americansurfmagazine.com
Along the beach, sharks most often linked to bites include blacktips, spinners, bull sharks, sandbar sharks, and Atlantic sharpnose sharks.
Reality of shark encounters in Myrtle Beach
Understanding why shark bites happen in Myrtle Beach helps make sense of the danger.
As reported by americansurfmagazine.com, most incidents aren’t aggressive attacks but quick, unintentional encounters driven by shark behavior.
Bites are typically unprovoked yet non‑aggressive, often involving single, rapid nips when a shark mistakes a hand, foot, or ankle for a small fish in the surf.
Juvenile sharks feeding in shallow, turbid water are the usual culprits, especially fast‑moving blacktips and spinners, which strike at baitfish near the shoreline and may accidentally contact swimmers.
Ways to reduce shark bite risk this beach season
As the summer beach season approaches, safety experts say that most shark encounters can be prevented with simple habits in the water.
According to the Florida Museum, ways to keep yourself and others safe include swimming in groups, staying close to shore, and avoiding the ocean during dawn, dusk, or nighttime, when sharks are most active.
It also means minimizing behaviors that attract attention, avoiding excess splashing, and steering clear of shiny jewelry or bright, high‑contrast clothing that resembles prey in murky waters.
Travis Jacque Rose is the trending news reporter for the Greenville News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at trose@gannett.com.
STARKVILLE — Mississippi State baseball landed a potential starting infielder from the transfer portal.
Will Craddock, who played one season at South Carolina, committed to the Bulldogs on June 26.
“Hail State,” Craddock wrote on Instagram.
The freshman batted .260, leading the Gamecocks in home runs (10) and runs (36) while ranking third with 29 RBIs. In SEC play, his average dipped to .172 with two home runs, six RBIs and 14 runs.
Craddock primarily played first base, but also made starts at second base, third base and designated hitter. He started all three games against Mississippi State in April, batting 3-for-14 with a walk, no RBIs but two runs.
He was a standout player for T.L. Hanna in Anderson, South Carolina, and was the state’s 5A Player of the year in 2025. He hit .442 that season with eight doubles, 10 home runs and 10 stolen bases while ranked as the No. 26 player in South Carolina.
Mississippi State’s starting first baseman, Reed Stallman, is out of eligibility.
The transfer portal opened June 1 and closes June 30.
Mississippi State baseball transfer portal class
Craddock is the 10th transfer to commit to Mississippi State and the second South Carolina player, joining relief pitcher Zach Russell.
Other position players who are transferring to MSU include Georgia Southern catcher/outfielder Brady Christman, Samford outfielder Jake Souders, Army utility player Josiah Overbeek, South Dakota State third baseman Nolan Grawe, Oregon catcher Burke-Lee Mabeus and North Florida outfielder Carter White.
Twelve Mississippi State players have entered the transfer portal as of June 26, including relief pitcher Tyler Pitzer who committed to South Carolina.
Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for The Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.
USA TODAY 250th anniversary travel guides and American stories
USA TODAY marks America’s 250th with travel guides, culture, history, and local stories.
As the nation prepares for its 250th anniversary, one of the efforts underway is America’s Time Capsule.
The time capsule project is led by America250 and meant to bring together carefully selected artifacts and documents from all 50 states, five U.S. territories, the District of Columbia, and each branch of the federal government.
This national project is designed to capture the story of the United States at this historic 250th birthday, according to America250.
Here’s what South Carolina contributed to the national project.
What did South Carolina put in the America250 time capsule?
South Carolina is marking the nation’s 250th anniversary by contributing two historic items to the national America’s Time Capsule project, according to America250.
As part of the SouthCarolina250, which is the state’s initiative for the U.S.’s 250th celebration, commemoration effort, the state has provided a commemorative challenge coin and an official SC250 lapel pin.
Both will be buried inside the capsule on July 4, along with items from other states. And it is set to be reopened 250 years later in 2276.
Where will the Americ250 time capsule be buried?
The ceremonial burial of America’s Time Capsule is set to take place at Independence National Historical Park, located at 599 Market Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on July 4, according to america250.org.
What else is in America’s 250th anniversary time capsule
As America’s 250th anniversary approaches, the national time capsule has been filled with items meant to capture the character and diversity of the country in this moment.
The collection spans a range of items, from archival letters and state proclamations to student work from the America’s Field Trip contest, uncirculated currency, and even pieces of national sports memorabilia.
Time capsule engineered to last centuries
As planners work to ensure America’s Time Capsule endures for the next two and a half centuries, engineers and archivists have focused heavily on long‑term preservation.
The capsule itself is a cylinder‑shaped stainless‑steel vessel, precision‑designed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology in partnership with archival scientists at the Library of Congress, according to the Institute.
Travis Jacque Rose is the trending news reporter for the Greenville News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at trose@gannett.com.
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