The Big M Casino is bringing up one of its ships from Fort Myers, Fla., this summer to join its current ship off the Little River shoreline and keep its committment to Horry County.

Big M bought the defunct SunCruz Casino late last summer after SunCruz’ July 28 closing, and Horry County Council agreed to a settlement to recoup $484,272 of the $700,000 SunCruz owed the county in boarding fees.

In February 2008, Horry County passed an ordinance that required casino boats to pay $7 per passenger as a boarding fee.

With only one boat in operation since last summer, this added Big M boat, which will open July 2, will bring revenue to the county back up to the last time the county collected from two boats.