Man creates UFO Welcome Center in South Carolina

MYRTLE BEACH (CNN) -- A new exhibit showcasing spacecrafts and aliens is opening this weekend in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. And just a short drive north, one man is ready and waiting to welcome a UFO to his property.

Jody Pendarvis had a strange urge to build something in the early 1990s. By hand, the Bowman created a UFO. On Memorial Day in 1999, he says the UFO Welcome Center had its first visitors.

"I actually saw it twice that night, so I said 'man they really want me to get up here and turn these lights on,'" Pendarvis said.

Pendarvis says later that night, he had a close encounter with a spacecraft. While he is tight-lipped about his experience that evening, he did have this to share: "You see a UFO  you know it's not from here and you can't hear any engines."

"I can definitely say that I'm not too sure if there were any windows in that UFO or not but I could actually see inside of it," Pendarvis said.

For nearly 20 years, Bowman residents have passed the welcome center, and they have mixed feelings about it.

Pendarvis believes theories of aliens landing in Roswell, among other places. He also thinks they recently visited the nation's Capitol, however, he thinks they don't often make stops on Earth.

I don't believe they actually want to land. I think they'd just rather fly around, live on their own ship and maybe come visit, maybe not," Pendarvis said.

Pendarvis says he is sure there's someone else watching us.

"Aliens can fly from the north or the south and just land in the parking lot and come and chit chat with me," Pendarvis said.

Pendarvis also blames an alien landing in 1999 for killing the grass in a nearby field.