Published: June 30, 2009 11:22 pm      

Merit

National Scouting Center brings focus to West Virginia's rugged beauty and potential

West Virginia earned another merit badge this week with the selection of a Fayette County site for a National Scouting Center.

The Boy Scouts of America has entered into a purchase and sales agreement with the Meadow Creek Coal Corp. for more than 10,000 acres of land in the Glen Jean-Mount Hope area for the project.

BSA chose the Garden Ground Mountain site in the New River Gorge region after assessing 80 proposals from 28 states.

BSA is now in the process of submitting an application to the Fayette County Commission for rezoning the property, which BSA says will provide “the Boy Scouts with the flexibility to grow for the next 100 years in West Virginia and to potentially add more than the high-adventure base if that opportunity presents itself.”

Sweet.

We can’t think of a better place to provide top-quality outdoor training and recreational experiences for Scouts. The area’s terrain makes it a perfect spot for a wide variety of outdoor activities such as whitewater rafting, rappelling, mountain biking, hiking, hunting, fishing and backpacking.

A high-adventure base comparable to those in New Mexico, Minnesota, and Florida could be open as early as 2012.

With it will come about 80 new jobs created annually along with 1,000 seasonal jobs, which figures to be an annual payroll of about $6 million. Judy Radford, executive director of the 4-C Economic Development Authority, said she expects the project to inject about $10 million annually into the economy.

The state’s natural beauty has boosted the tourism economy, but it’s especially exciting to see destination spots such as a National Scouting Center.

It’s also been rumored the Mountain State could become the permanent home of the National Jamboree. Let’s hope that happens as well. The event brings thousands of Scouts, leaders and the general public together for an exciting 10-day event every four years. No matter what happens with the Jamboree, the BSA has other plans for the local site as well.

It’s great to see West Virginia recognized nationally by an organization known for developing character and high-caliber conduct in America’s youth.

It’s also great to see an economic boost with such positive future potential come to southern West Virginia.