Boone County Events
Property is now available for businesses at Rock Creek Development Park The state Division of Highways has secured $58 million in funding for the four-lane highway to be constructed to the Rock Creek Development Park in Boone and Lincoln counties. In January 2016, Governor Earl Ray Tomblin announced plans to develop the largest mixed-use development project in West Virginia history. The site offers the opportunity to foster residential, commercial, industrial, recreational and educational development in southern West Virginia. The State of West Virginia is actively promoting available property for industrial development. The Park is in a strategic location in Boone and Lincoln Counties near the border of Logan County in the heart of Southern West Virginia. It is within 25 miles of major interstate corridors (I-77, I-79, and I-64) and has a prime location adjacent to U.S. Route 119, a major north/south corridor. ROck Creek Development Park is less than 30 miles from the Capital City of Charleston and a regional airport.
Madison Plans Recreational Center The city of Madison is in the process of seeking grant funding to turn the old Madison swimming pool into the Madison Recreation Center. Mayor HH Sonny Howell said “The cost of this project would be approximately 2.5 million dollars. It would take two to five years to complete. We would be able to hire about six to 10 people however the local impact for job growth could be much more.” The Madison Recreation Center would house many amenities that locals and travelers could have access to year round. “It will be built in phases,” said Howell. “The first phase should be completed in about one year.” The east wing of the existing building will be renovated. This building will serve guests who are staying overnight with the means of purchasing firewood, snacks and drinks.In addition to these items travelers and locals will be able to rent kayaks and canoes from this facility.
The west wing will have to go through a reconstruction project due to the damages to the roof as well as the structure. This building once complete will serve as the bath house on the first floor for those camping and the second floor will be turned into a community room and banquet hall.
There will also be a playground and splash pad for the children to enjoy once the project is complete.
New Welcome Center: In 2009, the Hatfield-McCoy Regional Recreational Trails Authority opened a new Welcome Center-Retail Facility on Corridor G (Robert C. Byrd Expressway). The Boone County Community and Economic Development Office, working with U.S. Congressman Nick Joe Rahall II, secured the property for the Welcome Center from the WV Department of Highways, and the Boone County Commissionís maintenance department constructed the rustic wooden building. The facility maintains a visitor friendly atmosphere where tourists can purchase trail permits, souvenirs and get information on points of interest in Boone County and southern West Virginia. All souvenirs sold on line are shipped all over the country from the Boone County facility. The Center has a manager and four Customer Service Representatives. The Hatfield-McCoy Trails Regional Recreational Trails system is rated the No. 1 managed trails system in the Eastern United States.
Small Business Assistance: In 2010, The Boone County Community and Economic Development Office implemented a new program to assist small business start ups and entrepreneurs with financial plan assistance, contact information to access capital and to provide community resources available for entrepreneurial development. The Boone County Community and Economic Development Officeís objective is to provide another economic development tool that will assist and better prepare Boone Countyís communities to help meet the needs of existing and prospective entrepreneurs. A small business coordinator was hired to assist new business start-upís and to conduct workshops in conjunction with the state and federal Small Business Assistance Center. This project led to Boone County attaining Certified Business Location status, another tool for economic and community development.
