Mercer getting consultation: County Commission hires firm to find best location for convention center

May 16—PRINCETON — What type of convention center could serve Mercer County best and where is the best location for one is part the study a consulting firm now has underway.

The Mercer County Commission recently retained the services of West Virginia — based consulting firm Downstream Strategies to complete a feasibility study for the development of a new convention center and complementary facilities in the area.

A venue that has served for many years as a convention center, the Brushfork Armory, is no longer able to meet the area's needs alone, according to Joey James, principal of Downstream Strategies. As tourism continues to increase in southern West Virginia, Mercer County stands at a crossroads of opportunities to play a major role in the region's changing economy, he said.

During the feasibility study, the consulting firm will examine local and regional market opportunities that can be paired with convention center development and identify ways to position Mercer County to maximize its capture of the economic benefits from the growing tourism industry, James stated. Opportunities being considered in the study include an indoor waterpark resort, an outdoor-themed luxury hotel and retail center and other types of development that draw on the county's strengths.

Where a convention center could be located is part of this study. The primary locations would be along Interstate 77.

"Any area in Mercer County is fine by us," County Commission Bill Archer said. "We targeted primarily Exits 1, 9, 14 and 20 as potential sites; but, of course, up on top of the mountain there Mercer County goes all the way up to Flat Top, so that's important for us, too."

The county commission chose Downstream Strategies after reviewing several applicants.

"We conducted a search in the spring and we did it mostly through Zoom," Archer recalled. "We had some highly qualified groups who came in and submitted their resumes and did video conferences, and ultimately Downstream scored the highest both local and beyond."

The county has applied for a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) grant to help pay for the study, which will cost about $50,000.

"We've submitted a grant to cover the largest portion of that," Archer said. "But we have not heard back from the state yet about whether that's going to be covered; but we may find that out any day now."

The county has established a fund to help pay for the study, he stated.

"We really want to be serious about this search," Archer added.

Three principle members of Downstream Strategies visited Mercer County on May 7. Archer said that he showed them various sites in the county, and they had visited Exit 1 and Exit 9 prior to their meeting. They later visited Exit 14 and Exit 20 along with sites such as the Bluestone Gorge."

The study is now underway.

"They've hit the ground running. We're already communicating with emails and phone conversations, too. Their time frame to wrap up the whole concept is within the next couple of months," Archer stated. "They gave us a presentation that was real eyeopening about what their initial thoughts were about how we should proceed; so far, it's been a very positive experience."

A water park and other attractions seen across the country were presented to the commissioners as possible options for Mercer County's convention center.

"They talked about that and they showed us some examples of how that would work in our area," he said. "And yes, I thought it was really exciting to look at some of the innovative things that are taking place nationwide really. Some of the presentations we received from some of the applicants for this (study) were showing us international sites in the Caribbean and various other places. They showed us a connection with Bass Pro Shops as a facility in Memphis, and it's designed on the shape of a pyramid and it's very beautiful. And the interior is all nice wood and stuff like that."

Large numbers of people come to Mercer County and the surrounding area for outdoor activities including fishing, hunting, hiking, mountain biking and kayaking as well as taking ATVs on the Hatfield-McCoy Trail. One goal for the convention center is to locate it where it can be readily seen by arriving visitors. This necessity was pointed out about three years ago when the county commission attended a conference at the Fincastle in Bluefield, Va.

"A couple of members out there said in order to attract international corporations such has hotels and motels, they (travelers) have to be able to see the signs from the interstate," Archer said.

Mercer County is strategically located along Interstate 77 between the Raleigh-Durham area and the New River Gorge National Park. James said.

"All of these wealthy people from the Research Triangle are going to be driving right through the county on their way to the new national park," James said. "We just need to give them an excuse to stop. We need to give their companies a space to hold conventions in our scenic setting. Mercer County has all of the makings of a successful destination."

With the connection to the ATV traffic along the Hatfield-McCoy Trail, James called Mercer County, "the crossroads of adventure," Archer recalled.

"To me, I really like that whole concept because if you look at us, we're really in a huge crossroads of adventure and we have a lot of developable land and things of that nature. We've been working on infrastructure projects... we think we kind of fulfill that promise," he added. "We love ATV people. We have equestrian opportunities at Camp Creek State Park and all of the trails we've been developing the last three years, the Bluestone Valley Trails. There are a lot of things taking place here and we're excited about all of this."

"Bluewell and Brushfork have already staked their claim to being an ATV mecca, so to speak," Archer said. "They've got that all the way down to Bramwell and other areas. We're looking at those sites, too, but again, you've got to be near that thoroughfare on the interstate. I think it's 36,000 vehicles through there north and south per day, and that number continues to increase because we have a lot of traffic on our interstates."

One of the Downstream Strategies missions is to find grants help fund a convention center project and entities such as hotel chains that could become associated with it, Archer said.

"We're not going to try compete with the (Mercer) mall or the Brushfork Armory," he stated. "The actual blueprint has not been drawn. I think that's part of this study is trying to be able to develop a site and an entity that can answer a lot of different questions for Mercer County. It kind of all comes together."

"Our primary goal is to provide the county with the data and evidence needed to attract and encourage action by private developers," James said.

— Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com