Snowshoe, (W.Va.) – A celebratory dinner was held at Snowshoe Mountain this past Friday evening to celebrate the passing of Senate Bill 662, and the subsequent awarding of an $80,000 research grant from the Economic Development Administration to the Snowshoe Resort Community District (SRCD), the first government entity of its kind in the state.
Among those in attendance were WV Senator Bill Hamilton, representatives from the offices of WV Governor Jim Justice and Congresswoman Carol Miller, members of the Pocahontas County Commission, the SRCD Board, Region 4 Planning and Development, the WVU Law Clinic, and several other key contributors. US Senator Joe Manchin sent a video addressing those in attendance and congratulating them for their efforts.
“Thanks to a wide, collaborative effort by all of the people and organizations in attendance tonight, the future is brighter than ever for the Snowshoe Resort Community District,” said Lisa Cutlip, SRCD District Manager.
“As the first resort district in the state, getting the SRCD to where it is now was a monumental and unprecedented challenge. We’re now getting to the good part, where we get to see all the positive impacts the District is having here on the mountain. We hope that our efforts here will have paved the way for more resort districts in the state.”
The event was held at the Corduroy Inn and included live music from Pocahontas County native Wyatt Turner.
WHY SENATE BILL 662 IS GOOD FOR THE SRCD:
When the statute that enabled the formation of the Resort District was originally passed in 2017, there were clarification issues in the language that placed unintended constraints on the entity. WV Senate Bill 662 resolved those clarification issues and created pathways for additional funding opportunities within the District.
ABOUT THE EDA GRANT AWARD:
In March of 2022, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin announced that the Economic Development Administration (EDA) officially awarded the Snowshoe Resort Community District with $80,000 to conduct a feasibility study to assess the employment market available to the District. The findings of this study will help guide the SRCD as it continues to develop and grow, ensuring progress and sustainability. This award is significant because this is the first official Federally funded grant received by a resort area district in WV.
“The EDA continues to be a strong partner for West Virginia through their support for economic development projects across the state. Today’s announcement is great news for the Snowshoe Resort Community District and their continued efforts to further develop sustainable tourism growth,” said Senator Manchin. “Snowshoe is home to one of the best ski resorts on the East Coast, and this investment is a step in the right direction to boosting our growing outdoor recreation and tourism industries in Pocahontas County and the rest of the state. I look forward to seeing the results of this study for the Snowshoe community and the entire Mountain State.”
ABOUT THE SNOWSHOE RESORT COMMUNITY DISTRICT
The Snowshoe Resort community is a recently formed municipality in Pocahontas County, WV. Created in 2017, it is comprised of Snowshoe Mountain Resort, several commercial businesses, and more than 2,000 residential properties located within the greater boundary of the Resort.
These individual stakeholders share a common interest in maintaining public safety, fire protection, transportation services, roads maintenance and the maintenance of various common area amenities that serve to benefit community members, both through personal enjoyment and the enhancement and protection of property within the community. For more information, please visit snowshoedistrict.com.
