UPDATE 9:30 a.m. Tuesday Opening ceremony officially kicks office at Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve. Thousands of Boy Scouts are on hand.
MOUNT HOPE, W.Va. — The wait is finally over for the 2013 National Boy Scout Jamboree at the Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve.
Over 40,000 scouts, scout leaders, and volunteers from across the country will get the adventure started Tuesday with a Time Capsule Ceremony at 8:30 a.m. followed by the opening ceremony set for 9:30 a.m. at The Arena.
The opening ceremony will include a speech from Governor Earl Ray Tomblin at 10 a.m.
The ceremony kick starts a ten day event that will have Boy Scouts experiencing a little bit of everything the New River Gorge Area in Fayette County has to offer.
The scouts will take part in hiking, zip lining, ropes courses, whitewater rafting, climbing and much more. In addition, the Jamboree will have Boy Scouts engaged in more than 350 community projects reaching nine West Virginia counties.
The Summit Bechtel Reserve, which becomes the permanent location for the Jamboree, sits on 10,600 acres of forested mountains and, according to Governor Tomblin, is a big economic game changer for the area.
“This world-class location has not only has made a major impact on the local economy through new employment opportunities during its construction phase, it will also continue to be a source of economic activity for years to come as its popularity draws visitors from across the globe,” said Tomblin in a released statement.
According to the release, the economic impact of The Summit includes job growth in the construction industry as well as employment opportunities in the professional, scientific and technical, utility, and health care industries.
Tomblin cites that The Summit to date, supports an average of 848 local jobs each year, has provided labor income amounts totaling $169.7 million into the local economy and has generated $45.1 million in additional tax revenues over the last four years.
The 2013 National Boy Scout Jamboree in Fayette County will run through July 24.