CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — The City of Clarksburg hopes to have a study completed by mid-February that could lead toward the recruitment of a developer for a hotel/conference center in downtown Clarksburg.
City Manager Martin Howe said PHG Consulting, which is working for the city on a feasibility and market study, will begin meeting with community and business leaders later this month. He said the study results should be done by mid-February. If the report is positive, PHG would help Clarksburg recruit a developer.
City Manager Howe said there are currently only two locations in the Harrison County area where large gatherings can take place. He said there are many scheduling conflicts. He believes a hotel/conference center would work in Clarksburg as part of the city’s redevelopment plan.
“This is just another part of that puzzle that we feel that would help bring in other businesses, spinoff and be able to sustain our current businesses and keep the traffic level at a volume needed to continue any kind of growth in the future,” Howe said.
Downtown Clarksburg has lost some businesses to the development around Interstate 79 but a new state office complex should boost downtown activity.
Howe said the market study should provide key information including the proposed size of a hotel/convention center complex. He said the choosing of the developer would be the most important decision.
“They have to have resources to come in, the capital, and also the expertise and the experience within the industry to operate such a facility,” Howe said.
The city has an aggressive timeline. Howe said he hopes a groundbreaking ceremony could be held on a new complex in early 2014.