BEAVER, W.Va. — The final money needed to complete a $8.3 million site development project at the Raleigh County Memorial Airport is in and leaders are hopeful for the opportunities ahead.
U.S. Senators Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito, along with U.S. Rep. Carol Miller, announced the approval of a $1.75 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration that represents the final investment needed for the project focusing on unused land on site.
Jina Belcher, the Executive Director of The New River Gorge Regional Development Authority, appeared on Friday’s MetroNews and said this will expand the land at the airport and prepare it for aerospace businesses to move in.
The runway of the airport is expected is extend an additional 2,000 feet.
Belcher said the recruitment is to be for aviation manufacturing companies and companies that can capitalize on the transferability of skills in the workforce from the coal industry to aerospace. She expects at least 13 new companies and over 600 new jobs in the area.
She said that nearby New River Gorge and its new designation as a national park will go hand-in-hand with the airport’s project.
“You’re going to see not only the aerospace industry grow but we’ll also grow the outdoor economy and the businesses related with that. We feel like this airport can service the needs of the tourism and travel industry as well as the distribution and cargo industry because the industrial park is located and owned by the airport,” she said.
Great news for Raleigh County! https://t.co/zCFaJNE27H
— Shelley Moore Capito (@SenCapito) February 4, 2021
Belcher said the airport will begin taking bids from construction companies to take down trees and prepare the land. The airport, which offers daily commercial flights as well as private and charter options, is called a ‘site-ready project’ by Belcher.
“All of the infrastructures is in place. The capacity of those infrastructure components is enough to support an adequate operation for aviation aerospace manufacturers and the likes,” Belcher said.