West Virginia: What’s New for 2007

Snowshoe Mountain Ski Resort and Sawmill Village to Build New Trails

Snowshoe Mountain (www.snowshoemtn.com) and a premier residential development company at the resort, Sawmill Village, will construct two new ski trails at the Pocahontas County resort in West Virginia. The new slopes will increase the number of Snowshoe’s ski trails to 59. The plan includes an investment of about $1 million for construction of the two trails, which will be adjacent to the Sawmill Village development in Snowshoe’s South Mountain area. One trail will be for expert skiers and snowboarders, while the other will be designed as an intermediate trail. They will be next to the Widowmaker slope and accessed by the region’s newest high-speed quad, which opened earlier this season.

The Greenbrier Reopens with a New Look and Signature Events

The award-winning Greenbrier Resort (www.greenbrier.com) reopened in April after several months of renovations and in anticipation of even more exciting changes for guests. Top among the changes that have been completed is the rooms’ renovation project. Sixty-three guest rooms have undergone extensive renovations, including marble bathrooms which feature soaking tubs and walk-in showers. All guest rooms are furnished with plasma televisions and new bedding. Guests will see other changes as well, including a relaxed dress code for resort guests, new indoor tennis courts and a European plan. In the coming months, distinctive dining and entertainment features will be added at the resort. And, the resort will again be open to the public for day visits to shops and restaurants and golf. The Greenbrier Signature Event Series is a lineup of unique special events including The Tom Watson Golf Classic, Sam Snead Festival, LaVarenne Cooking School with Anne Willan, Clubs Chef Institute and a Weekend of Culinary Masters.

New southern lodge and conference center offer top-notch accommodations close to 500-miles of ATV trails

The new Chief Logan Lodge and Conference Center (www.chiefloganstatepark.com) near Logan in southern West Virginia is just off the four-lane Corridor G (U.S. 19) and provides a full-service hotel in the heart of Hatfield-McCoy country with great comfort food and unique specialties at the restaurant. That means folks who want to venture on to the more than 500 miles of ATV trails that surround the park now have a great place to meet, eat and sleep. It’s also great for those who want to explore the history of the National Coal Heritage Area. They can take in outdoor theater in the summer at the adjoining park and they are not far from the famous Hatfield-McCoy feud sites.

Oglebay Resort completes stunning new lodge addition upgrades

Oglebay Resort (www.oglebay-resort.com) in Wheeling has completed a 53-room addition to Wilson Lodge, the flagship accommodations at the 1,700-acre resort. The luxurious 53-room addition to the lodge includes a king hospitality suite, two king suites and two double queen suites, all with fireplaces. Also available are 24 king rooms with fireplaces and 24 double queen rooms

Oglebay is the perfect golf destination with 36 holes of championship golf with the newest course designed by Arnold Palmer, which compliments the original course designed by the legendary Robert Trent Jones, Sr. Other golf amenities at Oglebay include the 18-hole regulation Crispin golf course, an 18-hole par three course and driving range. A complete guide to West Virginia’s challenging mountain golf courses can be found at http://www.wvgolfing.com.

Oglebay has activities to please every guest and family member, from the Good Zoo with 30 acres of animals, to a planetarium, fine dining, shops, glass museum, artisan center and environmental education center. Additional recreation opportunities at Oglebay include swimming, Har-Tru tennis courts, horse stables offering trail rides and lessons, pedal boating, miniature golf, fishing and miles of paved walking/jogging trails.

American Mountain Theater Offers Fresh Music Programs

The American Mountain Theater in Elkins offers visitors to that area another option for musical performances. Opened just last year, the Theater is located in the historic Elkins Rail yard. The musical family-oriented programs feature contemporary and classic Country, Bluegrass, Cajun, Western, Swing, Pop and Gospel. Talented entertainers offer an evening of laughter, fun and entertainment that guests don’t soon forget. For more information, visit www.americanmountaintheater.com.

West Virginia Independence Hall to House Civil War Battle Flag Exhibit

West Virginia Independence Hall in Wheeling will soon house a rare exhibit of 13 West Virginia Civic War regimental flags which have been conserved by a Maryland textile conservator. The 150-year old Wheeling facility was selected to house the exhibit because of its connection to the Civil War in West Virginia and because it has adequate space to display the flags, some of which are six-feet long. When completed, the new exhibit will feature the flags in specially designed pressure-mounted formats with astate-0f-the-art motion activated lighting system to help protect the fabric. Expanding upon the existing statehood exhibits at Independence Hall the flag displays also will include historic photos and documents about individual soldiers and regiments as well a an interactive displays that allow visitors to learn more about the Civil War and its soldiers. More information is available from the West Virignia Division of Culture and History at www.wvculture.org

Grave Creek Mound Archaeology Complex Breaks Ground for New Research Center

Grave Creek Mound Archaeology Complex in Moundsville had a groundbreaking ceremony in late April for a one-story research center to house West Virginia’s archaeological collection. The 9,600 squre-f00t wing will be added to the exiting complex museum. Along with a state-of-the-art collections storage area, the wing will feature a conservation laboratory for curators, study area for researchers, library and an observation area where the public can view the activity in the lab. The new wing will provide a centralized location for the state’s archaeological collections. The new wing is a $3 million project

Operated by the West Virginia Division of Culture and History, Grave Creek Mound Archaeology Complex features one of the largest and most famous burial mounds built by the prehistoric Adena people. A massive undertaking, construction of the mound took place in successive stages from about 250-150 B.C. and required the movement of more than 60,000 tons of earth. Exhibits and displays in the complex museum interpret what is known about the lives of these prehistoric people and the construction of the mound. More information is available at www.wvculture.org

For more information, contact Caryn Gresham at cgresham@wvcommerce.org or 304-558-2200, ext. 347.