Jamboree leaves positive economic imprint in SWV

Aug. 1—Richard Meadows' parking lot nightly resembled the location of an active bus garage in recent days.

And that brought a smile to his face.

Meadows, owner of Quality Inn New River Gorge in Fayetteville, saw his business parking lot dotted with buses for the duration of the Boy Scouts of America's National Jamboree 2023, which began July 20 and concluded on Saturday, July 29.

That "definitely helps with occupancy, whether directly or indirectly," Meadows said last week.

"We have a lot of bus drivers who stay with us and we do their lunches out of Elliott's Whitewater Bar and Grill," he added. "It's busy, and that's fabulous."

With the Jamboree just concluded after more than 15,000 Scouts and their Scoutmasters spent the past several days learning to be better leaders, enjoying a huge array of adventure activities, and strengthening the bonds of friendship and brotherhood and sisterhood while staying onsite on the 14,000-acre Summit Bechtel Reserve in Fayette and Raleigh counties, it's still too early to get a concrete look at how the coffers of local businesses collectively have been impacted by the Jamboree's presence.

However, the increased buzz, vehicle and foot traffic and business visitation in numerous scenarios implies a positive outcome, and several officials say the arrival of those associated in one way or another with the Jamboree in southern West Virginia provides a major boost for the region.

One of those is Katherine Vance, general manager of the Holiday Lodge Hotel and Conference Center in Oak Hill. During the Jamboree, Vance said there was a very steady stream of visitors filling the 62-room hotel, which was purchased by Nassau Properties last September.

"We had a lot more reservations," said Vance. "We also have walk-ins," she said last week, some of which Holiday Lodge representatives had to direct elsewhere since there was no room in the inn there.

"There is a spike (in occupancy). That's great for us. A busy time is a great time."

Other activities also drew in customers, as well. "We're right in the middle of rafting season, too," she said. But, the Jamboree has had an obvious impact. "Anybody from Summersville to Beckley ... has likely been affected."

Lisa Strader is executive director of Visit Southern West Virginia, which serves a gateway area that covers Raleigh, Fayette, Nicholas, Wyoming, Monroe, Summers, Mercer, McDowell and Greenbrier counties. She says Visit Southern WV has not performed an economic study on the impact of a Jamboree on the region, but she referenced an earlier WVU-driven economic study which was published ahead of the World Jamboree in Fayette County in 2019. An article published in June 2019 (https://wvutoday.wvu.edu/stories/2019/06/20/boy-scouts-of-america-s-summit-bechtel-reserve-contributes-millions-annually-to-west-virginia-economy) on wvutoday.wvu.edu reported that, even in non-Jamboree years, the SBR creates $28 million in the economy, supports 280 jobs and generates almost $1 million in state and local tax revenue.

"The New River Gorge Area Economic Outlook 2022-26," a study (https://business.wvu.edu/files/d/fb20c723-2bf3-4485-a4eb-7cc7b1c917cc/new-river-gorge-economic-outlook-2022-2026.pdf) by the WVU John Chambers College of Business and Economics Bureau of Business and Economic Research, referenced an estimated $76 million impact and more than $1 million in tax revenue of the 2013 and 2017 National Jamborees at the Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve on the local region.

Fayette County Commissioner Allison Rae Taylor says that, provided the tax revenue numbers cited in the WVU study are accurate, the state "has received the majority of it rather than the county." Additionally, the county "has to split its small percentage the state gives back with the other counties outlined in that memo."

Overall economic impact numbers for 2023 for the Jamboree aren't officially available, but Strader says, "I have not had time to reach out this year to all of our local members but from speaking to the groups themselves I know that they visited many of our local campgrounds, hotels, restaurants, coffee shops, attractions, etc. In previous years we have seen a spike in foot traffic throughout our region. This comes in many forms: gas stations, retail, lodging, camping, attractions, etc. Although this Jamboree was smaller than ones we've had in previous years, this still holds true. It would be impossible to welcome over 15,000 people, plus day visitors, to southern West Virginia without them leaving an economic footprint."

And, while she said her organization doesn't perform a complete study on the economic impact of a Jamboree, Strader did share positive lodging numbers from past events. "I pulled our STR (Smith Travel Research) reports for July 2017 and July 2019," she said. "In 2017, we saw an increase in occupancy in July of 3.4 percent over July 2016, and in 2019 July's occupancy surpassed July 2018 by 4.8 percent."

Those figures cover only hotel lodging throughout the region, she said, but "it is a good benchmark to use. Each July saw a big increase in revenue over the previous July (approximately $1 million)."

"I have noticed Jamboree-related buses lined up at a local motel, which tells me those businesses are likely benefiting from the Jamboree by housing bus drivers and possibly chaperones," Taylor said.

A reduced number of Scouts on The Summit site this year compared to past years led to a smaller number of them partaking in whitewater rafting trips with local adventure outfitters on the New River during the Jamboree, said Chris Hayes, who is involved with reservations, guest services and group sales for Adventures on the Gorge. Hayes said AOTG, ACE Adventure Resort and River Expeditions are among the local companies that have contracted in the past to provide rafting trips to Scouts during regular summer camps and past Jamborees.

In past years, each of the companies would help about 4,000 Scouts and associated people experience the rapids of the New River, he said. Due to the smaller number of Scouts at the Jamboree this summer, that number was whittled down to the neighborhood of between 1,300 and 1,400 in 2023, Hayes noted, adding that he is hopeful the number of Scouts onsite will be elevated again in coming years.

Of AOTG, Hayes said, "Before Jamboree starts and after Jamboree is over, we'll pick up a few extra Scout trips."

----According to Strader, Visit Southern WV partnered with the West Virginia Department of Tourism and the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources on the SBR site for Friday and Saturday public tour days this year. "Three Rivers Avian Center was our tent mate, and the birds are always a hit with everyone, including the Scouts," said Strader. "We definitely met people from all over the U.S., including Alaska and Puerto Rico, most on their very first trip to West Virginia. All the Scouts, families and adult leaders were very complimentary on the beauty of West Virginia, the friendliness of the people and the opportunities that they have been given. One adult leader said her only complaint was that she didn't discover our state until she was 40."

Strader said she spoke with another returning adult leader who plans on moving to the area soon and another who chose to attend college in West Virginia based on his past experiences in Scouting at The Summit. "Many Scouts who were on the Summit for the duration mentioned coming in early or staying after to take part in activities such as rafting (some went as part of the Jamboree experience), and visiting our national park," Strader said.

Day visitors, which included families and Scouting groups, who chose to do day passes versus attending the entire Jamboree "had great things to say about their experience both on and offsite," Strader said. "Some were camping in the area, some in hotels ... and some chose to drive down for the day. Many of those mentioned visiting (national and state parks), local coffee shops and restaurants, the (Exhibition) Coal Mine and many, many more attractions. We were asked for directions to waterfalls, recommendations on hiking trails, different ways to explore the bridge, overlook opportunities and much more."

Strader mentioned a group of 64 from Florida staying at a local hotel on Harper Road in Beckley, and she said a Beckley lodging facility told her they had been sold out for two weeks.

In their interaction with visitors and Scouts, Strader said tourism officials "wanted to make sure they were properly welcomed, answered any questions that they may have about our region and state, and we always ask for feedback about their experience and their visit. Other than the weather being a bit warm for some (relative to what climate they were coming from) and being surprised of how cool it gets at night, they were all just so happy to be here. Each conversation ended with an invitation to come back and experience more of West Virginia in the future."

While dollars flowing in is always good, Strader said the overall impression of the Mountain State on visitors such as those here for Scouting also bears considerable cachet. "It's really hard to believe we had our first National Jamboree a decade ago and that the fourth one is nearing completion," Strader said via email last Thursday. "Between the Jamborees and summer camps, the Boy Scouts of America have introduced West Virginia to tens of thousands of scouts and leaders from not only all over the nation but all over the world.

"Listening to staff, and Scouts who have returned as staff, as well as those who are experiencing their first Jamboree in West Virginia, we have learned that they have fallen in love with our state and the people in it. We look forward to the next Jamboree, bringing in thousands of more young people to experience West Virginia from all over the United States. As this Jamboree was rescheduled and very close to the World Jamboree ... I think we will see attendance both in Scouts and visitors return to previous numbers in the future and we in tourism can't wait to welcome and help introduce West Virginia to each and every Scout, staffer and visitor attending in the future.

"If we continue to put our best foot forward and showcase the state we love, these Scouts and families can be our next travelers, our next university students or our new neighbors in the future."

Email: skeenan

@register-herald.com;

follow on Facebook