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New report on National Capital Area Council site:

 

"We regret to inform you that the Boy Scouts America has decided to withdraw its interest in Goshen Scout Reservation as the permanent site for the National Scout Jamboree. The BSA identified too many potential obstacles in developing the Goshen site to its fullest and is pursuring other venues."

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Speaking as a member of NCAC and growing up only 30 minutes from Goshen, I'm both sorry and glad to hear this.

 

Sorry, because I would like to see the National site being close to home.

 

Glad, because I love how Goshen is now and I didn't think the location could handle the large numbers without damaging the locale.

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I too have very mixed feelings about this. I think it would have been an economic driver for a very depressed area. It could have created a lot of jobs, not just at the training center but the traffic would have been a boost to other sectors as well.

 

OTH, I love Goshen just the way it is. I hiked the Lenhok'sin trek a few weeks ago and was saddened at the thought of seeing that program go away. It would not be sustainable if so much of the reservation was developed for the jamboree. I was concerned how the changes would impact Camp Bowman with which our troop has a 40+ year history. I was concerned that the impacts would drastically change the Goshen experience.

 

But I also realize that nothing remains unchanged. With or without the Jamboree things will change. One of the reasons given for discussing the seeking the deal with National was that the reservation is not sustainable as it is now. They said that there just aren't enough scouts coming there to continue unchanged. I don't think that this was just a line to rally our support. I suspect that there will be changes, a couple of the camps could close.

 

So it goes.

Hal

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In the press release by National it states that they will look at the W. Virginia site...

 

"The organization recently signed an agreement to purchase 10,600 acres, some of it reclaimed mining property, near Beckley, West Virginia, and announced that it would develop a new high- adventure base to complement its existing three bases in Minnesota, New Mexico, and Florida. The BSA expects to close on the property later this fall.

 

In light of our recent decision concerning the Goshen site, well be looking to see if the West Virginia property can support a jamboree, but we have a lot of work to do there before we can make that determination, Furst explained."

 

See more:

http://www.scoutingnews.org/2009/08/05/goshen-out-of-the-running/

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I was told by someone at NOAC high up in the OA/BSA hierarchy, about the Jamboree site. (he told us about the Goshen deal falling thru)

 

BSA was able to get a large, adjacent piece of property to the WV site which is largely flat, which will be added in and will serve as the Jamboree site.

 

The National Jamboree WILL occur there in 2013.

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From what I remember hearing the Arkansas site was outside of Little Rock to the West along Ark Hwy 10 & 9. There is large amounts of wooded acreage out that way that could be had for the right price. I heard that the powers that be had even offered to build a large lake for aquatics use. Little Rock has a major airport, two major Interstates 30 & 40, 1 major US Highway 67, is close to two government installations (Little Rock AFB and the Pine Bluff Arsenal).

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Thanks. I also spoke to our council PD who is from that area (both personally as a professional scouter). He said he didn't know much except that it was in Saline County, which is where you describe it.

 

It will be interesting to see what happens here, but I expect that things will move at the speed of bureaucracy, which is slower than a three legged turtle.

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