OldGreyEagle 5 Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 http://wvgazette.com/News/200911180463?page=2&build=cache GLEN JEAN -- A 10,600-acre site beside the New River Gorge National River will become the permanent home of the Boy Scouts of America's National Jamboree, an event that attracts up to 40,000 Scouts and 200,000 visitors a year. The Fayette County property also will house a summer camp and high-adventure base, the Scouts announced today. The organization plans to spend up to $300 million on the project. At least 80 full-time jobs would be created and another 1,200 seasonal workers hired. The site -- called "The Summit: Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve" -- would host the Scout's National Jamboree in 2013 and subsequent Jamborees every four years. The high-adventure base and summer camp would open in 2014. "This will be the heartbeat of the Boy Scouts of America," said Jack Furst, the project's chairman. "It's a piece of property we can utilize 24-7, 365 days a year." The Boy Scouts chose the Garden Ground Mountain site -- a former strip mine -- after an 18-month search that included 80 properties in 28 states. The S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation donated $50 million to start the project. "Scouting made a tremendous impact on my life," said Stephen D. Bechtel Jr. "It's the source of my fondest memories. I'm proud to be a founder on this project, and I'm thrilled to know that it will be part of the Scouting legacy future generations will enjoy." Construction is expected start this spring. The Scouting center will offer a host of outdoor activities, including whitewater rafting, technical rock climbing, mountain biking, camping and hiking. "We think our constituency is absolutely going to love this venue," Furst said. "It is a wonderful piece of the great outdoors." At a press conference today, the Scouts unveiled a model replica of the site, which featured three lakes, regional camps, a mountain bike course and a Center for Leadership Excellence. The Scouts also led a helicopter tour over the property. There are so many possibilities here," Furst said. "We're only limited by our creativity." Furst said the West Virginia site was selected because of its natural beauty, world-class high-adventure activities and excellent roads and public services. The 10,600-acre property borders the New River Gorge National River park. The Scouts will have access to the New River at two locations. Furst promised that the Boy Scouts would be good stewards of the land. The project will be based on the organization's longstanding commitment to "leave no trace," he said. The Jamboree, held for 10 days every four years, will likely provide the biggest economic payoff to Fayette County and the surrounding region. Fort A.P. Hill in Virginia has hosted the Jamboree since 1981, but the Scouts decided to find a new permanent home for the event 18 months ago. The Fayette County scouting center also would become eligible to host the Boy Scouts' World Jamboree. "This could be a competitive offering to world Scouting," Furst said. "This is a site that would be very attractive for the World Jamboree." The high-adventure base, which would be tucked into the southeast corner of the Fayette County property, would join three existing Boy Scouts of America adventure camps -- in New Mexico, Minnesota and Florida. The adventure bases have a waiting list of about 20,000 Scouts a year. Scouting officials predict that the Fayette County adventure center would host about 50,000 Scouts annually. Scouts ages 14 to 18 would use the adventure base, while younger Scouts would stay at a summer camp on the site. The Boy Scouts of America is celebrating its 100th anniversary next year. "As we prepare to enter another century of service, this announcement demonstrates that Scouting is as relevant and vital today as it was when our journey began," said Bob Mazzuca, chief Scout executive. "Today is a great day for Scouting." Link to post Share on other sites
Buffalo Skipper 13 Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 Great information, and glad to hear it. Any pictures from the flyover or of the model? I'd love to see more.... Link to post Share on other sites
SMT224 10 Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 It also will accessible via AMTRAK on the Cardinal Line. Link to post Share on other sites
gcnphkr 11 Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 If I get one more tweet about this I'm going to drop @boyscouts. 8 in 20 minutes is going a bit overboard. Link to post Share on other sites
Eagle92 110 Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 HEHEHEHEHEHEHE.... a new HA base within a day's drive.... I LIKE IT! Link to post Share on other sites
le Voyageur 72 Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 hmmmmm....wonder how they are going to obtain the permit to raft the Gorge? Additionally, will National be kicking in a few bucks for road improvements to get crews from the take out? And, where will they be getting their raft guides? Wonder if we'll be seeing HA crews on other sections of the New (North Carolina/Virginia)? Going to be interesting.... Link to post Share on other sites
Hal_Crawford 15 Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 Here's another article with photos. http://www.wvmetronews.com/index.cfm?func=displayfullstory&storyid=33669 Hal Link to post Share on other sites
Eagle92 110 Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 Even better I can take the train! EDITED: Nevermind the train, just mapquested the route and it only a 6 hour drive, compared to about 19 hours by train.(This message has been edited by eagle92) Link to post Share on other sites
evmori 11 Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 That's almost in my backyard! Link to post Share on other sites
Stosh 3452 Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 1) Unfortunately it's not in the backyard of 90% of the scouts in the country. 2) In years past when the Jamboree floated around the country at different sites, at least some time or another everyone had a better chance of having it in their backyard. 3) Like the World Jamboree, sometime in one's life it may be something that one could attend without having to sell of family members to afford it. 4) It's great that the Jamboree now has a place to call home. As a midwesterner, it is going to be a "trip" no matter where in the country they place the jamboree, and we're going to pay a bit for travel no matter what. However, the West Coast boys will need to decide whether the costs override the benefits if they have to travel all the way across the country just to get there. I know it's "doable", but I'm sure the wheels are turning in people's minds that had hoped for something more central instead of always having to travel to VA for the event. Just some thoughts to consider, not meant to cast a wet blanket on the issue, just a few thoughts that came to mind. I'm thinking that any spot that is secure is better than always wondering what the political influences are thinking at any given time drawing controversy over the AP Hill site. (especially in light of the fact that the fort is named after a gentleman that fought to preserve slavery in our country.) Don'tcha just love it when someone brings something like that up? Stosh Link to post Share on other sites
OldGreyEagle 5 Posted November 19, 2009 Author Share Posted November 19, 2009 a few more links http://www.wvnstv.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=70589 this is a video http://www.wvmetronews.com/ look to the right for Tico Perez's comments, he sure is a dynamic speaker According to the BSA (Ok Ok Ok) the site is in a 10 hour driving range of 65% of the COuntry's population. It may not be the backyard of everyone, but it is a darn site closer that Philmont and Nortern Tier and just as "accessible" in terms of local infrastructure. It will also be a training facility similar to the Philmont Training Center for those of us fiscally challenged individuals who can't quite swing transportation to Philmont Link to post Share on other sites
RememberSchiff 3662 Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 I see more local camps closing. Yet a big box, high adventure camp opens. The economics of this escapes me. All of my scouts attend local scout camps, fewer than 5% go to high adventure camps. Is high adventure camp attendance up? Local camp attendance is flat as membership continues to drop. Will opening this camp cause the nearby, smaller council high adventure camps (Maine, Cape Cod, ...) to close? I wonder. My $0.01, (This message has been edited by RememberSchiff) Link to post Share on other sites
SMT224 10 Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 Take a look at the name of the new camp: "Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve"... Clearly Bechtel will be funding a portion of the construction and operation of this facility. Since Bechtel is an engineering firm I wonder if they will focus assistance on facilities for such merit badges as composite materials, engineering, surveying, or even nuclear science (nothing like a little problem with the camp reactor for a really exciting "campfire"!). Link to post Share on other sites
Buffalo Skipper 13 Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 We are working hard to inspire our young scouts to attend high adventure bases, and it would be cool to have a contingent at the first year at The Summit. For us, distance/travel break-down to high adventure bases from Pensacola are as follows: The Summit 750 miles, 10.5 hours driving time Florida Seabase 750 miles, 12 hours dt Philmont 1300 miles, 20 hours dt Northern Tier 1500 miles, 24 hours dt Yes, we live in Florida and it take less time to drive to WEST VIRGINIA than to the other end of the state. Irony can be so...ironic. I am looking forward to more information about this base. It should be interesting. Seems to me that for a facility of this type (HA base, Training Center and permanent NJ site), 10,000 acres is on the small side. Philmont is 10x that size. Link to post Share on other sites
OldGreyEagle 5 Posted November 19, 2009 Author Share Posted November 19, 2009 I was at an Areas leadership Conference last Saturday (Nov 14) and Tico Perez was the lead speaker. From his account, there is a National Forest next to the proerty which will be used as well, so all the activites, as in the treks do not have to occur entirely on the property. The Bechtel Foundation gave 50 million for the project so I can see them naming it the way they did, The report says it will be called "the summitt" for short Link to post Share on other sites
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