HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — A plan to build an $80 million indoor sports complex in Charleston will generate a ripple effect of increased visitors in nearby cities like Huntington.
Tyson Compton, president of the Huntington Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the city is preparing for more traveler spending at hotels and restaurants when the Capital Sports Center is complete in the next two years.
“We’re getting excited,” Compton told MetroNews at the annual Governor’s Conference on Tourism in Huntington last week.
The sports center project was announced last month by the City of Charleston and Kanawha County Commission. Three floors of the Charleston Town Center Mall’s Parking Garage B would be demolished and the complex will be built above it.
During an Aug. 25 interview on MetroNews “Talkline,” Commissioner Ben Salango said the facility will be an economic driver for the entire region.
“When we host large tournaments, we’re going to sell out hotels throughout the valley from Huntington all the way to Beckley. That’s what we’ve seen with Shawnee (Sports Complex),” he previously said.
When Huntington leaders heard about the project, Compton said Mayor Steve Williams was thrilled, but made it a point to celebrate what each city is doing to increase tourism.
“Often times the reaction is ‘we need to get that’,” Compton said. “He’s like ‘no, you don’t. That’s there’s and we don’t need to copy.’ Each community needs to build on their own strengths and market those.”
Compton said one of their niches is Camden Park, the state’s only amusement park. Heritage Farm Museum & Village is also gaining popularity.
“In the last two years, they have implemented some outdoor attractions like zip lining and bike trails,” Compton said.
The Huntington CVB also benefits from Marshall University sporting events.
“We partner with them a lot,” he said. “Being in the new conference, we will be promoting Huntington to the cities that are coming to play. We’re already seeing hotel reservations for those games.”
Traveler spending is back above pre-pandemic levels statewide. According to an annual economic impact study released by the Justice administration last week, traveler spending in West Virginia exceeded $4.9 billion in 2021.