Below you’ll find examples of past, present, and future economic development in McDowell County. For more details, visit the McDowell County Economic Development Authority.

Aquaculture

It is envisioned that a “fee for catching” operation can be established at the Maitland site. Cooperating in the studies and evaluations are Bluefield State College, West Virginia University, Consolidation Coal, and U.S. Steel. Mine water treatment ponds have been tested, and it’s been proven that fish would survive. We are in hopes of inspiring an entrepreneur to take this project to realization.

We are also moving forward on another location in McDowell County. The Algoma site will be tested and studied to see if fish can survive.

Indian Ridge Industrial Park

The Indian Ridge Industrial Park is located near the McDowell-Wyoming County line in the Puncheon Camp Branch to the West side of State Route 16. The initial step in the project, which was completed in December 2002, involved moving earth and creating approximately 300 acres of level land well out of the flood plain for housing and commercial development. The “under construction” Coalfield’s Expressway and King Coal Highway intersect at the Park’s boundary.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons has chosen this site as a “preferred alternative” for a prison location.

Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV Regional Office)

A DMV Regional Office is located in downtown Welch. Seven jobs were created when the office opened on May 30, 2003.

Stevens Correctional Facility

While McDowell County currently houses 100 inmates in the County jail, the State is in need of additional correction facility capacity as measured by inmate bed space. The County Commission and the State’s Division of Corrections entered into a contract for the housing of approximately 300 inmates at the old Stevens Clinic Hospital. The EDA acquired the building in August 2001 through the use of the Synfuel tax money allocated to the County for economic development, and thanks to a $5,200,000 grant, a $9,700,000 commercial loan, and Silling Associates, Inc., the Stevens Correctional Facility opened its doors in March 2006.

Stevens Correctional Facility is expected to create a ripple effect of an estimated $30,000,000 annually into the local economy, and provides additional space at a significant cost savings in operations (estimated $700,000 annually) and capital (about $5,000,000).
Federal Prison Project
The construction of a Federal Correctional Institution has been proposed for the Indian Ridge Industrial Park. Final approval of the project is slated for the summer of 2005, pending completion of the environmental review process.
As this project goes forward, it will have a significant impact on the economy of McDowell County. The McDowell County EDA will be available to assist local businesses with the intricacies of becoming approved vendors to the Federal Prison and to assist the local labor force in taking full advantage of the employment opportunities that will arise.
Adkin Industrial Building

The EDA previously purchased the old U. S. Steel Machine Shop in Gary. The building is now leased by Hal-Bow Rebuild & Repair Services. The company rebuilds mine machinery and does sheet metal fabrication and welding. The business currently has five employees with expansion possibilities within the next year.

LED grant monies are used for general program operations to further local community economic development efforts. As a part of these efforts, local development authorities agree to participate in the Certified Development Committees (CDC) program.

The program encourages communities across the state to become better equipped to meet the needs of existing and prospective business and industry.

Loan Programs

Business training and post-load monitoring will be effected through a collaborative effort among the EDA offices in McDowell and Wyoming Counties and the West Virginia Development Office (Conley Slayers). We have taken over the Intermediate Relending Program-USD (IRP) formerly handled by the Council of Southern Mountains. The IRP operation gives us the opportunity to offer loans greater than $15,000, the current limit of the Micro-Loan program.

84 Lumber Building

This building was acquired through a foundation grant and is now leased to Geo-met, a Coal Bed Methane development group. Geo-Met has sublet a portion of the building to Superior Well Services, a company that services the gas drilling industry. Both companies have and are still bringing jobs into the county
Blackwolf Links
On December 1, 2003 the McDowell County EDA adopted the Blackwolf Links Golf Course after being approached and asked to take over the operation to ensure that closure of the course would not happen. It was operated by an all-volunteer board and was in need of guidance and leadership.
Restoration of the golf course has been ongoing since the severe flood damage on November 21, 2003. The devastation affected not only structures, but also landscaping, embankments, and playing areas. The course became operational on March 15, 2004. Further improvements are under consideration.
Eckerd Youth Alternatives (EYA)
EYA, a program primarily supported by funds from the Eckerd Foundation, works to bring troubled young people into life’s mainstream using a Wilderness Educational System that utilizes wilderness camps as the main instrument for effecting this change.
Currently there are facilities in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Rhode Island, Vermont, and New Hampshire and EYA is working with the State’s Department of Health and Human Resources, Division of Juvenile Services, and Department of Education regarding their development of a residential facility. Such a development could infuse $10,000,000 to $15,000,000 into the County’s economy.
Senators Chafin and Fanning and Delegates Browning, Staton, Wright, and Yeager have sent strong letters of endorsement for McDowell County. Our feedback from Eckerd is positive. Reportedly, they have narrowed their interests to two counties, of which we are one.
Solid Waste Landfill
McDowell County, through the Solid Waste Authority, owns a Solid Waste Landfill permit from the State of West Virginia and the 175-acre Copper Ridge Landfill became open to the public October 2007.

Courthouse Restoration

This project was adopted due to limited resources of the County Commission. Partial monies have been obtained, but additional costs have occurred and we are actively seeking resources to overcome the expense.