By Mike Tony, Charleston Gazette-Mail
SUMMERSVILLE, W.Va. — West Virginia’s newest state park came with a seven-figure price tag for the property.
A bigger price tag hangs on the state’s decision to contract with a third party to build and operate the park.
Taxpayer dollars covering both are flowing toward the same company.
State officials approved a contract with Bright Enterprises Inc. for the financing, construction and operation of Summersville Lake State Park in June 2024 that committed $10 million to the company for park oversight.
That approval came less than a year after the state Division of Natural Resources agreed to pay $4.3 million to a Bright Enterprises affiliate, Nicholas Investments LLC, for 177 acres of property for the park designated in August 2023.
The Gazette-Mail obtained the agreements between state officials and company representatives through Freedom of Information Act requests.
