Jim Justice, speaks during the announcement of Raleigh County Municipal Airport new airline ViaAir. The new airline will be bringing its 30-passenger Embraer 120 jets into Raleigh County beginning in early December.
BECKLEY, W.Va. — The New River Gorge Regional Development Authority’s proposed Mega-Site moved toward reality Thursday as property owner Jim Justice signed a preliminary agreement for 2,000 acres near Ghent.
Mega-Sites are large pieces of developable property, usually level, with ready access to interstate highways, utilities and an airport.
Justice will be able to mine the incidental coal on the property before leveling the land and donating it to the NRGRDA.
“It takes a lot of courage and a lot of passion and a lot of love to pull (this) off,” Justice said. “Passion and love is coming from all of us but it’s surely coming from me.”
Justice predicted the Mega-Site would bring “thousands of high-paying jobs” to the region.
The owner of The Greenbrier and Glade Springs resorts has been called the state’s best ambassador for his ability to draw events like the Greenbrier Classic PGA tournament, which has complementary concerts, and having the New Orleans Saints train at new football facilities in White Sulphur Springs.
If Justice knows what gets people to the Mountain State to visit, he also knows what will — and won’t — get them here to live and work.
He said companies are looking for population centers, viable airports and interstates. The region has all of those things, Justice said.
“This is trying to land the biggest fish…
