ELKINS, W.Va. — An Elkins church has entered into a $2.2 million agreement to purchase and renovate one of the city’s most popular downtown tourist destinations into a multi-use facility.
The American Mountain Theater and Summit Church of Elkins announced the deal Tuesday afternoon, with officials from both sides stressing that AMT operations will continue as usual.
“We love the city of Elkins, have been incredibly blessed by the owners of AMT and value the immense tourism that this incredible show brings to our region,” Summit Church Pastor Hal Boehm said. “We would not jeopardize that and are excited to continue to visit and support the American Mountain Theater’s regular shows, Christmas production and Gospel Music Concert Series in every single way we possibly can.”
According to a press release from the American Mountain Theater, Summit Church has been meeting for its Sunday morning worship services at AMT’s 530-seat auditorium for the past three-and-a-half years.
“Not much will truly change other than ownership,” the press release reads. “Summit Church will take over the ownership of the property, and the American Mountain Theater will lease the space from the church instead of Summit Church renting space from the American Mountain Theater.”
Boehm, who has been pastor of the church since 2009, said his congregation has been looking for a more permanent home for some time.
“The manner in which God brought this opportunity to us is nothing short of miraculous,” Boehm said. “We had originally thought that we would undertake a building project that would be three phases and take 10 years to complete, and instead He opened a door for us to move into the American Mountain Theater’s state-of-the-art facility located in the center of the town we are serving in less than one year.”
The church originally was looking at spending more than $7 million building a new facility on its property at the outskirts of Elkins.
Renovations to the AMT will include a new, secure children’s ministry wing on the back of the current building. The children’s wing will be two stories and include multiple classrooms and an indoor playground.
Changes also are in store for the front of the facility as well as minor renovations to lobby. The current porch structure will be enclosed to increase the lobby’s size, and a new portico will extend off the front of the building.
Finally, office and storage space will be added to the nearly 1,000-square-feet of area available above the lobby.
To pay for the purchase price and work to the building, the church has undertaken a funding campaign titled Climb.
“Climb is about reaching more people for Jesus,” reads the Project Need section of Summit Church’s website. “The decisions we make today affect not only our generation, but generations to come. When you walk through our community, you cannot help but see needs, hurts and questions. Acting as God’s hands and feet, through our newly renovated facility, we will be able to meet those needs, heal those hurts and answer those questions.”
Renovations are scheduled to begin in January, and church officials said they hope the work will be completed by spring or early summer 2016.
“This renovation and purchase will cost an estimated $2.2 million, but our goal is different: We want to see families seek God, hear His voice and stretch themselves to give as much as they feel God is requiring of them,” the church’s website reads. “We trust that as each of us sacrifice and are faithful to that unique calling, this project will be successful.”
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AMT HISTORY
The American Mountain Theater opened its doors in July 2007, and has since become a popular tourist destination for people from all over the East coast. The theater produces Branson-style shows, filled with songs, skits and comedy. AMT will celebrate its 10th season of performances, which are scheduled to being in April 2016.
American Mountain Theater originally purchased the Martin Street property in 2006 from the Randolph County Development Authority. A sale price from the original transaction was not available as of presstime.
“The pastors and leadership of Summit Church are some of our biggest supporters, and we have a great working relationship with them,” said current AMT owner Kenny Sexton. “This step may seem like big news for some, but our customers and audiences will barely notice the difference, since ticket sales, AMT offices, rehearsals and performances will all continue to take place in the facility just as they have since July of 2007.”
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CHURCH HISTORY
According to its website, Summit Church was founded in 1991 in the living room of one of its members. The original congregation size was about 18 people. From there, the church has grown exponentially and now offers men’s and women’s ministries, youth ministry, a vacation Bible school, small-group worship, mission trips and a recovery program.
“The original purpose was to have a faith-filled, Holy Spirit-filled environment for people from all backgrounds to have a place to join together to worship the Lord,” the church’s website reads. “Later that same year, the church, named Sound of Triumph, moved to 302 Goff St. – the building still used for evening services today. In February 2009, the church changed its name to Summit to more accurately reflect the vision the Lord had given our new pastors, Hal and Lisa Boehm.”
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ECONOMIC IMPACT
Economically, the move is expected to have little impact on the community.
“The American Mountain Theater, packed with the Gandy Dancer and the Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad, brings significant tourists and tour buses to the area each year,” Randolph County Development Director Robbie Morris said. “They are a very important part of our local economy.”
“As a staple of the tourism economy in Randolph County, it is our hope that the American Mountain Theater is here for many years to come,” Morris added.
Kenney and Beverly Sexton – along with Sharon Teter and Jim and Elaine Douglas – own the Isaac Jackson Hotel and 1863 Grill on Harrison Avenue in Elkins. Last year, the hotel and Davis Trust Co. made history as the U.S. Small Business Administration presented the tourist destination with a record $5 million loan to finish the renovation/construction of the hotel and restaurant.
“We already have multiple, multiple leads that will bring business here, and not just during the summertime, but in the winter when folks have CPA seminars, training seminars, all sorts of stuff,” Sexton said at the time. “So, having the ability to house these people, and we’ll fill up the other hotels when we have a convention, we know it’s going to bring a lot of business to Randolph County and Elkins. I expect that even with this addition that we’ll be out of rooms again soon. That will be another good problem to have.”