By Alan Olson, The Intelligencer
WHEELING, W.Va. — Hundreds of city leaders from across the Mountain State made the trek to Oglebay Park this week for the 52nd conference of the West Virginia Municipal League, which local leaders said was a chance to hear fresh voices and make connections which serve them well.
The conference began Tuesday, ending today, with numerous workshops, seminars and opportunities to meet and discuss issues each city faces. One such panel, held Thursday, concerned the effective use of outdoor recreation to diversify the local economy.
The hour-long panel was presented by Danny Twilley, who represents the Brad & Alys Smith Outdoor Economic Development Collaborative at West Virginia University. Twilley cited a 2017 study from the Outdoor Industry Association that the industry represented $887 billion in spending annually, just behind healthcare and financial services.
Twilley pointed out a long stretch of stagnation in West Virginia’s investment in outdoor industry, ranking near the bottom nationwide…