ConventionSouth Annual Focus on New River/Greenbrier, W. Va.

February | New River/Greenbrier Valley

“You can’t do it all in one trip,” said Kay Bess, director of sales and marketing with the Southern West Virginia Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) of the nine-county area of the state that offers everything from snow skiing in the winter to river rafting in the summer and hiking in the spring and fall.

Getting There

By Car: The nine-county Southern West Virginia region can be easily accessed by car via U.S. Interstate 77 from the north and south and I-64 from the east and west.

By Air: The Raleigh County Memorial Airport is located approximately 3.5 miles from the hub city of Beckley and provides commuter service aboard US Air Express.
The Yeager Airport is located in the city of Charleston W.Va., and is serviced by US Airways, US Air Express, United Express, Atlantic Southeast, Comair, Northwest Airlink and Continental.
The Greenbrier Valley Airport in Lewisburg also provides service aboard US Airways and US Air Express.

Encompassing the counties of Fayette, Raleigh, Nicholas, Summers, Greenbrier, Monroe, Mercer, McDowell and Wyoming, Southern West Virginia provides an exquisite natural setting for groups and a true four-season experience, Bess said. “We look as good covered in snow as we do when the fall leaves are blazing the trails of our country roads. And there is always something you didn’t get to do on a trip that beckons you to return for another chance to relax, enjoy the hospitality and see what is new.”

And many new developments have been recently completed or are under way to pave the way for the region to accommodate more group business. While there is not a single primary meeting facility in the region, ample meeting and convention facilities and more than 2,700 rooms are available at resorts, hotels and various off-site venues. Bess said these facilities can accommodate small forums to large gatherings for up to 1,200 attendees.

Located in the regional hub of Raleigh County in the city of Daniels, Glade Springs Resort opened a separate boutique hotel in December as the newest portion of a $10 million expansion project. “It’s unique and customized for our guests with all the small details taken care of,” said Julie Hicks, director of retail and promotions. “There’s so much more to offer now for conventions and corporate groups, golf groups and businesses. The hotel just pulls it all together.”

Along with 51 guest rooms and suites, the new hotel offers a 3,500-square-foot ballroom and expanded options for business conferences. Hicks said that the rooms showcase detailed architecture like double crown molding, 10-foot ceilings, and marble tubs and sinks. A new sports bar is also under construction.

Glade Springs Resort offers an additional 15,000 square feet of newly renovated meeting and banquet space, including the Bright Ballroom, which can seat up to 360 people, theater style.

Tamarack Conference Center, also located in Raleigh County, offers 12,000 square feet of event space. Built to complement the offerings of Tamarack, an entertainment venue and one-stop-shop for West Virginia culture and cuisine, the conference center can accommodate groups of more than 500, theater style, said Director of Marketing Cindy Whitlock.

Located on 11 acres overlooking Tamarack, the Country Inn and Suites, in conjunction with the Mountaineer Conference Center, is also available for groups. According to Director of Sales Pamela Smith, the property will soon be home to a brand new Holiday Inn and Suites this year. A prototype for the hotel company, the new Holiday Inn will house 110 rooms and 1,200 square feet of meeting space.

• Climate: Average highs range from 70 degrees in the summer to 40 degrees in the winter.

• Taxes: Sales tax is 6 percent; bed tax is 3 percent.

• Transportation: Rental car companies are positioned at all the airports in the region. Public bus transportation is available via the Mountain Transit Authority in Fayette, Greenbrier and Nicholas counties and through Bluefield Area Transit in Mercer County. The Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad also operates over 135 miles of scenic railroad.

The Mountaineer Conference Center, adjacent to the Country Inn and Suites, offers space for groups of up to 300, theater style. Smith said that one of the distinguishing features of the Country Inn and Suites is the availability of a 5,000-square-foot indoor/outdoor pool. The property recently added a meeting room featuring 500 square feet of space. “We’re ideally located right off [U.S.] Interstates 64 and 77,” Smith said, emphasizing the property’s accessibility. “Pretty much, you have to go by here to get where you are going.”

The largest on-site meeting facilities in the region can be found at the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs. A National Historic Landmark located on 6,500 acres in the Allegheny Mountains, the Greenbrier houses 85,000 square feet of meeting space and 803 guest rooms, including 46 suites and 97 guest and estate houses. The full-service property has more than 50 recreational options, including The Greenbrier Spa, three championship golf courses, the Golf Digest Academy, The Greenbrier Off-Road Driving School, hot air ballooning, and the top secret bunker, code-named “Greek Island.” Until 1992, the bunker was only available to house members of Congress during war times and was kept in a constant state of readiness during the Cold War. Currently undergoing a major renovation, “Greek Island” is scheduled to reopen to the public later this year.

In nearby Landgraff, the Elkhorn Theatre, a replica of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, has been restored and was reopened last year. The theater offers planners a distinctive setting for outdoor summer events, weddings, receptions, theatrical performances and musical concerts. Situated across Elkhorn Creek from Elkhorn Inn in McDowell County, “We are truly unique—the only property like this in the area,” said Owner Elisse Clark.

Newly restored in 2002, the historic Elkhorn Inn has been featured on HGTV’s “Building Character,” the Speed Channel and numerous other media outlets. The 13-room property offers a setting for smaller groups that wish to convene in an elegant dining room, an outdoor patio café, and numerous other rooms that can be configured for cocktail parties, meetings and breakout sessions, Clark said, noting that the inn now has an on-site gift shop stocked with handmade gifts, art and books.

Attractions
Though some may be seasonal, encourage attendees not to miss these “must-do” opportunities when visiting the Southern West Virginia region.

• Join a group of river rafters down the New or Gauley rivers. An abundance of rafting companies are located in the region and offer professional rafting guides and rides that range from “mild” to “wild.”

• Take a horseback riding adventure through open meadows or the forested canyons
located on the rim of the New River Gorge. Mountain bike excursions and rock climbing opportunities are also available through numerous recreation providers. Group team challenges can also be arranged.

• Spend a day perusing the largest collection of West Virginia crafts, art, books, music and gourmet foods at the Tamarack. Tamarack showcases year-round events, craft demonstrations, performing arts, a theater, a fine art gallery and a fine dining experience.

• Ski down the 27 trails of Winterplace Ski Resort at Flat Top Mountain, or take in a day snowtubing down 16 different lanes.

• Take in a day of hiking at one of five state parks, including Pipestem, Hawks Nest, Babcock, Bluestone and Twin Falls.

• Tour an underground coal mine via train at Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine to see modern coal mining techniques.

• Hear the real story of the “Hatfields & McCoys,” the tale of the infamous Appalachian feud at Theatre West Virginia. In its 46th year, the outdoor drama tale runs alternate nights with “Honey in the Rock,” the nation’s oldest Civil War drama. The theater is located at the Cliffside Amphitheater at Grandview.

Additional Hotels & Meeting Sites
Raleigh County
• The Raleigh County Armory Civic Center offers a 15,000-square-foot arena that can seat up to 4,000 people. Meeting and banquet facilities are available for groups of up to 1,200. The center offers full-service catering for everything from formal banquets to tailgate parties.

Mercer County
• According to Marie Blackwell of the Mercer County Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Conference Center at the Days Inn in Princeton opened in early 2005 and offers 5,000 square feet of meeting space. The Holiday Inn Express also opened in 2005 and offers
one meeting room.

• Owned and operated by the Presbytery of West Virginia, the Bluestone Conference Center is located on 480 acres overlooking Bluestone Lake. A 200-seat lodge and a chapel are available for group gatherings. Fifteen cabins on the property can accommodate up to 14 people each.

• The Bluefield Holiday Inn offers eight meeting rooms and a total of 600 square feet of meeting space.

Fayette County/New River
• Hawks Nest State Park encompasses 276 acres bordering the New River Gorge National River.
A 31-room lodge and conference space for up to 90 people are
available.

• The Holiday Inn Oak Hill offers more than 2,500 square feet of meeting space and can handle groups of up to 300 people.

• The newly remodeled, 106-room Quality Inn located near the New River Gorge Canyon Rim Visitors Center features the Whitewater Grill and Bar and an outdoor pool, as well as volleyball, tennis and basketball facilities. Meeting space is available for up to 100.
Greenbrier County
• The Brier Inn and Conference Center offers 162 guest rooms
and conference facilities for groups of up to 350 in its 8,000 square feet of meeting space. Other amenities include a pool, a fitness center, a restaurant and complimentary
high-speed Internet access.

Wyoming County
• Twin Falls Resort State Park offers a 20-room lodge, 14 cottages and five meeting rooms accommodating groups of up to 140. Recre-ational opportunites are offered through a championship golf course, hiking trails, an outdoor pool and nature programming.

Summers County
• Pipestem State Park offers recreational facilities and accommodations, including two lodges and 26 fully equipped cottages. Meeting and banquet space is available for groups of up to 600. Amenities include an 18-hole championship golf course, a par-three course, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, tennis and basketball courts, and daycare facilities.

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