Video summary
Representatives from the Kentucky General Assembly recently gathered near Elhorn City to present a significant $4 million check to Breaks Interstate Park, funding the construction of a new RV park. This direct appropriation was made possible through the instrumental efforts of Appropriations Chairman Jason Petri, Senator Chris McDaniel, and other legislative leaders who championed the project despite initial investments being approved without seeing the site firsthand. The initiative aims to address economic struggles in Pike County by creating new opportunities for the local area, transforming a vision into reality with substantial state support.
State Representative Mitch Whitaker expressed immense excitement about this addition on the Kentucky side of the park, describing it as the most significant project of his legislative term. He highlighted that while much of the existing revenue from the park currently flows to Virginia due to visitors staying in nearby accommodations, this new development will allow tourists to stay within the Commonwealth of Kentucky. By providing modern lodging options directly at the park, the project is expected to yield economic dividends for the state and keep spending local, benefiting the Elhorn City area specifically.
Park Superintendent Austin Bradley noted that after sixteen years of service, he considers this the most significant infrastructure investment ever made on the Kentucky side by either state. The new Wolfpen campground, situated on approximately 30 acres adjacent to US 460, addresses the limitations of the original facility built in the 1960s and 1970s, which was designed for much smaller campers. The modern site will feature around 32 campsites specifically engineered to accommodate larger recreational vehicles and motor homes, solving current capacity issues and improving the visitor experience with updated amenities.
Development of this expansive new site is scheduled to begin next year, marking a major milestone in the park's history. The project represents a collaborative effort between Kentucky and Virginia to enhance the Breaks Interstate Park experience for visitors traveling through Appalachia. As construction gets underway, the community anticipates that these improvements will not only boost tourism but also provide essential modern facilities that reflect the growing needs of contemporary travelers visiting this unique cross-border natural landmark.
Read the full video transcript
Representatives of the Kentucky General
Assembly gathered on Wolfpen Branch near
Elhorn City this morning to present
Brakes Interstate Park with a $4 million
check for a new RV park. Uh
>> this was a direct appropriation by the
general assembly. And I want to uh
particularly thank uh our appropriations
chairman uh Jason Petri came out here
today, Chris McDaniel, Senator Chris
McDaniel and the Senate. They were
instrumental in allowing us to fulfill
this vision to help out an area of uh
Pike County that's had some struggles in
recent years.
>> And speaking of glad to help out.
>> All right. This is Chairman Petri. He's
uh he and his wife have been kind enough
to uh come to Eastern Kentucky over the
past couple of days to see uh how some
of the investments being made by the
general assembly are uh creating new
opportunities for this area. And these
investments here are being made by me,
sight unseen, because people like
Senator Wheeler and and Representative
Whitaker and others uh believe in it,
have stumped for it, and said this is
good to do, and we make the investments.
Now, I've come and seen what we've
invested in. Side unseen was okay. Uh
seeing it's awesome. It's good stuff.
>> State Representative Mitch Whitaker is
excited that this addition is happening
on the Kentucky side. This has been the
most exciting project of my term in the
legislature. It is a tremendous
investment in the Elhorn City area which
uh I believe will yield dividends for
the state. A lot of the revenue goes
into Virginia for people staying in the
park vicinity and this will be an
opportunity for people to stay in the
Commonwealth of Kentucky if they visit
the brakes.
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Park Superintendent Austin Bradley
talked about what this addition means
for the brakes.
>> In my 16 years at the park, this is the
most significant investment on the
Kentucky side that I have seen and one
of the most significant investments in
uh park infrastructure by either
Virginia or Kentucky. So just very
gratifying to see it happen. The Wolfpin
campground is approximately 30 acres in
size. It's it's immediately adjacent to
US 460. Um so it solves a problem for us
and that our existing campground was
built um in the in the 1960s 1970s when
campers were much smaller. Um, this site
will give us around 32 campsites that
will be much more modern u designed for
larger uh RVs and and motor homes.
>> Development of the site is slated to
begin next year. Reporting for
Mountaintop News, I'm Robin Tilman.