West Virginia hosts outdoor economy summit as communities rethink economics

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — For many West Virginia communities, outdoor recreation is no longer a quality-of-life extra. It's the new economic infrastructure that's attracting private investment, supporting small businesses, and helping retain and attract a workforce.

That shift in thinking is the driving force behind the inaugural West Virginia Outdoor Economy Summit, which will bring civic leaders and entrepreneurs to Charleston Feb. 17–19, 2026, at the Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center.

Outdoor recreation emerges as economic infrastructure

Presented by the Charleston Convention & Visitors Bureau and hosted by The Nature Conservancy and the Brad and Alys Smith Outdoor Economic Development Collaborative, the summit is the state’s first cross-sector forum focused specifically on outdoor recreation as an economic development strategy.

Across the United States, trails, rivers, parks, and public lands are increasingly leveraged as anchors for local economies. In West Virginia, where natural assets are abundant but traditional industries have declined, outdoor recreation offers a development model that is place-based, scalable, and difficult to outsource.

How trails, rivers, and public lands generate local economic activity

Unlike one-time development projects, outdoor infrastructure tends to produce recurring economic activity. Trail systems, paddling routes, climbing areas, and destination parks support lodging, food service, retail, guiding services, and equipment manufacturing. These businesses generate sales and lodging taxes while creating jobs often tied directly to downtowns and small commercial districts.

According to Heidi Prior, outdoor business development coordinator for the collaborative, the state’s outdoor recreation sector currently contributes an estimated $2.1 billion annually to the state economy, but summit organizers say many local governments lack access to the planning tools, financing models, and case studies needed to fully leverage those assets.

“This summit is designed to help local leaders make informed decisions,” Prior says. “We want mayors, planners, lenders, and economic developers to leave with a clearer understanding of how outdoor recreation fits into community development and what it takes to implement projects that are financially and environmentally sustainable.”

Summit programming will include keynote sessions, plenary discussions, and applied breakout workshops organized around four tracks:

• Outdoor Destination Development
• Managing Outdoor Assets
• Outdoor Workforce and Business Growth
• Activating People and Places

Topics will include funding outdoor infrastructure, integrating recreation into comprehensive plans, supporting outdoor-based entrepreneurs, and managing public assets to generate economic returns while maintaining conservation standards.

Why outdoor amenities matter for workforce attraction and retention

Outdoor recreation is also increasingly influencing business location decisions. Employers— particularly in technology, professional services, and advanced manufacturing—now consider access to outdoor amenities when deciding where to locate or expand. For communities competing to attract remote workers and skilled employees, outdoor assets can serve as a key differentiator.

From a municipal finance perspective, outdoor investments often require lower upfront capital than traditional industrial recruitment while delivering broader community benefits. Trails and river access points can be phased over time, funded through a mix of public, private, and philanthropic sources, and maintained at relatively low cost compared to large-scale infrastructure.

From tourism to tax base: the economic ripple effect of outdoor investment

Outdoor amenities also tend to increase adjacent property values and spur reinvestment in underused areas. In many towns, trailheads and riverfronts have become catalysts for downtown redevelopment, adaptive reuse of historic buildings, and infill housing, expanding the local tax base without the need for extensive new public services.

Charleston was selected as the host city in part because it reflects the type of mixed-use, outdoor-adjacent development many West Virginia communities are pursuing. The capital city combines river access, trail networks, nearby public lands, a walkable downtown, and established business infrastructure.

“Charleston offers a working example of how outdoor amenities can support broader economic goals,” said Timothy Brady, president and CEO of the Charleston Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Participants will be able to see how outdoor assets connect to tourism, private investment, and downtown activity.”

The summit will conclude Feb. 19 at the West Virginia State Capitol with Outdoor Economy Day, giving community leaders and organizations an opportunity to engage directly with legislators and state officials on policy, funding, and regulatory considerations tied to outdoor recreation development.

Eriks Brolis, director of economic development and strategic initiatives for The Nature Conservancy, said the event is designed to encourage coordination across sectors that often operate independently.

“Outdoor recreation sits at the intersection of land use, economic development, workforce, and infrastructure,” Brolis said. “This summit creates a shared space for community leaders to examine how strategic investment in outdoor assets can produce measurable economic outcomes for West Virginia.”

Additional information is available at WVOutdoorEconomy.com.

Overview: Outdoor recreation is becoming economic infrastructure in West Virginia

Outdoor recreation is increasingly being treated as core economic infrastructure in West Virginia, alongside roads, utilities, and broadband.

Trails, river access points, parks, and public lands are driving private investment, small business growth, and workforce attraction—especially in communities seeking sustainable alternatives to declining traditional industries.

That shift is the focus of the inaugural West Virginia Outdoor Economy Summit, scheduled for Feb. 17–19, 2026, in Charleston. The event brings together mayors, planners, lenders, and entrepreneurs to examine how outdoor assets can be planned, financed, and managed as long-term economic engines.

With outdoor recreation already contributing an estimated $2.1 billion annually to the state economy, organizers say the summit aims to give communities practical tools to turn natural assets into durable, locally rooted economic growth.