Parkersburg gears up for visit by West Virginia lawmakers

The Blennerhassett Hotel in Parkersburg will be the center of activity Sunday, Monday and Tuesday as the West Virginia Legislative Interims convene in Parkersburg for a series of meetings and tours, highlighting what is happening in the area. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)

PARKERSBURG — With the West Virginia Legislature coming to Parkersburg this Sunday through Tuesday, local business leaders and officials are hoping for a memorable trip as many will be taking in a number of local sights.

Lawmakers from across the state will be in Parkersburg to meet regarding a number of issues at the state level. Lawmakers and their staff will also be staying at local hotels and will be taking tours of a number of local attractions and schools.

Tours will include Parkersburg High School, the Wood County Technical Center at Parkersburg South High School, West Virginia University at Parkersburg, the Oil and Gas Museum, Henderson Hall, Blennerhassett Island, Chemours, the Berkshire Hathaway operations in Ravenswood, operators engineer school in Medina, the Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport, a walking tour of the Julia-Ann Historic District and more.

Early estimates have over 200 people who will be in the area for the interim session over the three days.

Officials have said it has been over 20 years since an interim legislative session was held in Parkersburg.

The Blennerhassett Hotel in Parkersburg will be the center of activity Sunday, Monday and Tuesday as the West Virginia Legislative Interims convene in Parkersburg for a series of meetings and tours, highlighting what is happening in the area. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)

Chamber of Commerce of the Mid-Ohio Valley President and CEO Jill Parsons said there are several ways the local community can benefit from this visit. The places lawmakers will be visiting is one way to highlight and showcase the community, she said.

She remembers working at St. Joseph’s Hospital when she was the Marketing Director and a number of meetings were held at the hospital. She also helped drive some people around to get them to different meetings.

Many lawmakers may not have been to the Parkersburg area before and they will be spending some time here, staying at local hotels and eating at local restaurants.

“That will help on the commerce side of the equation,” Parsons said.

Many lawmakers will also be meeting with local officials involved in tourism, education, business and more to get insights on how different concerns can be addressed.

“This is an opportunity to bring people in from all over the state to see a lot of the great stuff Parkersburg has to offer,” said Greater Parkersburg Convention and Visitors Bureau President and CEO Mark Lewis. “Getting them out to Blennerhassett Island is a huge thing so they can see what an amazing gem that is in our state parks system.”

They will also be able to see Henderson Hall, the Oil and Gas Museum and more. The area will be able to show off a number of attractions and hopefully bring them back in the future as tourists and tell others what is available locally.

Lewis commended the City of Parkersburg for cleaning up the area around Point Park and making it look great.

“Everyone has jumped in and Parkersburg is ready to shine,” Lewis said.

Wood County Schools Superintendent Christie Willis said a couple of legislative sessions will be held involving Wood County Schools.

On Monday, a session with the Legislative Oversight Committee on Education Accountability will be held at PHS. The session will begin in the planetarium which will include a short presentation and a tour. On Tuesday, a session with the Committee on Economic Development and Tourism will be held at the Wood County Technical Center at PSHS.

“I want them to see the good things going on in Wood County Schools,” Willis said. “I think there are excellent academic achievements that our county has made that I am hoping is reflected in our presentation.”

The tour of the technical center will highlight the programs they have available to students there, including automotive repair, cosmetology, welding and more.

“We have many offerings over there for them to see while they are at the tech center,” Willis said. “I am looking forward to their visit and I anticipate Wood County Schools is going to shine.”

A lot of activity during the interims will be centered around the historic Blennerhassett Hotel.

Lee Rector, co-owner of the Blennerhassett Hotel, said it will be an honor for them to host lawmakers and be able to show off the 135-year-old historic hotel. He and Wayne Waldeck bought the hotel in 2019.

He highlighted local sights, bike trails and more as well as the Blennerhassett Hotel’s status as the oldest boutique hotel in West Virginia.

Rector said the hotel, along with the Greenbrier, was recently named to a list of the top 10 historical hotels by a Newsweek panelist review and reader’s poll with the Greenbrier in first place and the Blennerhassett in seventh.

“(Legislators) are going to see a lot about the hotel that they didn’t know about,” Rector said.

Tours will be offered of the hotel by Concierge Adam Dotson who has extensive knowledge of the hotel and its history.

“As a business person, I think a lot of our businesses are going to benefit from their trip here,” Rector said. “I know we have been shining and polishing and getting the old girl ready to shine for Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.”

They are ready to help put the area’s best foot forward.

“We always pride ourselves in keeping the hotel updated and clean,” Rector said. “We just had to do a little more polishing this time. We really want it to shine.

“With our entire staff, it is all hands on deck. They (the state lawmakers) will know our hospitality and service we offer is second to none in the state.”

Brett Dunlap can be reached at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com