Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization Projects

Dante Community Picture
Dante Community Redevelopment Project
Russell County
Grant Recipient: Russell County
2018 Funds Awarded: $269,000

Dante is a historic coal camp with rows of houses, remains of a company store and other visual reminders of coal mining from years past. The Community Association wants to share the rich history with visitors. AMLER Program dollars would be used to build connector trails to historic sites in the town and create five miles of hiking trails and eight miles of ATV trail upgrades with connections to other trails. With plans for an ATV trail from St. Paul to Dante, the number of visitors is expected to increase.

Devils Bathtub Picture
Devils Bathtub
Scott County
Grant Recipient: Scott County Economic Development Authority
2017 Funds Awarded: $317,000

The Devils Bathtub geologic feature is a regional and national tourist destination located in the Jefferson National Forest in Scott County. This AMLER project will make parking improvements, close an AML portal, and make safety improvements to the trail including the enhancement or elimination of several stream crossings. In additional to bringing in more visitors, the project aims to reduce the strain on local emergency responders who rescue dozens of lost, stranded, or injured hikers each year.

Ecotourism Picture
Ecotourism in Nature's Wonderland
Buchanan County
Grant Recipient: Southwest Virginia Sportsmen, Inc.
2018 Funds Awarded: $2,254,750

Wildlife viewing and, eventually, hunting opportunities will become accessible to the public through the Ecotourism in Nature's Wonderland project. The grant dollars will be used to improve 350 acres of historic mined land resulting in an ecological and economic benefit to Buchanan County. The wildlife habitat will be managed by the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources as part of thaeir elk reintroduction initiative and is expected to support a variety of game species.

Enhancing the Mountain View Trail System
Russell and Wise Counties
Grant Recipient: The Nature Conservancy
2018 Funds Awarded: $222,000

The Mountain View Trail system is an ATV trail that connects Coeburn and St. Paul, near the newly established Clinch River State Park. The trail covers about 2,500 acres of land that was once mined. It is part of a larger Spearhead Trails trail system which has a significant existing economic impact on the region. AMLER funds will be used to reclaim auger holes, improve stream crossings, and add amenities such as shelters.

Project Intersection PictureProject Intersection Picture
Project Intersection
Wise County
Grant Recipient: Norton Industrial Development Authority
2017 Funds Awarded: $3,500,000
2018 Funds Awarded: $1,782,685
2019 Funds Awarded: $1,417,400
2020 Funds Awarded: $5,500,000

Project Intersection will provide and economic boost to four localities in the Lenowisco Regional Industrial Facilities Authority region. The project includes removal of a highwall left by historic mining that oversees the intersection of two major highways in Norton. The 200-acre property will reclaimed in order to host three industrial sites and a 30,000 square foot commercial building. Project Intersection is the top-ranked site for development within Lee, Wise and Scott Counties and the city of Norton.

Project Throughbred Picture
Project Throughbred
Wise County
Grant Recipient: Lonesome Pine Regional Industrial Facilities Authority
2019 Funds Awarded: $2,000,000
2020 Funds Awarded: $500,000

Project Thoroughbred will redevelop an abandoned coal loadout facility, situated in the City of Norton, into a grain processing, storage, and distribution terminal. AMLER program dollars will be utilized for land acquisition, site development, environmental work, site work, building construction, setup, and equipment placement. The project will serve as an integral piece of a much larger agricultural economic development initiative for the entire Lonesome Pine Regional Industrial Facilities Authority (LPRIFA) region. A Southwest Virginia grain terminal will be a catalyst for creating economic activity in two areas: the upstream agriculture base and the downstream craft beverage industry.

Real McCoy Cabins Expansion Picture
Real McCoy Cabins Expansion
Tazewell County
Grant Recipient: Real McCoy Cabins
2017 Funds Awarded: $685,887.74

Scope Reduction: Real McCoy Cabins offer diverse lodging choices for adventure tourist, specifically ATV enthusiast with the town of Pocahontas being home to the Spearhead and Hatfield-McCoy AVT trails. AMLER money will be used for the expansion of Real McCoy Cabins with the addition of a large family/group style cabin, six treehouses, a bathhouse an arcade and tent camping locations. Booked at full capacity during the majority of the year, this would help Real McCoy Cabins accommodate an additional 72 visitors per night.

Red Onion Picture
Red Onion Industrial Site
Dickenson County
Grant Recipient: Dickenson County Industrial Development Authority
2019 Funds Awarded: $859,584

The project will combine AMLER funds with $1.7 million in other funding to develop a 99 acre site with redundant broadband fiber, infrastructure, and three pads totaling 47 acres. The site is located on the border of Dickenson and Wise Counties, in close proximity to U.S. 23, and the surrounding land has potential for renewable energy development opportunities.

Wise County IDA Solar Project Site Preparation Picture
Buchanan Tazewell Wireless Communications Jobs Growth Corridor
Buchanan County
Grant Recipient: Virginia Coalfield Coalition
2019 Funds Awarded: $1,000,000

AMLER funds will be used in conjunction with several other funding sources to construct a series of cell towers to provide service through a 20-mile dead zone along U.S. Route 460, one of the most heavily traveled and economically important traffic corridors in the southwest Virginia coalfield region. The project will serve schools, more than two dozen businesses, approximately 131 households, and thousands of motorists each day.

Wise County IDA Solar Project Site Preparation Picture
Elam Farm Property Infrastructure Development
Wise County
Grant Recipient: Wise County IDA
2020 Funds Awarded: $1,854,000

This project will expand the Lonesome Pine Regional Business & Technology Park by developing and adjacent 200-acre site with access roads and public utilities, including water, wastewater, and natural gas. Other funds will be used to further develop the site with to establish multiple build-read pads. This development will upgrade the Business & Technology Park to Tier 4 or 5 certification, dramatically increasing state-wide marketability, industry attraction, and provide greater opportunities for private investment and job creation.

Wise County IDA Solar Project Site Preparation Picture
Veldon Dotson Recreation Park Improvements
Wise County
Grant Recipient: Wise County IDA
2020 Funds Awarded:$371,000.00

This project will construct additional lighting for fields at the Town of Wise Sports Complex which allow playing hours and seasons to be extended to accommodate more tournaments and more teams in those tournaments. This is anticipated to expand the economic impact of the park on local meal, lodging, and retail sales.

Wise County IDA Solar Project Site Preparation Picture
Breaks Interstate Waterpark Expansion
Dickenson County
Grant Recipient: Breaks Interstate Park
2020 Funds Awarded: $300,000

AMLER and other funds will be used to construct a traditional in-ground swimming pool and make other upgrades to the Splash! In the Park Waterpark within the Breaks Interstate Park. These additions which have been a highly requested amenity by guests and are expected to increase visitation, resulting in the need to hire additional staff and enable public wellness offerings such as swimming lessons.

Mecc Center for Workforce Building
MECC Center for Workforce and Innovation Improvements
Wise County
Grant Recipient: Mountain Empire Community College Foundation
2018 Funds Awarded:$1,125,000.00

This project will involve electrical system upgrades, replacement of HVAC systems, construction of two large-by commercial garage doors and replacement of a swamp cooler and portion of the roofing over the commercial kitchen area of the MECC Center for Workforce and Innovation. These improvements will allow full utilization of the building, the addition of heavy equipment for instruction and the addition of a culinary curriculum.

Wise County IDA Solar Project Site Preparation Picture
Bird Dog
Dickenson County
Grant Recipient: Bird Dog Distributors, LLC
2021 Funds Awarded: $525,000.00

This project will upgrade two existing manufacturing machines and build two new machines to expand its plastics manufacturing business. These upgrades will allow for embedding additional materials into its plastic panels to create new product lines such as lightweight ballistic armor plating.

Wise County IDA Solar Project Site Preparation Picture
Maine Five Expansion
Buchanan County
Grant Recipient: Maine Five Distributors, LLC
2021 Funds Awarded: $500,000.00

This project will involve purchasing and installing automated sewing and cutting equipment that does not require employees with sewing experience. By mitigating the growth constraints due to the skilled labor shortage, Maine Five will be able to expand its manufacturing operations of tactical nylon items.

Wise County IDA Solar Project Site Preparation Picture
SR 718 Utility Expansion
Buchanan County
Grant Recipient: Breaks Regional Airport Authority
2019 Funds Awarded: $1,220,016

This AMLER project will construct a first phase of utilities infrastructure (e.g. waterline and telecom conduit) along State Route 718 (Airport Road) towards the Breaks Regional Airport Expansion Project currently being developed by the Breaks Regional Airport Authority (BRAA), Town of Grundy, Buchanan County, and Dickenson County. In addition to upgrading services along SR718, this project will facilitate development of the airport and an associated industrial area.