This EDA investment supports the international center for the preservation of wild animals (the wilds) in ohio, with building a 60-acre recreational vehicle (RV) campground at the wildlife…

The Economic Development Administration awarded a $5,011,232 project grant to the International Center For The Preservation Of Wild Animals Inc., doing business as The Wilds, on June 1, 2022. The grant will support the construction of a 60-acre recreational vehicle campground at The Wilds wildlife conservation center in Cumberland, Ohio to attract tourists to the 10,000-acre park located on reclaimed coal mine land. The campground aims to drive economic activity in Guernsey County's growing tourism economy as the region recovers from job and business losses in the declining coal industry and the COVID-19 pandemic. The grant falls under the Economic Development Administration's Economic Adjustment Assistance program, which provides infrastructure and planning assistance to regions experiencing adverse economic changes over time or suddenly.

This EDA investment supports the international center for the preservation of wild animals (the wilds) in ohio, with building a 60-acre recreational vehicle (RV) campground at the wildlife conservation center to help attract tourists to 10,000-acre park, which is located on reclaimed coal mine land along the appalachian byway. Throughout its history, the guernsey county region relied on coal mining, and the wilds facility was built on recovered coal mine land. The ongoing decline of the coal industry, together with sudden job losses and business closures, devastated the region's economy in recent years. The RV campground will help the region recover from the covid-19 pandemic and will drive economic activity, diversification, and resilience in the region's growing tourism economy.