The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources has awarded the Morgantown-based March-Westin Company a $6.7 million contract to construct a visitor center and elk viewing platform in Logan County.
The project follows the introduction of 150 elk to West Virginia, where they were once native.
The facility’s construction is slated for a 2025 opening, with construction beginning this spring.
It will feature an elevated platform on an elk viewing tower that is accessible to individuals with mobility issues, as well as an exhibition on the elk reintroduction program, displays and conference centers.
The project was funded in part through $2.5 million in federal Abandoned Mine Land grants, $2.1 million from the West Virginia Department of Economic Development and $2.1 million from hunting and fishing license funds.
During a press briefing Friday, Gov. Jim Justice said he was excited for the project, and the ability for residents to witness the elk reintroduction program firsthand.
“These magnificent animals, we reintroduced them back into West Virginia,” he said. “Good gracious, it’s majestic beyond belief.”