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http://www.times-news.com/local/local_story_033235728.html
Former school could become weapons training site
W.Va.-based Storm Mountain submits proposal for building in Westernport
Kristin Harty
Cumberland Times-News
CUMBERLAND — A West Virginia-based weapons training company is interested in buying the former Bruce High School, abandoned by the county two summers ago after half a century of use.
Storm Mountain Training Center Inc. of Elk Garden submitted a proposal last week to buy the 24-acre property in Westernport, including surrounding athletic fields.
“We’re really hoping they get it,” Westernport Mayor Amel Morris said. “It would be huge for us.
Morris touted the economic development aspect of the potential sale. He said the training center could bring in as many as 1,500 adult students annually to the town. Those would be new customers for the town’s shops and gas stations.
The community also would benefit, he said, because local organizations would be able to use the athletic fields and gymnasium.
Two other entities — a local church and a nonprofit youth football league — submitted proposals to buy a portion of the property.
Christ Memorial Baptist Church, 207 Roosevelt St., in Westernport, is interested in the 118,000-square-foot building; Westernport Youth Football League of Rawlings is interested in the fields.
The town of Westernport, which has expressed interest in developing the old school since the county shuttered it, did not submit a formal proposal.
“We did not expect to get one from them,” said Steve Young, Allegany County director of Public Works. The county, which accepted proposals through Jan. 27, had informally negotiated with Morris, who wanted to see private business and community activities in the old building.
“I think they’re going to hope that someone else can use the building, and then maybe they can work out something with them,” Young said.
The county didn’t put a price tag on the property; rather, officials sought a financially reasonable proposal that would also benefit the community.
Storm Mountain, which touts itself as “one of the leaders in global security consulting,” offers weapons training for individuals and groups, including metropolitan police departments, correctional facilities and special operations forces, according to its Web site. The Elk Garden location, which opened in 1996, has seven pistol ranges, two shooting houses, a tower and two long-range rifle ranges.
Teri Ryan, CEO of Storm Mountain, couldn’t be reached Monday.
Details about what the weapons business — or the church, or the youth league — have planned for the property weren’t immediately available.
Young said officials plan to review the three proposals and make a recommendation to the Allegany County Commission within the next several weeks.
http://www.times-news.com/local/local_story_033235728.html
Former school could become weapons training site
W.Va.-based Storm Mountain submits proposal for building in Westernport
Kristin Harty
Cumberland Times-News
CUMBERLAND — A West Virginia-based weapons training company is interested in buying the former Bruce High School, abandoned by the county two summers ago after half a century of use.
Storm Mountain Training Center Inc. of Elk Garden submitted a proposal last week to buy the 24-acre property in Westernport, including surrounding athletic fields.
“We’re really hoping they get it,” Westernport Mayor Amel Morris said. “It would be huge for us.
Morris touted the economic development aspect of the potential sale. He said the training center could bring in as many as 1,500 adult students annually to the town. Those would be new customers for the town’s shops and gas stations.
The community also would benefit, he said, because local organizations would be able to use the athletic fields and gymnasium.
Two other entities — a local church and a nonprofit youth football league — submitted proposals to buy a portion of the property.
Christ Memorial Baptist Church, 207 Roosevelt St., in Westernport, is interested in the 118,000-square-foot building; Westernport Youth Football League of Rawlings is interested in the fields.
The town of Westernport, which has expressed interest in developing the old school since the county shuttered it, did not submit a formal proposal.
“We did not expect to get one from them,” said Steve Young, Allegany County director of Public Works. The county, which accepted proposals through Jan. 27, had informally negotiated with Morris, who wanted to see private business and community activities in the old building.
“I think they’re going to hope that someone else can use the building, and then maybe they can work out something with them,” Young said.
The county didn’t put a price tag on the property; rather, officials sought a financially reasonable proposal that would also benefit the community.
Storm Mountain, which touts itself as “one of the leaders in global security consulting,” offers weapons training for individuals and groups, including metropolitan police departments, correctional facilities and special operations forces, according to its Web site. The Elk Garden location, which opened in 1996, has seven pistol ranges, two shooting houses, a tower and two long-range rifle ranges.
Teri Ryan, CEO of Storm Mountain, couldn’t be reached Monday.
Details about what the weapons business — or the church, or the youth league — have planned for the property weren’t immediately available.
Young said officials plan to review the three proposals and make a recommendation to the Allegany County Commission within the next several weeks.
