First Steps On Sports Complex, Many Steps To Support Constitution
Published 26 days ago • 7 min read
Observer Weekly
September 18, 2025
Jefferson County, WV news & events
Every week, The Observer digs into the details that matter in Jefferson County. Our content is free for everyone to read, but producing well-researched local news isn’t free.
Sports Complex Study Raises Questions in Jefferson County
Sports tourism dominated the conversation at the Jefferson County Development Authority (JCDA) board meeting on September 16.
Earlier this year, the County Commission asked the JCDA to explore how Jefferson County might attract a “sports complex and convention center.” In March, the JCDA hired a national consulting firm, Sports Facilities Advisory (SFA), to study the market potential.
The Consultant’s Report
SFA presented its financial feasibility study to the board on September 16. The report looked at three possibilities:
The analysis is high-level and intended to estimate investment needs. It does not propose specific locations or detailed facility plans.
SFA assumed an 11-acre site for an indoor facility (about 3 acres for the building and the rest for parking, stormwater, and greenspace). An outdoor complex would need 61 acres. A combined facility would require 72 acres. Parking needs ranged from 638 spaces (indoor) to nearly 1,900 (combined).
Estimated development costs (excluding land and future operations) are:
Indoor facility: $59–72 million
Outdoor facility: $48–58 million
Combined facility: $103–125 million
County Commission President Pasha Majdi, who also sits on the JCDA board, stressed that these figures represent the level of private investment needed. These are not costs or debt that the Commission would take on, according to Majdi.
Next Steps — and Unanswered Questions
To attract private investors, the Commission could use tools such as tax increment financing, which allows developers to repay bonds through taxes generated by the project. The JCDA could also assist with land acquisition.
Board members expressed general support for staff to begin drafting a request for proposals (RFP) for potential developers. But the board set no timetable for identifying developers or issuing the RFP. Members also noted that potential sites must still be identified before further analysis can move forward.
Competition from Berkeley County
Some members voiced concern that Jefferson and Berkeley counties may be chasing the same idea. If both projects move ahead, the market may not be large enough to support them, putting one — or both — at risk of being unprofitable.
Jennifer Smith, Executive Director of the Berkeley County Development Authority (BCDA), told The Observer that Berkeley has been developing its own sports complex plan for over a year. The county already has a county-owned site in mind and is working under a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) with a developer. Smith said 2029 would be a reasonable target date for opening the facility, though no firm timeline has been set.
A message from Shepherd University
Harpers Ferry - Canal Footbridge To Close For 2 Weeks
Cyclists carrying their bikes up the current stairway between the towpath and bridge
National Park Service has announced a start date for a long awaited update to the bridge connecting the C&O Canal towpath to Harpers Ferry.
The Goodloe Byron Memorial Footbridge runs alongside the CSX rail tracks across the Potomac River. On the canal side, cyclists and pedestrians access the bridge via a metal stairway (image above). The bridge itself is in good repair, but the staircase structure dates to 1987 and has seen significant wear and damage from river flooding over the years.
A new stairway design incorporates a bike ramp to make it easier for cyclists to navigate up and down the two-story structure. It will also be wider, to allow for two-way traffic up and down.
According to the latest update from the Park Service, the bridge and stairway will be closed for approximately two weeks beginning on September 22 to allow for the installation of a temporary access stairway. Pedestrians will be able to use the temporary stairway until the new stairway is ready for use, which is expected to be in February/March of 2026.
The Park Service has a webpage for the project where it will be posting details and updates, including information about shuttle services between Harpers Ferry and Lock 34 on the Canal.
A message from Bluemont Fair
Shepherdstown Marches to Celebrate the Constitution
Banner about Senator Byrd on the Shepherd University campus
Shepherdstown will host a community parade on Saturday, September 20, to honor the Constitution of the United States. The march begins at 10 a.m. on German Street, between Church and King Streets, with festivities following in front of Town Hall.
Lead organizer Mark Kohut calls it a “We, the People” parade — open to anyone who wants to walk in support of the Constitution. Participants are asked to gather on Church Street starting at 9:30 a.m. Kohut has prepared more than 100 signs displaying the full text of the Constitution, which marchers will carry in sequence to form a living “Constitutional conga line.”
Participants are also encouraged to bring their own signs in support of the Constitution and wear costumes and period dress paying tribute to the nation’s founding.
The parade is one of several events in Shepherdstown this week marking Constitution Day, which commemorates the signing of the document on September 17, 1787. Kohut credits the annual Constitution Day Lecture at Shepherd University’s Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education as the inspiration for the parade. Launched in 2005, the lecture series — now in its 20th year — was created to honor the federal legislation championed by Senator Byrd that established Constitution Day.
Kohut presented his parade idea to the Shepherdstown Town Council in August, and the council quickly offered its support. In a town press release, Kohut explained his motivation: “Senator Byrd understood that the Constitution is the bedrock of our democracy. It is a foundation that endures through times of change and remains something that unites all Americans.”
He hopes the spirit of Shepherdstown’s march will spread, inspiring other communities to host their own celebrations of the Constitution.
A message from the Shepherdstown Opera House
In a remote cabin, a family confronts loss, secrets, a lack of hunting skills, unarmed afghans (the blanket, not the people), oppressive parenting, “wild” animals in strange places, and unexpected connections when a mysterious visitor takes a wrong turn and enters their eccentric lives. >>>Showtimes & tickets…
Community Event
Thursday, September 25 is “Save A Life Day” — a coordinated nationwide effort to distribute free naloxone kits and educate the public about opioid addiction, treatment options, and community support efforts.
SOAR WV, a Charleston-based non-profit, launched the first “Save a Life Day” event with just a handful of West Virginia locations in 2021. This year it has volunteers coordinating events in all WV counties and every state.
The Jefferson County event locations are:
Jefferson County Community Ministries (238 West Washington St, Charles Town)
7-Eleven at 49 Patrick Henry Way, Charles Town
Black Dog Coffee (8001 Charles Town Rd, Shenandoah Junction)
Appalachian Trail Conservancy (799 Washington St, Harpers Ferry)
Knutti Hall on the Shepherd University campus (102 East High St, Shepherdstown).
Storytime With A Symphony — Storytime featuring a musician from the Maryland Symphony Orchestra. Shepherdstown Public Library (145 Higbee Ln, Shepherdstown). Friday, Sept 19, 2 pm. Free but registration is required. Info
Game Night at the American Legion — Community game night with board and card games, hosted by Tri-State Game Nights. Jackson-Perks Post 71 (225 W Washington St, Charles Town). Friday, Sept 19, 6–10 pm. Free. Info
Mind Games Tabletop Gaming Club — Monthly tabletop games at the St Andrews Mountain Community Center Library (58 Mission Rd, Harpers Ferry). Friday, Sept 19, 7–9 pm. Free. Info
Live Theater: A Fish Story — A comedy about loss, love, and family dysfunction at the Shepherdstown Opera House (131 West German St, Shepherdstown). Sept 19–21. $ Tickets & Info…
Live Theater: A Show By Any Other Name — A sampling of Shakespeare in a play presented by the Roving Peregrine Theatre Company at the Black Box Performing Arts Center (113 S. Princess St, Shepherdstown). Friday–Sunday, Sept 19–28, various times. $ Tickets & Info
Harpers Ferry NHP Star Party — Stargazing program hosted by TriState Astronomers at the Harpers Ferry National Historical (123 Murphy Rd, Harpers Ferry). Friday, Sept 19, 7:30–10 pm. Free. Info
Paw Paw Hike — Explore the native paw paw tree and sample its fruit in this guided hike hosted by Harpers Ferry Park Association. Hike starts at The Point in Harpers Ferry’s Lower Town. Saturday, Sept 20, 9–11 am. $10 Tickets & Info
Fort Collier Open House — Tours, programs, and music during this Open House hosted by Fort Collier Civil War Center (922 Martinsburg Pike, Winchester, VA). Saturday, Sept 20, 9 am - 5 pm. Free. Info
Constitution Day Parade — Community march celebrating the U.S. Constitution along German St. Starts at Church Street and ends at King Street outside of Town Hall in Shepherdstown. Saturday, Sept 20, 10 am. Free. Info
Berkeley County Farm Crawl — Self-guided tour of local farms across various locations in Berkeley County. Saturday, Sept 20, 10 am–4 pm. Free. Info
Oktoberfest — German food, music, and beer on the grounds of the Bavarian Inn Resort & Brewing Company (164 Shepherd Grade Rd, Shepherdstown). Sunday, Sept 21, 11 am–6 pm. $ Tickets & Info
Macbeth — The Rustic Mechanicals - West Virginia’s Shakepeare Troupe - will perform Macbeth in the Marinoff Theatre at Shepherd University (62 West Campus Dr., Shepherdstown). Sunday, Sept 21, 3 pm. $ Tickets & Info.
Girl Scouts Open Mic Talent Show — Local scouts will showcase their performance skills at Pangiota’s Taste of Greece Restaurant (115 E German St, Shepherdstown). Wednesday, Sept 24, 5:30–8:30 pm. Free admission. Info
Native Americans of the Shenandoah Valley — Lecture by Professor Carol Nash of James Madison University will be hosted by Friends of NCTC at the National Conservation Training Center (698 Conservation Way, Shepherdstown). Thursday, Sept 25, 7 pm. Free. Info
Live Music: Charming Disaster — Brooklyn-based gothic folk duo in concert at the Shepherdstown Opera House (131 West German St, Shepherdstown). Thursday, Sept 25, 7 pm. $ Tickets & Info
Live Theater: The Minutes — Pulitzer- and Tony-nominated play about small town politics presented by the Morgan Arts Council’s Ice House Theater Project (138 Independence St, Berkeley Springs). Thursday–Sunday, Sept 25–Oct 5, various times. $ Tickets & Info