The Inter-Mountain photos by Taylor McKinnie Randolph County Development Authority Director Robbie Morris, at left, shows U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, center, new Railyard Event and Conference Center's performance theatre space as RCDA Board President Mark Haddix, right, looks on.

Randolph County U.S. Sen. Shelly Moore Capito and Development
Authority Director Robbie Morris look at the conference hall space of the new Railyard Event and Conference Center.

ELKINS — U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito toured the Railyard Event and Conference Center on Friday ahead of its possible completion in July.

Capito was led through the new 28,000 square-foot, $11.6 million facility by Randolph County Development Authority (RCDA) Director Robbie Morris on Friday afternoon. Morris showed the senator the building’s conference hall, kitchen area, performance theatre and the attached Ascend West Virginia program office spaces. Morris stated that construction on the event center was “in the home stretch” and that the hope is for construction to be complete by July 1.

Morris also stated that the interior ceiling still needed to be placed in parts of facility, as well as carpeting. He said the outside masonry work on the building was expected to be complete in a couple of weeks.

After the walk-through tour, Capito called the event center a landmark for Randolph County and the region. She stated that the event center “goes to the next stage for Elkins” in regards to tourism while also touching on the railroad history of the area. The event center has been constructed in the proximity to the Elkins Railyard Depot behind the Rotary Amphitheatre.

“It’s beautiful. It’s got a theatre,” Capito said to media after the tour. “It’s got a big hall for events, conferences, weddings, graduations. I think it really fills a need for the community as people visit here, and also I just think the sight of it, it has a real newness about it. Even though it cares on the history of being in this historic rail yard.”

As a member of Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Capito helped secure a $1,772,000 USDA Rural Development loan to the RCDA for the event center project in 2023. Capito was made chairman of the subcommittee in 2025. Capito said that, with her work in the subcommitte, she sees communities throughout the state that “just need a jump-start in the financing for their needs and projects.”

When asked about her thoughts on the Ascend WV offices attached to the event center, Capito spoke highly of the program and what it does to bring and keep people in the state, as well as what the offices will provide for Ascend WV participants in Elkins.

“I just learned today that there’s as many as 70 Ascend folks here (in Elkins),” Capito told The Inter-Mountain. “That means they’re coming home to West Virginia, in a lot of cases. They’re staying here. They’re raising their families here. They’re working here, and they’ve (RCDA) created some space here (at the event center) in conjunction with that. Some working space, because that’s part of the Ascend program is to have that work space. I’m sure they’ll be fully connected, and it will keep the building alive when we’re not having something in the theatre, something in the event center. The Ascend program has been great. Elkins is a perfect spot for it.”

According to Ascend WV’s website, remote workers “can build a new life in the mountain towns of West Virginia. With “incredible incentives” like $12,000, free outdoor recreation experiences and community-building activities, the program says their offer is one that “cannot be matched.”

Morris echoed Capito’s praise for the Ascend WV program. He explained that, in the early days of planning the event center and of the Elkins being an Ascend community, the RCDA and Ascend spoke about expanding the design of the event center to incorporate a co-working space if funding could be procured.

“With the Ascend program, I believe they get two years of co-working space as part of the program,” Morris told The Inter-Mountain. “So that’ll be down here (at the event center), which will be great so on days when we don’t have conferences or performances going on, there’s still activity with people coming in and out of the office to do their work. So there will always be a flurry of activity happening down here. We’re pleased to have Elkins as an Ascend community.”

Morris also stated that it was important for Capito to come and tour the facility so she could see the project she assisted in finding the funding for “coming to life.”

“I know federal legislators who do congressionally directed spending like to see what they invest in and how it’s helping the community,” Morris said. “So, to see a project of this magnitude in its construction stage and almost come to life is exciting. We appreciate her taking the time out of her busy schedule to be here and see the progress on the project.”

Earlier in the day, Capito attended an event at the Tygart Hotel hosted by Morris, who is also a state senator representing the 11th District, to promote the reelection of Morris’ counterpart, Senator Bill Hamilton (R-Upshur). At the event Capito, who is also up for reelection, gave her endorsement to Hamilton, stating that Hamilton has a dedicated work ethic and “great feel for the community.” Hamilton also endorsed Capito in her reelection efforts. The West Virginia primary election will be held on May 12.