RAVENSWOOD, W.Va. (WTAP) – Ravenswood Mayor Josh Miller said at the groundbreaking for the city’s new welcome center that it will serve as the city’s “front door,” aiming to draw more visitors and encourage travelers to stop as they enter town.
Miller said the project blends tourism and economic development, featuring an interactive, AI-powered information display along with a planned restaurant called the Smokehouse Pavilion. He described the facility as a welcome center and business incubator designed to boost recreational and regional tourism.
When asked what he meant by an “AI welcome center,” Miller said visitors will be able to ask a large on-site screen questions about Ravenswood, nearby Ripley, Jackson County and the Mid-Ohio Valley — from where to eat to local history — instead of relying on a traditional staffed information desk.
Miller credited grant support from the West Virginia Water Development Authority and called the project a major opportunity for the community. He said the city is also using an additional $60 million in grant funding for infrastructure projects including a pedestrian bridge, a boat ramp and boat docks as Ravenswood works to strengthen its river-town identity.
Representatives from Smokehouse Pavilion as well as West Virginia State Senator Eric Tarr were present at the groundbreaking.
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