Scouts rule out Rockbridge for Jamboree

GOSHEN -- The Boy Scouts of America decided yesterday that it won't be bringing its national jamboree to Rockbridge County and is turning its attention instead to a possible site in West Virginia.

Jack Furst, a national Boy Scout chairman, said the Goshen site was "spectacularly beautiful," but "it came down to land use and economics. It just won't work."

A spokeswoman, Nicole Slater, described the issues in Rockbridge as adequate water supply and sewer capacities, among other concerns. "Obviously these are issues of supreme importance," she said.

In a statement, Gov. Timothy M. Kaine said:

"The commonwealth has a longstanding history of hosting the jamboree -- Fort A.P. Hill has been home to this important event for the past 28 years. We are pleased Virginia had the opportunity to work with the Boy Scouts to try and keep the jamboree in Virginia.

"After much discussion it became clear that the Goshen site in Rockbridge County was just not an appropriate location for an operation of this magnitude. However, I applaud the cooperative spirit that existed between the Boy Scouts, Rockbridge County and the commonwealth.

"We're proud of the many Boy Scout troops in Virginia, and we're grateful for the good works they do in our communities. We look forward to working with the Boy Scouts of America in the future."

The jamboree, held every four years, attracts nearly 30,000 Scouts from around the U.S. and 12,000 staff and volunteers. Rural Rockbridge County has a population of about 32,000.

Slater said the national Scouting organization has signed a purchase agreement for a 10,600-acre property in Beckley, W.Va., which had been considered as a future high-adventure base offering horse riding, hiking and other activities.

Furst said the Beckley property scores "very high" on the availability of water and sewer services. "The challenges we have in West Virginia are elevation and topography," he said.

With yesterday's decision, Slater said in an e-mail, "the BSA is moving forward with acquiring land in W.Va. for the high adventure base, and will now also evaluate the property to see if it can accommodate a jamboree. As we have seen with Goshen, that process can be thorough and extensive."

The site includes reclaimed coal-mining property.

Claire Collins, county administrator for Rockbridge, said local officials would like to discuss the decision with the Boy Scouts to learn more specifics.

She described the Rockbridge site, which is owned by the National Capital Area Council of the Boy Scouts, as rolling countryside, including a lake. "It's very much in the country, serene," Collins said.

The idea of moving the 10-day event, now held at Fort A.P. Hill in Caroline County, to Goshen by 2013 also drew some opposition.

Opponents said the development would change the rural character of the area and questioned whether existing roads could handle the traffic.