Tourism in what was Coal Country

David Martin: This is the good government show.

Cora Gnegy: Giles County is known as Virginia’s Mountain playground. We have 37 miles of the new River. We have 65 miles of the Appalachian Trail. We’re home to Mountain Lake Lodge, where the movie Dirty Dancing was filmed. And we have miles of trails and destination dining to come and enjoy. In Giles County, Virginia, in 2023, which is the most recent number we have, tourism expenditures were over $35 million.

Direct and indirect expenditures. There’s something for everyone at Disneyland. Mom and dad can do this, and kids can do that. Outdoor recreation is the same kind of concept, but for a desert geographic destination. Good government is being responsible and responsive to the community that they’re serving. Just because you’ve gotten to the point of frustration and anger, that shouldn’t be the first time you’re engaging with government.

We as local public servants can’t help fix an issue. If you don’t let us know about the issue.

David Martin: Earlier in 2025, I attended the Building Resilient Economies and Coal Country Forum. This was held in conjunction with the National Association of Counties Conference in Washington, D.C.. What I learned was there’s so much good government going on in what was coal country. On this show, we kick it all off with a discussion about tourism. Welcome to the good Government show.

I’m Dave Martin. First, help us share the message of good government by liking us and showing us where we are on Facebook, X, YouTube, Instagram and Blue Sky. Please share our show with your friends and viewers where you’re listening and join our Good Government Show community. Check out our website for the link. So I sat down with Cora Gnegy.

She is the Tourism Director and Economic Development coordinator for Giles County, Virginia that calls itself Virginia’s Mountain Playground. And she’ll explain why that’s accurate. When you think of coal country, you might think like I once did a rural Appalachia, folks waiting for coal jobs to return and roll decay. But there are big changes happening all across the region.

If you listen to our show, you’ve already heard my reports on different good government projects in West Virginia from government leaders there. Well, after this conference I attended, I want to tell you there’s a lot more to talk about. And on future episodes, you’re going to hear from a lot of voices. One thing that keeps emerging when I talk about the future of coal country is tourism.

My first reaction was really tourism. But then I heard more about it. And here’s the thing. Tourism is a huge economic driver. Take, for example, America’s newest national park, new River Gorge in West Virginia. The park is the site of an early coal mining operation that’s been transformed to a parkland with hiking trails, rafting, and kayaking adventures. Historic sites.

All over 70,000 acres of new parkland. One estimate calculated the park created an impact of over $96 million spent in the area in 2023. That’s a huge impact. Corey Nagy said tourism is the county’s second largest industry. Percentage wise, it’s the biggest employer. Tourism and recreation all in this area of western Virginia. Think about it. Hotel operators, restaurants, ATV guides.

Trail operators. Fishing guides. Golf pros. Local wineries. Event staff. Kayak outfitters. That’s a lot of folks. Think about the Appalachian Trail, part of the National Park System. Over 3 million people hike the trail every year. It’s the most popular walking trail in the world. So listen to how tourism is changing coal country. My conversation with Cora Gnegy of Giles County, Virginia, is coming up next.

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Welcome to the Good Government show, the voice of public service. I’m happy to have with me Cora Gnegy. And you are the tourism director and economic development coordinator for Giles County, Virginia. Virginia’s mountain playground. Is that what you call yourself?

Cora Gnegy: That is correct. That’s exactly what we call ourself. Because that’s what we are.

David Martin: You are. We’re going to talk about tourism. We’re going to talk about tourism in what what what was coal country. Because we were just at the Coal forum, the Coal Communities Forum. And I have spent some time in West Virginia, and I have talked to people, and they talked to me about the new River Gorge National Park. They talk about ATVs, they talk about tourism.

They talk about, lakes and rivers and the Hatfield. The McCoy trails are quite popular. Is this a real thing that is really drawing tourists to this region? Because it seems like a big ask, a big stretch, is it?

Cora Gnegy: Yes. Right. So you see the the popular attractions and you rattled off, they’re quite a few of the pieces of, of the tourism, you know, infrastructure. In southwest Virginia and in Giles County specifically, you know, this is my, second largest industry. It’s my singularly largest employer. When you come to industry in the community.

David Martin: So from the second largest employer.

Cora Gnegy: Tourism, tourism and outdoor recreation from a percentage standpoint.

David Martin: Okay.

Cora Gnegy: We have wow. Wow. Right. But you also the makeup of my community specifically, we have a lot of, workers that leave the community every day to either go to the neighboring county to work at Virginia Tech, the large university and employer, right, or other manufacturing in, you know, the Pulaski area with a Volvo, trucks. And so from that’s not the largest employer overall, but as far as in community percentage wise, it’s my largest employers tourism and outdoor recreation.

And that’s grown.

David Martin: How big an employer is? Tourism in the coal communities region probably.

Cora Gnegy: Would need to do some crunching of numbers of, you know, an actual, you know, percentage or, full time equivalent number. But I would I would not be apprehensive to say it’s a significant employer, in our communities seasonally, you know. Right. Fishing guides and, and ski slope operators. But then from a small business operator standpoint, again, it’s it’s a huge, it’s a huge number.

David Martin: And Giles and what kind of jobs are they working at?

Cora Gnegy: Yeah. From a tourism standpoint, think of all of the wonderful, you know, unique hotels that we have, that you’re coming in to stay at. So all of your, hotel operators, your restaurant tours and front line staffs, breweries and wineries, and the experience and event staff that they have there. But then more traditional recreation, tourism employees are your, raft and tube outfitters and the shuttle services and the fishing guides.

David Martin: You know, you spoke at the forum about tourism, and I think you throw out some numbers. I, I noted 639 billion.

Cora Gnegy: $639.5 billion impact for the U.S. economy.

David Martin: Tourism.

Cora Gnegy: Outdoor recreation and tourism, I would venture, is much higher.

David Martin: Okay, so that includes ATV trails.

Cora Gnegy: ATV trails, kayaks, kayaks, hiking, fishing. Fishing is huge in some parts of the country, from a destination and from a quality of experience. Again, you’re looking then tourism at, or outdoor recreation at your trail systems. So, Appalachian Trail on the East Coast is a prime example of attraction that folks are coming in and spending money to do and, and have that experience.

David Martin: And I think you said, 35 million in tourism dollars in your county alone.

Cora Gnegy: Yes. In Giles County, Virginia, in 2023, which is the most recent number we have, tourism expenditures were over $35 million. Direct and indirect expenditures.

David Martin: That’s a lot of money.

Cora Gnegy: It’s a lot of money, yeah. For a community that has, you know, roughly 16,000 residents. But we and no interstate and no chain hotels. So, you know, we have a large percentage of our, of our landmass is held by either Norfolk Southern railroad or the U.S. Forest Service. So we have to create this, you know, revenue stream and tourism is is doing its share in Giles.

David Martin: And they’re kind of fun jobs.

Cora Gnegy: They’re wicked fun jobs. You tell me. I get to take you out and go kayaking and make sure you have a fun time with your friends and family and see some beautiful scenery, and eat some good food that has inspiration from the Appalachian culture. Heck yeah. It’s a it’s a fun job.

David Martin: So, last year, last year, I believe I went to new River Gorge in West Virginia, the nation’s newest national park. Yes. What difference has this made to West Virginia and to the region?

Cora Gnegy: So, you know, as with many big announcements, I, was very much intrigued by the, cycle of excitement that came with this, new national park, meaning, Fayetteville and our friends there in West Virginia have seen a lot of growth in tourism and specifically outdoor recreation. But to have the nomenclature and the infrastructure that comes with the national park, that impacts way more than just the land that’s in the park boundaries.

And so I, Giles County, for example, I’m an hour and a half away from the first entrance to the park. Okay. But because the new river flows that whole length and because a lot of folks coming up from the south are going to come through my community to get to this park, even our community, is beginning to talk about and market and partner as a gateway to the new national park.

And we’re as the crow flies over 110 miles away. So huge impact.

David Martin: And what about economically so.

Cora Gnegy: Right. That’s, I don’t have the data because it is a brand new park. And, and so I wouldn’t necessarily be able.

David Martin: But have you seen have you seen businesses open, businesses operate business stay, you know, business stay there whether they’re, you know, hiking guides or kayaks or stuff like that.

Cora Gnegy: Well, I think that’s part of the reason that the national park made sense to open in the first place, because they had some of that momentum happening. In I know from a lodging standpoint, it certainly helped lodging in that region because they’ve it’s a guaranteed, you know, traffic flow of customers coming to the park and they’re going to want additional places to sleep.

David Martin: And so so I live in Brooklyn. And one of the questions I ask everybody I talked to from West Virginia is, when’s the last time you’re on your ATV? And they all laugh and they all say, almost invariably, sometime in the last couple of weeks, explain to people who don’t live in ATV country how big a deal this is, like how how important it is and how how many people do it.

Cora Gnegy: So the, the ATV culture is, and just that outdoor, adventure, on a motorized vehicle. It’s it’s a cool group of people and maybe a way that, can equate to some of our, our friends that are dwellers, not in rural communities or outdoor meccas. Think of it as, like the car culture or the motorcycle culture of your communities.

And so these ATV people and families and guys and girls, they they know others in this network. And so it’s a constant calling each other up to see what trails are we going to hit this weekend or where are we going to go, you know, to to try out a new a new trail or a new place? What who’s who’s bringing the, you know, pork shoulder to roast when we get done riding for the day.

And so it’s not just a matter of creating trails and having a place that folks can come and play and visit. It’s this whole really cool group of people that, for the most part, appreciate the mountains. I mean, they want the fun and they want the fast and they want the mud, but one of the reasons they’re doing it is because they love they love the place that they’re playing in and riding in.

David Martin: Have you been on an ATV recently?

Cora Gnegy: Yes.

David Martin: How recently?

Cora Gnegy: Most really been a bit longer, but we had and it was.

David Martin: A it is winter.

Cora Gnegy: Yeah. Well.

David Martin: So was actually.

Cora Gnegy: I was going to say it’s unfortunately due to some emergency response with some from localized flooding that, so no fun story.

David Martin: What’s the best part about riding an ATV?

Cora Gnegy: Oh, the break. It’s challenging. You know, Earth and mountains and the rocks and so it’s a challenge, and you have to always be on your game. But then there’s also a freedom of you’re coasting through the woods and you’re seeing the sun come through trees, and your friends are in front or behind you and you’re hooting and hollering, having a good time.

It’s, creating just a good energy. But you can also challenge yourself, in the same instance.

David Martin: Have you been on the Hatfield McCoy trails?

Cora Gnegy: Hatfield McCoy. Yes. But, you know, the Hatfield McCoy trail system in West Virginia. It’s, extensive system, but there’s others throughout the larger region.

David Martin: Such as?

Cora Gnegy: So in southwestern Virginia, we have the Spearhead trail system, which is actually a trail system set up, the authority, the management entity is set up by the state of Virginia. So they’re board are employees. And then they have trails all throughout all the way up to Tazewell County, all the way down through southwest.

David Martin: How many miles are we talking about? Oh.

Cora Gnegy: Now of spearhead.

David Martin: Hundreds, oh.

Cora Gnegy: Hundreds and hundreds of miles of trails. Then there’s an outlaw trail system. And then and.

David Martin: This brings people to your region.

Cora Gnegy: 100%. So, for example, I have a private 1500 acre ATV park in my community. That park alone, 100,000 visitors over the last two years representing, you know, 30 states, four countries, they host motorcycle races, throughout the year to that, bring in 2000 riders for a weekend.

David Martin: Outdoor recreation and outdoor and travel for outdoor recreation is a big industry, is.

Cora Gnegy: A big industry. Yeah. And and think of the variety of, you know, when you’re thinking of travel and other pieces. Also valuable components going to Disneyland. Right. There’s something for everyone at Disneyland. Mom and dad can do this, and kids can do that. Outdoor recreation is the same kind of concept, but for a it’s a geographical destination. So you can come to Southwest Virginia and have world class fishing, and then the entire family goes and rents side by side and they’re out on a dirt trail having a great time.

And but then there’s also the, you know, the food and the music and, you know, the craft beverage industry that’s all benefiting from this outdoor recreation space, too.

David Martin: Is this an underappreciated industry?

Cora Gnegy: I think so, but I also think it’s because that there hasn’t been, a validity to the, to the industry. And there are many organizations helping. Yeah, I think so. The more that we can talk about these numbers, the, the $639.5 billion impact, that’s not it’s not chump change. That’s an impact. And there are careers in this.

And and not just fishing guides, environmental educators land stewardship. So all of these things have huge impacts on the livability of our communities and and the robust experiences that we have where we live. It’s very important.

David Martin: And I would imagine that this is good government, because there’s not a lot of outlay that the government does to get these going. And and yet you reap bigger benefits than you spend puts out in your own words. Am I am I close?

Cora Gnegy: Yeah. Yes. Right. So the idea is that governments not running these trail systems, part of it is supporting entrepreneurs in our community to take advantage respectfully and mindfully of our natural assets.

David Martin: And there’s national parks and state parks and county parks, right?

Cora Gnegy: Yep, yep. All part of the bigger puzzle of outdoor recreation and tourism as a whole in rural communities. Right. I mentioned earlier, I don’t own a third of my land. And so it’s owned by the federal government. So you have to have partnerships and relationship, with those, you know, public entities to be able to push this industry forward, too, meaning there’s there’s no outlay, like you said on my part, other than building these relationships and making sure that, the the trail experience is safe and accessible and a good time.

David Martin: It sounds like what you’re saying is that the outlay that the government puts out to build and maintain this is a fraction of what you get back in tourist dollars, in jobs and above all else, you know, cleaner environment.

Cora Gnegy: That’s the goal, right? The, the one of the things that we lean into hard in Giles County and speaking of good government is we know where we live and the, you know, view shed and the natural assets and resources we have to take, take care of them as well. So we operate river cleanups and trash pickups and have a variety of things that the government helps facilitate.

All of that is built into our tourism and marketing as well. We don’t just want people to come, just to spend money. We like it. And that helps our tax base and helps our small businesses. But we want it to be, a raising awareness of these places that we live and the people that are doing business in them, that create the good experience that you’re going to have when you come and visit.

David Martin: So tell me about a couple of projects that you that you have created there. The, the new River Water trail.

Cora Gnegy: Yes.

David Martin: What’s this?

Cora Gnegy: The new River Water trail. I love this project because it shows a way that you local government is not doing, but responding and supporting the community’s needs. Meaning, in Giles County, we had, four outfitters that outfitters being fishing guides, but you could also rent a kayak and they would shuttle you to a boat landing. They had inner tubes as well as a variety of services.

So four of them competing in a fairly small community for river goers. But they were all operating and functioning very well. And they said, we need something that we can all kind of market ourselves behind. Okay, so four competing outfitters came to us and said, as the tourism office, how do we create a marketing initiative that we can all get behind?

That was the new River Water trail, the new River Water trail. Signage went up, landings were, built and access created in 2015. Fast forward to just a few months ago, late 2020 for the new River Conservancy, which is a tri state, nonprofit organization looking at the entire watershed of the new River, received a $500,000 planning grant from LRC to help take what we built in Giles and the new River Valley of Virginia and really take it three statewide.

So the headwaters in North Carolina, all the mileage through Virginia into West Virginia, that means river access points. Where can I take my my own John boat and go fishing? That means, safety and how much?

David Martin: All that cost you?

Cora Gnegy: Oh. In Giles, we we spent about 20% of our marketing budget on marketing the new River water trail when it started.

David Martin: But how much does it cost to build a new river water trail?

Cora Gnegy: That’s a really hard piece of,

David Martin: Of a lot. Or is it? Is is it? You know, it’s a lot. Is it just.

Cora Gnegy: A just a singular boat landing is could be over $1 million.

David Martin: Oh, wow. Okay.

Cora Gnegy: All right. Just a single psst. Which is your sweet smelling toilet system is $250,000.

David Martin: Had you learned all about some smelly toilets.

Cora Gnegy: You put that in a flood zone and it goes up even more so.

David Martin: But you’re still taking in $35 million as a result of that, and many of the other things that are there.

Cora Gnegy: Yes. So the new River Water Trail has been our largest factor in increased tourism and visitation in Giles County. We had we’ve seen the largest increase in the entire new River Valley of Virginia.

David Martin: There. I read I had five minutes to do a little research before we talked. Yeah. And I saw that there’s a what is it? You get orange garbage bags to pick up trash as you tell me about this.

Cora Gnegy: So renew the new another city, the new citizen driven group that is now part of new River Water Trail. I mean, they’re they’re standalone group, but they are, a true stakeholder in the River trail. Yeah, they host two river cleanups a year. They do a carcass collection for hunters in, the the hunting season time. And then they have put, mailboxes at every one of our boat landings.

We have 17 public boat landings in Giles. And in them are the orange trash bags. So if you’re going floating or fishing, you are welcome to take one of those bags, collect any kind of trash you might see along your route, leave it at the boat landing where you take out, and our public service authority, our trash collection will actually come in.

David Martin: Does that clean up the river?

Cora Gnegy: It has helped. So the new, the renew, the new has been going on for about 14 years. And we have some some great numbers out there of the used to be when we first started, how many thousands and thousands of pounds of tires we would take out or, you know, the trash collect collection. Now we get to put 700 people on the river, every year.

We’re doing it in April this year. And not saying there’s nothing in there anymore, but there has been a visually significant reduction in trash in the river.

David Martin: And as a fan of the music of Jimmy Buffett, I understand that, my fellow parrot heads have jumped in to help tell me about this.

Cora Gnegy: So the parrot heads were actually instrumental in a project in Colorado, on the Yampa River. They facilitated the feasibility and conceptual design for an in river whitewater park, okay, river access improvements and riverside amenities there near the city of Craig in Colorado. Wow.

David Martin: Yeah. So they jumped in and helped out.

Cora Gnegy: They did. And I think.

David Martin: The party with a purpose.

Cora Gnegy: Party with a purpose. But that’s what your community should be doing. You’re living in a community because you might have a job there, but you’re chose. You’ve chosen to live there because there’s something you like to do or there’s something that’s pretty to look out or there’s a good place to eat. And so if you can enhance that by joining a parrot head group that says, hey, we like this idea, let’s do this, or a Rotary Club that’s going to manage a mountain biking park, like an example in Montgomery County, Virginia.

These government should be empowering these organizations to help steward our natural resources.

David Martin: So when someone says, oh, tourism is going to be the next big thing in West Virginia and Western Virginia, don’t laugh.

Cora Gnegy: It’s real. It’s not the next big thing. We we’re on we’re on par with some of the other traditional economic development announcements that have happened in Southwest Virginia over the last ten years. So we’re we’re we’re part of the puzzle and we’re we’re not going anywhere. And it’s going to continue to to do good and be good.

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Ten years, I think you said in the as the Giles County, tourism director and Economic development corporation ten years, right.

Cora Gnegy: Ten years.

David Martin: Ten years define good government.

Cora Gnegy: Think good government is being responsible and responsive to the community that they’re serving.

David Martin: It’s just that simple.

Cora Gnegy: Just that simple. It does not have to be complicated.

David Martin: The why do people make it complicated?

Cora Gnegy: Oh, because people are people.

David Martin: Okay. All right. There we go. When people feel frustrated with government and it’s not being responsive, what should they do?

Cora Gnegy: I think part of the overall issue with frustration with government is a global UN engagement of of government, meaning we typically don’t hear about frustrations until frustrations have mounted. They’re engage with your county administrators, county commissioners, elected officials. Just because you’ve gotten to the point of frustration and anger, that shouldn’t be the first time you’re engaging with government.

We as local public servants can’t help fix an issue if you don’t let us know about the issue.

David Martin: So what drew you to public service? I mean, with your background, I’m sure you could be, you know, the general manager of a swank hotel.

Cora Gnegy: So well, know what.

David Martin: Drew you to public service? What made you get in this?

Cora Gnegy: Because there’s something about, like, looking at a community and looking at ways that we can bring people together and, like, make good stuff happen. I got into this gig over ten years ago because my previous work was doing community viability. So taking good people’s ideas and making them something and so my goal was to take the strategic plans or the tourism development plan and, and make them happen and implement them.

That could be my role in, in being a good public servant was making things happen.

David Martin: Did someone inspire you to do this?

Cora Gnegy: Well, you have I mean, I’ve had plenty of mentors throughout my life. I will say my, my current county administrator, Chris McNerney, has been a visionary in what local rural government should and can do. And so he’s certainly been, a guiding light for, for me.

David Martin: Ten years working in government. What would you like people to know about government and how it works?

Cora Gnegy: One, it’s never even though you said earlier it’s just that simple. It should be, however. But the truth of the matter is that’s not it’s really not. And we all can get frustrated at processes and policies, but they’re there for a reason. And so, what I would love for kind of the general public to know is that we’re all human beings and we’re all doing good work, or that’s the goal and the hope.

But, things take time. And unfortunately, and applications and permits and the pieces of the puzzle that we have to check the boxes for to make things happen in our communities, the good ones, we keep plugging along, but it takes time.

David Martin: What’s the best part of your job?

Cora Gnegy: Serving my community and, you know, going fishing and kayak and kayak in the new River.

David Martin: I was going to say, do you get out of the new river? Do you take the boat out?

Cora Gnegy: And we do. Right. So part of my tour is and marketing hats that I wear are hosting and doing, visits with writers. And so that public relations piece. So the goal is bring the writers in and have them have a great experience. And maybe we’re in Gun and Garden next month or something.

David Martin: So you bring writers and reporters out to go fishing and, we.

Cora Gnegy: Do, we.

David Martin: Do. We’ll talk. Yeah.

Cora Gnegy: Q the bald eagle that soars across the river or.

David Martin: All right. What’s the what’s the hardest part? What’s your biggest challenge at capacity?

Cora Gnegy: You know, we’re a small team and a small staff, and, we want to do all of the things. But at the end of the day, there’s just so much time and so much mental capacity to to make those things happen on a local level.

David Martin: Did you always see yourself getting into public service?

Cora Gnegy: You know, I worked in, historic house museums before and have kind of touched into the and that was with the National Trust for Historic Preservation sites. I’ve always had this, I guess, more like a not for profit public service bent on the things I’ve done. But as far as did I ever see myself doing this? No, no, it’s probably the most honest answer.

David Martin: Right. Okay. So you you are the manager. I guess that’s not the right word. You’re certainly overseeing new river and environment, outdoor environmental activities in your area. What do you do for fun?

Cora Gnegy: I do a lot. I love antiquing, I’m a big history buff. All right, so I will travel for a good flea market or good antique store. Okay. And then a while. I love my mountains and my trees and the flora and fauna of the new River. I like the beach as well, so I enjoy your beach.

Lately it’s been Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. So. Nice. Easy drive down there.

David Martin: Pretty high down to the Caribbean or, to Hawaii.

Cora Gnegy: I I’ve not been to Hawaii. So if we need to do a follow up interview.

David Martin: Okay, we’ll check into that.

Cora Gnegy: All right. The Caribbean is, place near and dear to my heart. Love going to the Dominican this summer. Finally went to Antigua. Super fascinating. The, island in the Caribbean as well.

David Martin: So you are the tourism director and the economic development coordinator for the county. Tell me about your agency. Tell me something about your agency that people don’t know.

Cora Gnegy: So I’m not even an agency. I’m actually a department of our local government. Okay. We have a industrial development authority, our Ida, which actually employs our county administrator. And then they have, relationship with the elected Board of Supervisors. And so the tourism office and Economic Development office is housed in the Ida. But then my department, Department of One, mind you, is fully funded by the transient occupancy tax.

And then we have special project budgets for economic, you know, traditional economic development activities.

David Martin: This is the good government show. We always bring it back to good government. Tell me about a good government project that you’re proud of, that you did.

Cora Gnegy: I think the new River Water Trail is is that example we utilize. We you know, we heard feedback from, you know, taxpayers in our community, business taxpayers and our community. We created this, this thing, the new River water trail. We utilized our capacity as, a grantee through, VDot grants through Virginia Department of Transportation grants, Cdbg grant, create boat landings and river access points.

We empowered the renew the new committee to continue having their river cleanups, and we partner with them by donating PSR time and roll off trailers to collect the trash. And now moving beyond our county borders, you know, we’re sharing this idea and encouraging our regional commission to take over the development of what this looks like in the future and supported the new River Conservancy with this planning grant to take the the good nugget that we have of the new River Water Trail and make it a substantial three state on water, water based trail.

David Martin: All right. Give me a ten second plug on coming to you, to do outside activities. Give me give me your quick.

Cora Gnegy: Add my things. My our thing. Yes. Right. So Giles County is known as Virginia’s mountain playground. We have 37 miles of the new River. We have 65 miles of the Appalachian Trail. We’re home to Mountain Lake Lodge, where the movie Dirty Dancing was filmed. And we have miles of trails and destination dining to come and enjoy.

David Martin: What’s the best thing to eat there?

Cora Gnegy: Oh, you. So the Palisades restaurant is, tried and true favorite. Their spicy shrimp dip is great, but they also have a, rainbow trout dish. That is really good, too.

David Martin: Is a trout. They called the do River.

Cora Gnegy: Farmed, farmed in the new River Valley.

David Martin: Okay. All right. Cora Gnegy, the tourism director and economic development coordinator for Giles County in western Virginia, not West Virginia, western Virginia. Thank you so much. I will I will reconsider tourism to the Coal County region because, I think it’s important.

Cora Gnegy: It is. Thank you. Thanks for your time.

David Martin: County government affects more people than any other form of government. That’s why we like talking to so many representatives of county government here on the Good Government show. They are the voice of public service. The National Association of Counties, or Naco, supports all 3069 counties across the USA. This year, their annual conference is in Philadelphia in July, planned to attend the conference and join them in their efforts to bring good government to America’s counties.

Check out the details@naco.org. That’s naco.org.

After you get done with this episode, hear more good government stories with our friends at How to Really Run a City for mayors Kassim Reid of Atlanta and Michael Nutter of Philadelphia, and their co-host, journalist and author Larry Platt talk with guests and other mayors about how to really get stuff done in cities around the nation. Check them out where you’re listening now or through their nonprofit news site, The Philadelphia Citizen.

Dot org slash podcasts.

Did you hear that $639 billion spent an outdoor recreation in the entire U.S.? A staggering figure. That’s a lot of money. So clearly tourism dollars make a huge impact. It was good to hear from someone who’s helping to bring new people into the region. And she’s right. ATV trails and ATV tourism is bringing people to the region. And I like your explanation.

They want the mountains, they want the mud, but they’re on their ATV to see the natural beauty around them. And just one example Cora Gnegy shows what can happen at one ATV park, 100,000 people visited the park from 30 states. That’s real economic impact, and it’s an impact that’s being felt throughout coal country, and it’s changing the region. Coming up, you’re going to hear about solar energy farms, reclaiming downtowns and supporting small business.

That’s future stories of good government. Well, that’s our show. Thanks for listening. Please like us and share with your friends. And radio is right here. We’re listening. And check out our website. Good government show.com for extras. Help us keep telling stories of good government and action everywhere. Join us again for another episode right here. I’m Dave Martin and this is a good government show.

The Good Government show is a Valley Park production. Jim Ludlow, Dave Martin, that’s me and David Snyder are the executive producers. Our show is edited and produced by Jason Stershic. Please subscribe, then share and like us and review us. That’s the best way to make sure we’re able to keep telling these stories of our government working for all of us.

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**This transcription was created using digital tools and has not been edited by a live person. We apologize for any discrepancies or errors.