Cabela’s sparked expansion of The Highlands as a shopping, entertainment hub

OHIO COUNTY, W.Va. — Recently, The Highlands celebrated 20 years, as the first store opened in 2004, and officials are impressed at how much its grown over the years.

Cabela’s was the spark that ignited the broadening of the open-air shopping, dining, and entertainment complex.

Now, 76 businesses, retails, offices and more fill the hilltop in Triadelphia.

“Honestly, I don’t think anyone had any idea of what the vision was going to be. Once they got Cabela’s, it just kind of grew from there,” Ohio County Administrator Randy Russell said.

Cabela’s opened in 2004, followed by Walmart in 2006, Target in 2007, the Town Center with the movie theater in 2008.

The anchors were in place.

“We have had a lot of great luck with great development in bringing retail on office spaces to Ohio County,” Russell said.

And over the years, the economic impact has been great, generating loads of tax revenue.

“We have the sales tax district up there that we get to retain the sales tax for continued development in Ohio County,” Russell said.

And over the years, the foot traffic has grown. Originally, Cabela’s said it would bring in 4 million people a year from all over the region.

That number has multiplied.

“With the addition of the sports complex, we are attracting folks from as far away as Cleveland and Erie, Pennsylvania. So, it’s really done well,” Russell said.

And in the next 20 years, they hope to continue down the path of business development.

And with that, more points of entry will be needed.

“We are still working with the WVDOH to try and get a second interchange at the bottom of 2-Mile Hill to bypass that, because I know a lot of residents, especially, have some challenges wanting to drive up that hill. So we think a second interchange is a must,” Russell said.