WESTON CASINO PLAN REJECTED - New Gambling Interests Will Come Forward

(12/21/2004)

Years have gone by since Weston State Hospital has closed and Lewis County residents have tried to find a use for the sprawling historic structure, once known as the Western Insane Asylum. After the Mountaineer Group announced a $300 million plan in March to turn the facility into a luxury resort hotel that would house a casino, along with golf, dining, retail shopping, entertainment and upscale housing, Lewis County voters supported a referendum in November to have table games. Now, the owner of the structure and primo land, the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources has turned down the developer's plans. "We worked with the Development Office in reviewing the proposal. We didn't think it would be economically feasible," DHHR spokesman John Law said Monday. "It couldn't support what the proposal was, and so we rejected it." The decision means "they or someone else has to come back with a different proposal," said Law. Anti-gambling activist Mike Queen says other gambling interests will likely come forward to make a proposal.

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