CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) – We are used to seeing red carpets at movie premieres, but later this year leaders are going to roll out the red carpet with hopes of bringing business to the West Virginia Regional Technology Park to stay.

Monday, May 16, the tech park asked the Kanawha County Commission for $97,000 to help fund the event.

Officials say the concept is to bring business executives and site consultants on a tour with a focus on the tech park. They want to bring potential tenants to the park.

“One company, one company located here with more than, so to speak, to cover the tax dollars passed. We’re also leveraging West Virginians,” said Matt Ballard, executive director and CEO of the WV Regional Technology Park. “There’s a West Virginian that works in the Life Science Association of the United States and another that works in the pharmaceuticals. So, we’re asking those West Virginians to look in their membership of these companies across the United States to identify somebody that might be looking to expand in the next three to five years, and then encourage them to attend.

Officials are hoping for about 15 businesses for the tour, which includes a trip to the nation’s newest national park at the New River Gorge.