KANAWHA COUNTY, WV (WOWK) – It’s the five year anniversary of the Shawnee Sports Complex, and the Kanawha County Commission is touting its economic impact in the valley.

The commission estimates the park has brought in $134 million in economic impact as well as brought in more than 100,000 out-of-state visitors and 53,000 athletes to Kanawha County.

“Every time I’m out here, I love watching the kids play. They’re having a great time,” said Kanawha County Commissioner Ben Salango. “I love it when people are coming in from out-of-town and they see the facility for the first time and are just blown away. That’s what we want. We want to make sure we’re having a good impression on them, that we are running this facility the right way so they come back. We want to make sure they don’t just come here one time. We want them back all the time.”

The commissioners say they expect in the next five years, the Shawnee Sports Complex will bring even more economic impact to the area as the pandemic is no longer an issue.