The final design for the Boone County Trailhead and Retail Center was approved and bids for materials were approved Friday by the Hatfield McCoy Regional Recreation Authority.

The project is a long term project for Hatfield McCoy's Executive Director Jeff Lusk who has envisioned the Boone County Trailhead and Retail Center as the focal point in a move to increase merchandise sales for Hatfield-McCoy. The Boone Center, when completed will be the first thing visitors to the coalfields come across and to that extent, Lusk has long wanted something grand.

Unfortunately cost estimates on the project were a bit too grand and the project has undergone several revisions to help it to become reality. One thing that will help make the project feasible is assistance provided by the Boone County Commission, which will allow the HMRRA to use its own construction crew on the special project.

Paperwork for that agreement was also signed on Friday.

Jeff Lusk said bid packages for the center needed to be certified before work could begin and noted that there was one package for building materials, one package for electrical supplies and one package for plumbing materials. Danville Lumber received approval for the building materials bid; Barker’s Hardware received approval for the bid for electrical materials and Byrnside Hardware received the bid for plumbing supplies.

"All bids were open and bidders were present," Lusk said, explaining that one bid was rejected.

Work on the project is expected to begin soon.

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