Scratch that - Goshen OFF as a jambo site
Robert just passed this on. From National Capital Area Council’s web-site:
National Scout Jamboree Site Selection Withdrawn
We regret to inform you that the Boy Scouts of America has decided to withdraw its interest in Goshen Scout Reservation as the permanent site for the National Scout Jamboree. The BSA identified too many potential obstacles in developing the Goshen site to its fullest and is pursuing other venues.
The National Capital Area Council will continue to support the outstanding outdoor programs offered at Goshen Scout Reservation. This process has identified many areas that offer great potential in strengthening our service to youth. Goshen Scout Reservation will continue to serve as our council’s classroom for character far into the future.
We appreciate your support during this long and interesting process.
While at pre-NOAC I heard from several of my contacts about the problems the Scouts were having getting local zoning approval for the development of Goshen. The numbered varied from different folks but what I was hearing was that about 100 community members were against the development. They like their rustic area and felt the influx of that many Scouts would disrupt their community. Actually, they may have been right in that some were saying this would be every four years but others were pointing out that once we have the camp, it would make sense to use it every year. Others have pointed out that it is not a flat area. Thus our traditional vision of a jamboree being fields of sub-camps with tent cities would need to change (and it well could IMHO.)
So, it must be back to the drawing board. I heard that everything with the West Virginia selection was proceeding and the state was/is wide-open to the development. Actually, the WV site is likely to become an eastern high adventure base.
