West Virginia is experiencing significant economic momentum following the announcement of more than $81 billion in new private-sector investment at the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Meeting and Business Summit at The Greenbrier on September 3, 2026. Black Diamond Realty Principal & Associate Broker David Lorenze, CCIM, SIOR, was in attendance at the 90th Annual Business Summit as the announcement was made.
The investment is being driven largely by two major data center projects. NScale’s Phase One represents a projected $69.2 billion investment, requiring approximately 2 gigawatts of power and supporting an estimated 4,375 construction jobs and 645 permanent positions. Starwood Digital Ventures plans to invest another $12 billion in Mason County, requiring approximately 2.16 gigawatts of power and supporting approximately 1,500 jobs. Both companies are expected to cover their project-related infrastructure costs, meaning those costs will not be passed on to West Virginia ratepayers.
The Governor also highlighted additional economic development activity, including a $13 million expansion by life sciences company Randox in Jefferson County, expected to create 100 jobs, as well as AEP’s acquisition of the Longview Power Plant and plans for additional power generation in West Virginia.
Together, these announcements bring the total private-sector investment announced in West Virginia since October 2025 to approximately $96 billion, with more than 19,000 projected jobs. For West Virginia’s commercial real estate market, the scale of these investments could have significant long-term implications for industrial development, infrastructure, energy, workforce growth and demand for commercial property across the state.
Read the original announcement from the West Virginia Governor’s Office: Original Article Here
