WCBC

December 7th, 2012 by WCBC Radio

At a press conference Thursday the Allegany County Commissioners officially announced that the county has been deemed eligible for a federal program that allows foreign investment in exchange for VISA cards. The program may lead to a much larger than planned slots operation at Rocky Gap. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) oversees the EB-5 visa program and is responsible for determining whether applicants qualify for the program. It would not encompass the entire county, but only a specific Targeted Employment Area (TEA). In Allegany County’s case this would include the Rocky Gap area which means that the Lakes Entertainment group could take advantage of the program and expand upon the current plans for a slots operation.  The total geographic area of the TEA locally spans locations from the County’s North Branch Industrial Park, South/Central Cumberland, the Willow Brook Road Corridor, to Rocky Gap. Cumberland Mayor Brian Grim was among those in attendance at the press conference and said that fact that sections of Cumberland are included will provide a tremendous tool for economic development efforts….