Westmoreland County Visitors Center grand opening planned

The new Westmoreland County Visitors Center will hold a grand opening April 29 at its New Stanton site.

Westmoreland County officials will join representatives of the Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau at 10 a.m. as the center opens at 814 Route 119, in the plaza with Stanton Daily Grind coffee shop and Sib’s Sweet Shoppe. Hepler’s Hardware is on the bottom level of the property.

Located north of the Pennsylvania Turnpike interchange, the center is part of a renewed push to promote regional tourism.

“It will be good to have a point of entry for the county. They are going to staff it to promote all of our assets and be a showcase and have a local flavor to it,” Commissioner Ted Kopas said when plans were announced earlier this year.

“It will be very specific to the county. This will give us an opportunity to exhibit you,” Ann Nemanic, executive director of the Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau, told a group of business owners during the 2019 Westmoreland County Tourism Grants ceremony.

For county commissioners, the center’s location is key to taking advantage of what officials say will be increased tourism coming into the county because of a mini casino that is expected to open at Westmoreland Mall.

As one of the first commercial properties east of several interstate interchanges, the property also is prime for welcoming visitors and bus groups, promoting the goal of a unique and special experience, Meg Hepler Orient, secretary and marketing manager of Hep­ler’s Town & Country, said .