Governor Larry Hogan Announces Reopening of Youghiogheny Overlook Welcome Center

Center To Promote Western Maryland, Boost Economic Activity

ANNAPOLIS, MD – As part of a four-day visit to Western Maryland, Governor Larry Hogan today joined Western Maryland elected officials and tourism partners to announce that the Youghiogheny Overlook Welcome Center will reopen in spring 2016. The center, a state-run travel center located along Interstate 68 in Friendsville, was closed by the state six years ago.

The governor was joined by Nicole Christian, president of the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce; Paul Edwards, president of the Garrett County Commissioners; Delegate Wendell Beitzel, District 1A; Senator George Edwards, District 1; and Secretary Mike Gill of the Maryland Department of Commerce, which houses the state’s Office of Tourism Development.

“The Youghiogheny Overlook Welcome Center is a gateway into our beautiful state and reopening it will be very beneficial to the tourism industry and the businesses in Western Maryland,” said Governor Hogan. “Making sure that all parts of Maryland have the tools and resources they need to be successful will always be a major priority of our administration.”

“The state’s welcome centers put a friendly face on Maryland’s hospitality industry,” said Nicole Christian, president of the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce. “The professionalism of the staff at the Office of Tourism and their knowledge of the state makes a great first impression on our visitors, which encourages them to spend time and money at the attractions and businesses in the region.”

The Youghiogheny Overlook Welcome Center is located approximately 20 miles east of the West Virginia/Maryland border on I-68, just outside of Friendsville. This stretch of highway is a major east/west thoroughfare and a vital transportation route in Western Maryland and northern West Virginia.

When the center reopens in spring 2016, it will operate Thursday through Monday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and will be closed on major holidays. Currently, the rest area is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration and the Office of Tourism Development are currently working to prepare the center for visitors. The State Highway Administration owns and maintains the rest stop and building that houses the center, and the Office of Tourism Development runs the center and provides staffing.