McKinley: Hyperloop Will Put West Virginia on the Map as Innovation Hub

Press Release

Today, after a nationwide search, Virgin Hyperloop announced West Virginia will be home to the Hyperloop Certification Center (HCC). The center will perform key safety tests required for certification of this groundbreaking transportation technology.

Virgin Hyperloop received strong interest and support from cities across the nation, West Virginia was one of 17 states to submit a formal proposal. The HCC will be located in Tucker and Grant Counties.

"The Hyperloop Certification Center will put West Virginia on the map as a hub of innovation," said McKinley. "The project will help further diversify our economy, attract jobs and investment, and shine a spotlight on what makes our state great."

"West Virginia is already recognized for research in energy, health care and defense," added McKinley. "Now we are branching into transportation. This will help establish West Virginia as a center of innovation and research vital for the 21st Century."

The HCC will be approximately six miles long and will allow Virgin Hyperloop to demonstrate how to load and unload passengers, cargo, and see how the pods interact with each other.

Virgin Hyperloop estimates more than 5,000 construction jobs would be created to build the hyperloop testing system and 200 high-tech jobs after to run the testing. The project will support many more indirect jobs in the surrounding area.

McKinley participated in the unveiling event in Charleston, along with Virgin Hyperloop CEO Jay Walder, Governor Justice, Senators Capito and Manchin, and other West Virginia leaders in business, government and academia.

You can watch the full event here.
Background:

Virgin Hyperloop is the only company in the world that has successfully tested hyperloop technology at scale, launching the first new mode of mass transportation in over 100 years. The company is now working with governments, partners, and investors around the world to make hyperloop a reality in the years to come.

To learn more about Virgin Hyperloop, click here.

For a video on how Virgin Hyperloop works, click here.

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