GLEN JEAN, W.Va. — Representatives from across the country broke ground at what will be a new complex on the grounds of the Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve in southern West Virginia Wednesday morning.

The new Thomas S. Monson Leadership Excellence Complex will serve as a “standardized training facility” for youth groups like The Boy Scouts of America, the Girl Scouts, 4-H, and more.

“This will be used by the youth of the world and all the youth serving organizations,” Wayne Perry, CEO of Shotgun Creek Investments and a lifelong member of The Boy Scouts of America said. “Again, it’s an opportunity for us to put West Virginia on the map, which we’re very proud of.”

“We teach young people leadership, We teach them morals. We teach them decision making. There’s no better place to teach them than the actual home of The Boy Scouts of America’s National Jamboree–the Summit Bechtel Reserve.”

The new complex is named after Thomas S. Monson, the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which is the Boy Scouts of America’s oldest partner and largest sponsor. Monson serves on the National Executive Board of The Boy Scouts of America–a position he has held for more than 40 years.

“It’s very fitting that a name like his–with other good names associated with it–will go on this leadership complex,” Elder Jeffrey Harrison, a scout and member of the LDS Church said. “It’s a terrific day for all of us.

“I really don’t know a man who has given more of his life to young people–to the idea of youth and the ideas behind scouting.”

The complex will be situated in the heart of the 14,000 acre reserve.

“It is a magnificent setting,” Harrison said. “Wonderful piece of property. We’re indebted to the Bechtels and everyone else who has contributed to this.”

The full complex will feature 385 rooms spread across a multitude of buildings.

“All of our building here at the Summit are designed for multi-use,” Perry said. “All of our facilities have men and women’s showers. They can all be used for camping and for scouts. It’ll have a very high utilization factor, and we expect this to be very full.”

Perry said the Leadership Complex will feature educational courses that include anything and everything related to the outdoors, gun safety, and traditional scouting activities, but leadership education will be the single most important thing.

“There’s no shortage of things to teach here,” Perry said. “You take the Scout oath and the Scout law and start applying those into principles of courses on leadership.”

The Scout Preserve estimates that the Summit Bechtel Reserve has pumped $169.7 million dollars into the local economy, and this project is expected to add more to the local economy in both local income and indirectly through construction spending and local employment.

The complex will also honor four founders of The Boy Scouts of America: Rex Tillerson of Exxon Mobil, J.W. “Bill” Marriott Jr. of Marriott International, John D. Tickle Sr. from Strongwell Corporation, and retired Boeing CEO Philip M. Condit.

The complex is expected to be completed in 2020.