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The Price of Patriotism: Invoices roll in for Gov. Morrisey’s America 250 celebration

By Steven Allen Adams 8 min read

CHARLESTON -- Invoices are still coming in for Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s Capitol City Celebration, the four-day festival in Charleston to celebrate America 250, quickly approaching the governor’s $2 million budget for the event, though other agency costs are exceeding that budget.

According to vendor expenditure information provided by the State Auditor’s WVCheckbook website and information gleaned from Freedom of Information Act requests, nearly $2.2 million has been paid out to date to cover expenses for either the Capitol City Celebration or the state’s booth at the Great American State Fair on the National Mall in Washington D.C.

Morrisey first announced the Capitol City Celebration at the beginning of May during a press conference at the West Virginia Culture Center. State officials began planning in April for the four-day event, taking place during the same time frame as the Charleston Sternwheel Regatta, to mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

“Nearly 250 years ago, there were a ragtag bunch of people -- farmers, lawyers, craftsmen, and other types of laborers -- who got together, and they decided they were going to defy an empire,” Morrisey said during that press event. “They stood up, and many people got together and put together the Declaration of Independence, voted for that, and struck that match for freedom. That spark that still burns to this very day.”

According to the governor's office, approximately $2 million was budgeted for the Capitol City Celebration to be paid out of the Governor's Civil Contingency Fund. The announcement came just two days after Morrisey announced a potential multi-million-dollar structural deficit within the state’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, though Morrisey justified the use of contingency funds -- often used for emergency situations -- to celebrate a national milestone.

“When you're doing something of this magnitude ... that does cost something,” Morrisey said. “But I think it's also really, really important to celebrate America's 250th. This is so critical that everyone across West Virginia get a really wonderful education about our state's founding and our country's founding.”

The Governor's Office cites State Code 5-1-18, which says funds from the Civil Contingency Fund can be used to pay "all expenses incurred in the execution of any law for which there is no special appropriation, and any other sums which the Governor may deem necessary or proper."

Morrisey has come under criticism from some quarters for spending taxpayer dollars on the Capitol City Celebration, drawing focus away from Independence Day celebrations in other parts of the state. Others have questioned the cost given Morrisey’s concerns about TANF funding and the need for water and wastewater infrastructure across the state. But Morrisey has remained adamant that the Capitol City Celebration was important.

“Look, there are always people that are trying to be haters out there,” Morrisey said during a June 29 press conference. “This is an incredible and unmatched opportunity for people to come out and experience West Virginia and see all the amazing sites that we have. That's priceless.”

SPINNING WHEELS

Much of the focus of the Capitol City Celebration revolved around the arrival of the America 250 Big Wheel, the world’s largest portable Ferris wheel, which involved four semi-trucks to haul and several days to set up, including the demolition of a large flower bed in the north plaza of the State Capitol Complex and the trimming back of trees to make room for the massive structure, which was nearly taller than the golden Capitol dome itself.

According to documents provided by the governor's office through a FOIA request, the state submitted a purchase order for $350,000 paid to Biggest Wheel LLC based on San Antonio, Texas. Biggest Wheel submitted an invoice on April 20, with the $350,000 covering the costs of rental and site fees for the America 250 Big Wheel, with each gondola featuring a U.S. president. Rides on the Ferris wheel were free.

The governor's office also provided a memorandum explaining why the rental of the Ferris wheel from Biggest Wheel qualified as an "impossible to bid" purchase. The West Virginia Purchasing Division maintains a list of services that can be purchased without need of competitive bidding.

Among the services exempted from bidding are certain kinds of advertising, purchases of art of historical items, certain attorneys and law firms, and certain entertainment and hospitality services.

"The World's largest, movable Ferris Wheel from Biggest Wheel has been identified as a uniquely suitable attraction due to its scale, visibility, and proven draw at major national events," wrote Jamie Wolford, chief financial officer for the governor's office, in an April 22 letter. "... It is determined that a non-competitive award is in the best interest of the Agency and is necessary to meet the programmatic and scheduling needs of the Governor's Office."

The largest single cost for the Capitol City Celebration was a nightly light show projected on the front of the State Capitol Building that showcased West Virginia's cultural and historical role in the nation's history. According to the state auditor's office, the state paid Las Vegas-based Lumen and Forge LLC $737,065 for the four-day light show.

July 2 and July 5 were marked by concerts from nationally renowned recording artists Alabama and The Marshall Tucker Band. According to contracts provided through FOIA requests, the governor's office paid Alabama $300,000 and The Marshall Tucker Band $50,000.

The governor's office contracted with Music Garden -- a company based in Montgomery, Ala. -- to book both bands. According to the state auditor's office, Music Garden was paid $210,000 by the Governor's Office, covering two $90,000 deposits for Alabama and two $15,000 deposits for the Marshall Tucker Band, though those deposits were returned to the state.

The state's contract with Alabama was finalized on June 19 with Conway Entertainment Group and TGA Enterprises. The contract between the state and The Marshall Tucker Band was finalized on June 16. Both contracts included 10% agency commissions.

According to invoices made available through the state auditor's WVCheckbook website, the governor's office paid $68,200 for additional musical acts for the Capitol City Celebration that either played on the main stage on the Kanawha River-side of the Capitol Building or played earlier each day on the north side of the Capitol Building. The largest of these expenditures was $56,000 for the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra.

While fireworks were already planned for Independence Day for the Charleston Sternwheel Regatta and shot off at three different locations, including in front of the State Capitol Building, the governor's office paid Pyro Shows Inc. $72,500 for a fireworks show on July 3 following the end of Alabama's concert.

Combined, these major costs being paid for out of the Governor's Civil Contingency Fund come to more than $1.5 million, less than the $2 million Morrisey budgeted for the Capitol City Celebration.

"From the world's largest movable Ferris wheel, the spectacular fireworks, the grand concerts, and the awe-inspiring project display to the regional food vendors, local community theatre and musical performances, and the family-friendly entertainment, West Virginia showed everyone it is a world-class destination," wrote Eric B. Hudnall, deputy general counsel for Morrisey.

GRAND TOUR

Several state departments and agencies provided manpower and assistance during the Capitol City Celebration. But the governor’s office leaned on the staff of the Department of Tourism and the agencies of the former Department of Arts, Culture and History that were absorbed into the Department of Tourism last year.

The Department of Tourism has worked with the West Virginia Semiquincentennial Commission, created by the legislature and former governor Jim Justice in 2021, to plan several activities across West Virginia throughout the year for America 250. The department also put together a booth for the Freedom 250 Great American State Fair from June 25 through July 10 on the National Mall in Washington D.C.

When Morrisey created the A250 Task Force -- a separate committee from the Semiquincentennial Commission filled with Morrisey appointees -- to plan the Capitol City Celebration, the Department of Tourism helped plan the event. But the department also took on some of the costs instead of the governor’s office.

According to WVCheckbook, the Department of Tourism paid $584,960 on America 250 expenses between March 30 and Aug. 18, taking the total spent by the state on America 250 activities (including the Great American State Fair booth) to nearly $2.2 million.

The Department of Tourism’s largest expense to date is $145,383 to Alabama-based Premier Entertainment Group for audio/visual services for the Capitol City Celebration. Florida-based Soar Promo received $98,692 for promotional items for America 250.

Charleston-based Quantum Party Rentals received $75,123 and United Rentals received $74,072 from the Department of Tourism. Among other things, these companies provided inflatables and tents for the Capitol City Celebration. Following the end of the four-day event, all of the tents were taken down except one -- a party tent beside the Governor’s Mansion that remains up more than 50 days later that the state is still paying for.

"The West Virginia America 250 events celebrated the 250th anniversary of the Second Continental Congress’ adoption of the Declaration of Independence,” Hudnall said. “To that end, the Legislature appropriated funds to the Department of Tourism for the celebration and that agency also used additional funds within its budget.

“As he publicly stated, Governor Morrisey supplemented that amount with $2 million from the civil contingency fund and the expenditures from that fund stayed within the budget he set,” Hudnall continued.

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