Good things are happening in the Panther Valley, according to the rhetoric at the quarterly meeting of the Carbon-Schuylkill Industrial Development Corporation, held in the Mansion House Restaurant in Summit Hill on Thursday.

Among the immediate positivity:

• The Narrow Valley Sportsplex in Nesquehoning has opened. Christine Verdier, chief of staff for Pennsylvania Sen. David Argall, attended the meeting and said that the Sportsplex is attracting a lot of sports travel teams, in addition to providing a service for local residents. She said about 12-16 wrestling teams are scheduled for the Sportsplex in November. Also upcoming are volleyball and soccer events.

• St. Michael’s Rectory, School and Church are being renovated for multi-purposes. Mike Klaips and George Haleem, owners of the Lansford structure, said the rectory already is used as a vacation rental facility. It has nine bedrooms, a hot tub, courtyard and billiard room.

He told the CSIDC that the next phase of the former church will be to make it available for weddings and other events.

Discussion centered on how the St. Michael’s complex might accommodate visitors who’ve traveled great distances to the Narrow Valley Sportsplex.

• A popular Coaldale movie theatre is going to reopen. The Angela Theatre could be reopened showing movies by the end of November. In addition, the theater will offer drone soccer and have a virtual reality room. Eventually, another movie room is planned, said CSIDC member Dennis Vavra.

Vavra said that besides showing movies, the Angela also might also become a music venue.

• The Viennese Villa in Coaldale, a former popular eatery, could be reopening soon. Verdier said it’s under new management and the young couple who purchased it are getting ready to open.

These were among the numerous topics discussed during the meeting.

In charge of the meeting were Chris Ondrus, president of the CSIDC, and Rick Forgay, executive director.

Ondrus said that Lansford Alive is an active organization in Lansford and is in the process of taking inventory of downtown property owners. He said that presently in the 100 block of West Ridge Street, there are four or five vacant buildings. Ondrus said the organization is in the process of contacting owners of the buildings.

He said that most of downtown Lansford is considered a historic district.

Lansford Alive has purchased a vacant lot across from Coal Miners Bar & Grill and “plans to make it a gateway coming into town.”

A marker honoring first responders also will be placed on the site.

Forgay said that when he first joined CSIDC, one of the topics discussed was tourism in the Panther Valley. He said tourism still is something he feels can be accomplished, even capitalizing on the overcapacity issues in Jim Thorpe.

“We can talk as what Jim Thorpe can do, but the reality is Jim Thorpe has done as much as it can do,” Forgay said, adding that now is a good time for tourism to expand to other communities.”

He said the Narrow Valley Sportsplex is a positive way to draw visitors to the region.

Keith McCall, a CSIDC member, recalls how his children traveled out of the area to sports tournaments. He said his daughter was in a volleyball travel team and there were tournaments that had hundreds of teams.

“And that’s what could happen here,” he said, adding that with tournaments, people need food, gas and even lodging.

Regarding increasing awareness of Panther Valley communities, Forgay said, “Necessity is what’s going to drive it.”

“It’s our job to promote who we are,” he said.