"If you build it they will come." Kevin Costner was referring to a                                   baseball diamond in                                "Field of Dreams,"                                  however, that phrase                               continues to come true                                  in Hurricane.

When PutnamLIVE.com                             broke the news about                                  the Hurricane Wal-Mart in March of 2005, it set in motion the wheels of capitalism as business people started staking out the magic words of Real Estate: "Location, location, location."

First the Hurricane Gateway Plaza was built across from Go-Mart, looking to capture business as shoppers headed to and back from Wal-Mart.

Then came the Hurricane Marketplace, next to the retail giant. Stores including Dollar Tree, Game Stop, Magic Nails, Rocky Top Pizza, and Stamper's Jewelers are moving in.

Now comes confirmation that City National Bank will build a branch behind Saturn next to Raymond Peak Way and alongside Hurricane Creek Road across from the Wal-Mart entrance.

Dirt will start moving soon as City National plans to break ground next week on a new 4,200 square foot branch office which is slated to open in July of this year and create approximately six new permanent jobs in addition to construction jobs, according to bank Executive Vice President Craig Stilwell. 

In addition to jobs with great benefits, the new branch means increased property tax revenues to the City of Hurricane from a now vacant lot as well as Business and Occupancy taxes. In other words, it's a "win-win" situation for everyone involved, including Hurricane account holders that are now driving to Scott Depot to conduct banking business with City National.

"This new branch further solidifies City National as Putnam County's most convenient bank," says Tim Quinlan, Senior Vice President of Retail Banking. "We have more branches here than any other bank."

The Hurricane branch will be the 4th City banking location in Putnam County. The new branch provides additional access and convenience for our customers living in the area, and for those commuting to either the Charleston or Huntington markets, where City has a strong market share, Stilwell says.

Last year City National announced plans to put a branch inside the Wal-Mart. However, bank officials later decided that a full-service branch outside the store would better serve customers.

Architects have designed an attractive one-story structure for City National branch for this site.  The facility will have four drive-thru lanes and a drive-thru ATM.  The brick façade will be highlighted by an expansive glass front and blue roof inspired by City National Bank’s logo. The voluminous windows allow an abundance of natural light into the interior of the building.  Much of the construction of the facility will be completed by local contractors from Putnam and Kanawha counties.

"I’m thrilled that we are expanding our presence in the Hurricane area," says Mandy Curry, Regional Manager for Putnam County. "This full-service facility, just off one of the state’s most traveled roads, will give City excellent visibility – and our customers will enjoy increased access.  We have been frequently asked by our customers to increase our Putnam County presence to Hurricane, in addition to our facilities in Eleanor, Winfield and Teays Valley."

City Holding Company is the parent company of City National Bank of West Virginia.  In addition to the Bank’s 69 branch locations across West Virginia, Eastern Kentucky and Southern Ohio, City National Bank operates CityInsurance Professionals, an insurance agency offering a full range of insurance products and services.