From shops to restaurants to entertainment, The Highlands will soon have it all, giving folks in the area and visitors a reason to come to the Ohio Valley.

Wednesday, the Ohio County Commission announced plans for a 100-acre theme park, two hotels, and both indoor and outdoor water parks.

One day later, officials announced that additional restaurants and shops will soon make their home at The Highlands.

Not only will the new businesses bring hundreds of jobs to the area, but they'll be built by local contracting companies.

Ohio County administrator Greg Stewart said the entire retail section of The Highlands should be completely finished within the next year and a half.

The continued development is also good news for other parts of the Valley, as more retail and entertainment further south could mean job opportunities up north.

The theme park alone is expected to bring jobs, tourism dollars and other retail development, and developers from other parts of the Valley said they will capitalize on that ripple effect.

"Obviously, with attractions, people will come north, south, east and west," said Tom Bayuzik, director of Progress Alliance, the organization in charge of developing Jefferson County and its industrial park.

The organization is currently in the midst of a major advertising campaign on TV, radio and billboards, promoting its existing businesses and luring others with tax incentives and a dedicated workforce.

While development at The Highlands includes a major retail draw, the future picture for Jefferson County is slightly different - one that can reap the manufacturing benefits from Ohio County.

"We need '9 to 5s' making a good wage, then the Olive Gardens will come because they see economy growing in their backyard," Bayuzik said. "We need to be in a collective mix for options for people to do where they're at."

Bayuzik said, just as development at The Highlands didn't happen overnight, the process in Jefferson County also takes time.

"The Valley didn't change overnight," he said.

Eat N' Park, Wal-Mart and Target should open at The Highlands this fall, and the Ohio County commission announced nearly 20 more stores will soon open for business.

The Highlands will feature a large section of retail shops, including T.J. Maxx, Bed Bath and Beyond, PetCo, Shoe Show, Lane Bryant, and many more.

By spring, plans are also in the works to build restaurants like Quizno's Cold Stone Creamery, Starbucks, Ruby Tuesday's, Cheddar's Casual Cafe, McDonald's Wendy's and Olive Garden.

The county commission said WesBanco plans to build a branch at The Highlands this fall, making banking more convenient.

Like many others, Emily Nehring of Wheeling is pleased with the development.

"There will definitely be more to do and it will help with the economy down here," Nehring said.

-Renee Cardelli, Shelby Zarotney & Allison Latos, NEWS9