"It's going to be great and what we are talking about is creating -- and this is a great buzz word today -- a one stop shop," said Stan LaFuria, Executive Director of the Moshannon Valley Economic Development Partnership.

Both groups have agreed that the Partnership will take over the financially strapped Main Street program from the Philipsburg Revitalization Corporation. The Partnership is also to be expanding its reach to nearby business communities.

"Now, what we are talking about at the Partnership is having a staff person that wouldn't only handle Philipsburg borough and the downtown program, but also we could reach that person out to other communities in the Moshannon Valley to Osceola Mills to Houtzdale borough and offer our assistance to other communities that might have programs in place to improve the retail environment," said LaFuria.

This comes as Philipsburg continues to struggle from a number of financial setbacks. Still, officials with both groups said they are confident that joining forces is a step in the right direction to reviving the area's economy.