photo by: Eric Ayres (file)

Robert Plant performs at the Capitol Theatre in October. Greater Wheeling Sports and Entertainment Authority officials reported that the concert brought in the most revenue of any event so far this fiscal year, which began July 1.

The Greater Wheeling Sports and Entertainment Authority closed out 2025 with a variety of different events, including four offerings toward year’s end that ranked among the top 10 revenue producers so far this fiscal year.

Members of the GWSEA board met this month for the first time since their last gathering in late November. The board reviewed financial and operations reports from November and December, detailing results of shows and events that took place toward the end of the calendar year at the Capitol Theatre and WesBanco Arena.

“In November, we hosted 14 events, including eight Nailers games,” GWSEA fiscal officer Nancy Hughes reported. “From a revenue perspective, the Gary Allan and Blippi events ranked among our top 10 events for the year. In December, we hosted 12 events, including seven Nailers games. From a revenue perspective, Sara Evans and the igloos ranked among the top 10 events for the year.”

The concert by country music star Gary Allan on Nov. 8 ranked second in event revenue so far this fiscal year that began July 1, ranking behind only Robert Plant the previous week at the end of October. Allan’s concert brought in the best concession sales revenue so far at that halfway point of the fiscal year with more than $27,000 generated at the concession stands alone.

A new outdoor winter dining experience was offered for the first time late last year with The Igloos at WesBanco Arena. Fine dining on the arena patio could be booked for a unique experience in clear, temperature-controlled igloos.

“It was extremely successful,” said GWSEA Executive Director Kelly Tucker. “We brought in over $30,000 in revenue for a two-week run of igloos. … We plan on doing it again next year.”

Several improvements took place at WesBanco Arena late last year with investments from various funding sources, including contributions from the city and from Wheeling’s federal pandemic relief funds via its American Rescue Plan Act allocations.

“Year to date, we have spent $403,000 improving the arena,” Hughes said. “That includes the steel rigging and the back patio repairs, which were both funded by the city of Wheeling, as well as the final ARPA-funded expenditures.”

Improvements are also needed at the Capitol Theatre, and officials have been working behind the scenes to move forward with efforts aimed at keeping the historic theater in good shape.

Tucker noted that the Chevy Chase appearance that had been slated for Dec. 9 at the Capitol Theatre was canceled. The GWSEA took a slight hit on advertising for the show, which was a co-promoted event where the promoter and host split the loss.

Last week’s Jo Dee Messina concert at the Capitol sold “extremely well,” Tucker noted, adding that things also look promising at WesBanco Arena with the announced return of bull riding after the PBR Velocity Tour — which had routinely delivered a big weekend for the arena each spring – redirected its events to bigger metropolitan markets.

“Bull riding is coming back that same weekend in March,” Tucker said. “This is a brand new promoter for us. It’s a little bit different from PBR because it’s more of a family show – it may have barrel racing and rodeo pieces along with the bull riding. But he’s a very reputable promoter.”

Tucker said they have been working on finalizing details of a new Broadway at the Capitol series for 2026-27, and dates are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

There are big shows coming up in 2026 — from ZZ Top to Allison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglass — both at the Capitol Theatre. However, Tucker said they are being cautious not to book more shows than the Ohio Valley concert-going public can feasibly attend.

“Our ticket sales have not been great for the last six months,” Tucker said. “I think that has to do with — people don’t have the extra money. So we’re really being careful about the content we’re putting in there and not overbooking the theater so there’s 20 shows to choose from. We are definitely looking carefully at that.”

The Greater Wheeling Sports and Entertainment Authority closed out 2025 with a variety of different events, including four offerings toward year’s end that ranked among the top 10 revenue producers so far this fiscal year.

Members of the GWSEA board met this month for the first time since their last gathering in late November. The board reviewed financial and operations reports from November and December, detailing results of shows and events that took place toward the end of the calendar year at the Capitol Theatre and WesBanco Arena.

“In November, we hosted 14 events, including eight Nailers games,” GWSEA fiscal officer Nancy Hughes reported. “From a revenue perspective, the Gary Allan and Blippi events ranked among our top 10 events for the year. In December, we hosted 12 events, including seven Nailers games. From a revenue perspective, Sara Evans and the igloos ranked among the top 10 events for the year.”

The concert by country music star Gary Allan on Nov. 8 ranked second in event revenue so far this fiscal year that began July 1, ranking behind only Robert Plant the previous week at the end of October. Allan’s concert brought in the best concession sales revenue so far at that halfway point of the fiscal year with more than $27,000 generated at the concession stands alone.

A new outdoor winter dining experience was offered for the first time late last year with The Igloos at WesBanco Arena. Fine dining on the arena patio could be booked for a unique experience in clear, temperature-controlled igloos.

“It was extremely successful,” said GWSEA Executive Director Kelly Tucker. “We brought in over $30,000 in revenue for a two-week run of igloos. … We plan on doing it again next year.”

Several improvements took place at WesBanco Arena late last year with investments from various funding sources, including contributions from the city and from Wheeling’s federal pandemic relief funds via its American Rescue Plan Act allocations.

“Year to date, we have spent $403,000 improving the arena,” Hughes said. “That includes the steel rigging and the back patio repairs, which were both funded by the city of Wheeling, as well as the final ARPA-funded expenditures.”

Improvements are also needed at the Capitol Theatre, and officials have been working behind the scenes to move forward with efforts aimed at keeping the historic theater in good shape.

Tucker noted that the Chevy Chase appearance that had been slated for Dec. 9 at the Capitol Theatre was canceled. The GWSEA took a slight hit on advertising for the show, which was a co-promoted event where the promoter and host split the loss.

Last week’s Jo Dee Messina concert at the Capitol sold “extremely well,” Tucker noted, adding that things also look promising at WesBanco Arena with the announced return of bull riding after the PBR Velocity Tour — which had routinely delivered a big weekend for the arena each spring – redirected its events to bigger metropolitan markets.

“Bull riding is coming back that same weekend in March,” Tucker said. “This is a brand new promoter for us. It’s a little bit different from PBR because it’s more of a family show – it may have barrel racing and rodeo pieces along with the bull riding. But he’s a very reputable promoter.”

Tucker said they have been working on finalizing details of a new Broadway at the Capitol series for 2026-27, and dates are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

There are big shows coming up in 2026 — from ZZ Top to Allison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglass — both at the Capitol Theatre. However, Tucker said they are being cautious not to book more shows than the Ohio Valley concert-going public can feasibly attend.

“Our ticket sales have not been great for the last six months,” Tucker said. “I think that has to do with — people don’t have the extra money. So we’re really being careful about the content we’re putting in there and not overbooking the theater so there’s 20 shows to choose from. We are definitely looking carefully at that.”