Photo by Scott McCloskey Members of the West family cut a ribbon inside Wilson Lodge at Oglebay Park Friday for the newly unveiled West Family Wing Renovation project. Participating, from left, are Kimberly West Baker and her parents, Phyllis “Flip” and Gary West.

WHEELING — Businessman and philanthropist Gary West said his family has a long history of using the amenities at Oglebay Park, and that is why he doesn’t play golf today — but does ride a horse.

West and his wife, Phyllis “Flip” West, were present Friday as the “West Wing,” a section of 43 newly renovated guest rooms named in their honor, officially opened at Oglebay Park’s Wilson Lodge. The Wests gifted the money needed for the project.

“I hope it’s here forever,” Gary West said of Oglebay Park. “We used the park years ago. My dad was a golfer. He golfed every Sunday and came home late for dinner. That’s why I’m not a golfer. I didn’t want the wrath of the wife — happy wife, happy life.

“When we had the ability to help the park, we decided we would do it because we have used the facilities,” he continued. “I was a horseback rider for 10 years, and rode through the park many times. We’ve used it, and I don’t know what Wheeling would do without it.”

Gary West grew his business, Valley National Gases Inc., into one of the largest providers of medical and welding gases in the country. Today, the Wests spend much of their time in Naples, Fla., but continue to maintain a residence in Wheeling.

On Friday, they received the opportunity to view the renovated rooms. Afterward, they said they were proud to have their name associated with the project.

The original hotel rooms at Wilson Lodge were constructed in 1957, and were thought to be too small by today’s standards, according to Herb Faulkenberry, vice president of sales and marketing for Oglebay. Each of the rooms consisted of 235 square feet of space for guests.

The extensive renovation of a wing of 53 rooms at Wilson Lodge began last February with a design to make each room larger. The rooms were reduced to their foundation and structural supports, and where there once was a grouping of three smaller rooms, there are now two larger ones.

The result is a fewer number of guest rooms at 43, but each is 50-percent bigger than before, at 340 square feet. Some of the rooms have king-size beds and a fireplace, while others have two queen beds inside.

Architect Victor Greco said Wilson Lodge was constructed to be a “tough and strong building,” and that the reconfiguration of rooms was in turn a tough and strong task.  Much of the work affected the outside architecture and landscaping of the building, and Greco’s goal was to make certain nobody could tell the lodge or its environment ever was touched.

“We have to keep it in its context,” he said. “Oglebay has a beautiful aesthetic, so it was easy to use stone and cedar and board and batten. I call it the modern rustic lodge effect. It has all the facilities of modern conveniences nestled into a rustic, beautiful lodge.”