Wheeling City Council Mulls $900,000 in Upgrades to WesBanco Arena
Trending
WHEELING -- The city of Wheeling, the Greater Wheeling Sports and Entertainment Authority and the Regional Economic Development Partnership (RED) are poised to move forward with significant upgrades at WesBanco Arena.
During tonight's meeting of Wheeling City Council, a new ordinance is being introduced authorizing Wheeling City Manager Robert Herron to enter into a memorandum of understanding with RED for costs associated with construction, remodeling and relocation of the commercial kitchen and the additional construction of a loge suite project, featuring premium enclosed seats, to enhance the WesBanco Arena facility.
"The Greater Wheeling Sports and Entertainment Authority met and considered this project on July 14," Herron said on Monday. "They unanimously approved of the project and requested favorable consideration by city council."
Herron explained that this project would create a new addition with loge seating in the 300 level at the north end of the arena's seating bowl. The job will also expand the current kitchen located in the club area of the arena into a full service kitchen.
"The third part of the project is the elimination of the permanent railing in the first row of the east and west side 200-level seats and replacement with a removable railing," Herron said. "This clears up a major sight line problem that has basically rendered these seats unacceptable."
The total cost of these renovations is $900,000, Herron said.
A previously completed upgrade involving new dasher boards and glass, and the construction of an addition on the back of the arena was a $1 million improvement that still carries about $500,000 in debt. The city manager explained that this proposal rolls the cost of the new project and the debt on the previous project into one combined financing package for about $1.4 million via a loan through RED with a new, 10-year repayment schedule.
"Currently the annual debt service on the first project (for the new dasher boards and the building addition) is $125,000 per year," Herron said. "This proposed arrangement would increase that to $188,000 per year. The city's arena debt is paid from the Arena RCIP (Restricted Capital Improvement Program) fund, which is allocated 15% of the city's annual sales tax."
Herron said kitchen upgrades will bring more food selections for the club, an area well utilized during nearly every event in the arena. The updated kitchen and its location in the building will provide better services to both the new and the existing loge seats in the facility, as well.
If council approves the legislation, construction of the new improvements is expected to commence soon afterward and is expected to take between 60 to 90 days to complete.
Members of Wheeling City Council are also expected to pass a new resolution renaming the ball field at Warwood's Garden Park as Chuck Howley Field at Garden Park. Howley, a Wheeling native and 1954 graduate of Warwood High School, carved an illustrious football career that will be recognized later this week when he is enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.
Relatives and supporters have called on city leaders to recognize Howley locally by renaming the field in Warwood in his honor. Howely played football at West Virginia University and went on to become a key part of the Dallas Cowboys "Doomsday Defense." He was a six-time All-Pro linebacker, a Super Bowl Champion (Super Bowl VI) and the Super Bowl V most valuable player -- the only MVP from a losing team.
Also this evening, council is scheduled to hear a first reading of an ordinance authorizing the city manager to spend $820,806 with James White Construction Co. of Weirton for water main improvements along Bank Street. The project is being paid with funds from the city's 2021-A bonds. James White Construction was determined to be the lowest and best bidder for the project. By comparison, Cast & Baker Corporation submitted a bid of $1,098,799 for the job, and Alex E. Paris Contracting Co. Inc. submitted a bid in the amount of $1,020,365.
In other action slated during tonight's council meeting, a notice is scheduled to be read related to the intention to apply for an operator's license with the Alcohol Beverage Control Administration by Brooke Wetmore and Natalie Hamilton for 1306 Market Street. The entity, to be licensed under the name of 1306 LLC, will be for an event venue for small- to mid-sized gatherings to a patron capacity of up to 100, a pop-up restaurant for lunches and occasional dinners, cooking classes with Chef Adam Luiso from Chef N Company, and other events.
An ordinance is scheduled to be introduced tonight authorizing the city manager to spend $149,451 with USI Insurance Services of Virginia Beach, Va., for excess liability Workers' Compensation policy to be charged to the city's Workers' Compensation fund.
A first reading on an ordinance to spend $88,676 from the city's general fund with Bearcom of Dallas, Texas, for equipment to outfit police vehicles is also slated.
Council is expected to vote on a resolution tonight authorizing a $25,000 payment to the Community Foundation for the Ohio Valley for its professional services related to review of American Rescue Plan Act grant applications. The CFOV helped the city administer the distribution of $1 million from Wheeling's ARPA allocation, awarding those funds to several eligible non-profit organizations in the city that submitted requests.
Another resolution is being introduced to intervene on behalf of individual beneficiaries of the Wheeling Police Pension so as to avoid requiring them to reimburse the police pension fund. According to the resolution, an audit conducted on the pension fund determined that several beneficiaries were overpaid, and state code authorizes the governing body of the city to correct the overpayment issue in a timely manner, with monthly pension payments adjusted accordingly going forward.
Today's meeting is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. at Oglebay's Wilson Lodge, where the West Virginia Municipal League is holding its 54th annual conference this week.