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WHEELING - Teenage robotics teams from across the U.S. - and even a few from Canada - are coming to The Highlands this week for a chance to win a place in this spring's world championships.
"The Gateway to the West" is a signature event of the international VEX VRC Robotics Competition. It is scheduled to take place at The Highlands Sports Complex this week, with middle school teams competing Wednesday and Thursday and high school teams competing Friday and Saturday.
The competition runs daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and admission is free.
A total of 74 high school teams and 65 middle school teams are expected to participate. In total, there should be more than 1,000 visitors coming to The Highlands for the tournament, according to information provided by Ohio County Schools. There will be competitors from 15 states and as far away as California, and also from Ontario, Canada.
The tournament is one in a series of events supported by the Robotics Education and Competition (REC) Foundation. The competition season culminates each spring, with the top-performing teams from the state levels competing against each other at the VEX Robotics World Championships in Dallas, Texas.
Set-up for the tournament took place on Tuesday. Employees with the Ohio County Operation Center and the central office were on site, as were parents and coaches from the host school district.
"It's a big event for The Highlands, and brings a lot of people in," said Ohio County Commissioner Randy Wharton, also president of the Ohio County Development Authority. "A lot of them will be staying the night, if not a couple of nights. And while they are here they will be shopping and eating at The Highlands.
"This all fits in the plan with building the complex, and bringing in people from outside the area. We are trying to diversify our marketing strategy, and trying to bring in events that will use the facility in a positive way - especially if it involves bringing in school-age kids."
Families and coaches accompany young athletes to robotics, volleyball and basketball tournaments, bringing in a large number of visitors to the area, Wharton noted.
And the robotics tournament won't be the only event bringing in competitors this week to Ohio County. A gymnastics event also on Friday at The Highlands Sports Complex is expected to bring in 1,500 athletes.
Harvey Greenidge, general manager of The Highlands Sports Complex, talked about the financial importance to The Highlands, Ohio County and the surrounding area.
"We're estimating $300,000 in impact," he said. "They will be staying in hotels and eating in venues here, as well as in Wheeling"
He noted there are going to be "tons of kids coming." The actual number of participants will be between 750 to 800, and each team will have coaches and chaperones.
Greenidge noted that he and the sports complex staff have been working with Ohio County Schools to plan the event in the past few months. They also helped the school district with getting the initial bid to hold the event, and brought to the table their knowledge with hosting similar tournaments.
James Honick, general manager at the Fairfield Inn and Suites, said that hotel and the nearby Hawthorne Suites - both operated by Marriott - both are booked up throughout the week.
"There will be a lot of teams with their parents coming here, and it's definitely a boost for business," he said. "The Sports Complex has definitely done a lot for hotels and businesses here."
Honick added there is a two-way relationship between the hotel and the sports complex. The sports complex shares the names of local hotels with the teams who register for events, and likewise the hotel refers its guests to amenities at the sports complex.
At Bubba's Burghers, manager Adriana Boles also is expecting a busy weekend.
Groups coming to the sports complex often book parties at the restaurant with about 25 to 30 people in attendance, she explained. Today, three such parties are booked at Bubba's Burghers.
"Sometimes it gets to the point where we have to turn people away," she said.
She is glad the sports complex notifies them when there is going to be a large number of people coming to The Highlands.
"When we know ahead of time, we know how much food to order," Boles continued. "Sometimes people just come over when we are busy and are upset when we have to turn them away."
But sports-related businesses, such as Play It Again Sports and Rally House, indicate it all depends on what kind of sports competition is happening at the sports complex as to how many extra customers they have.
"We do some extra advertising then - especially during baseball season," said Cory Palmer, manager at Play It Again Sports. "The sports complex has been great for us, and there is plenty of people coming over from there."
Ohio County Schools Superintendent Kim Miller said the tournament is "an outstanding opportunity" to showcase the robotics program within the school district. In each of its first two years of competing in robotics, Ohio County Schools has sent teams to the VEX World Championships.
"I really can't imagine how it is going to be," she said. "It's such a unique sport. It is not just a game - but a notebook and strategy (are involved), and the rules change each year."
But the challenge for school districts supporting robotics is that they have to continue to buy the needed supplies for robotics, Miller continued.
"There are dollars connected, and the pieces change year to year," she said. "It's worth it to see the kids working together."