Officials from the Wheeling Convention and Visitors Bureau, along with city leaders and leaders from the development company charged with running the project, unveiled the conceptual designs for the upcoming Gateway Visitors and Heritage Center on Wednesday afternoon. The center will stand in the place of the former Wheeling Inn, which is being demolished for the project.

The new Gateway Center, which will open “within next couple of years” CVB Executive Director Frank O’Brien said, will feature three levels: a welcome center and heritage center on the main floor, a rooftop restaurant on the second floor, and CVB offices, a conference center and access to the Heritage Trail on the lower level.

Several different funding sources have been put into place, O’Brien said, totaling about $18 million.

The center has been the goal of the CVB ever since it bought the old Wheeling Inn about a year and a half ago. Demolition began on the site immediately following the design presentation.

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