photo by: Eric Ayres

Greater Wheeling Sports and Entertainment Authority Executive Director Kelly Tucker, Wheeling City Manager and GWSEA Board Chairman Robert Herron and Fiscal Officer Nancy Hughes, from left, attend the monthly meeting of the GWSEA board on Tuesday at WesBanco Arena.

WHEELING — The Greater Wheeling Sports and Entertainment Authority is looking ahead to facility upgrades in the coming months when the frequency of indoor events typically slows down for the summer.

Still, there are a number of big concerts booked at the Capitol Theatre next month, and special events planned for both the theatre at WesBanco Arena in the coming weeks, as well. The limited number of events at the area this summer will provide an opportunity for contractors to work on major projects planned for the facility and will allow staff members to take vacations in the wake of a flurry of activities this spring at Wheeling’s two major entertainment venues.

“May was another month of setups and teardowns, especially here at the arena,” Kelly Tucker, executive director of the GWSEA, told board members during their regular monthly meeting on Tuesday.

WesBanco Arena hosted a chef’s auction, two banquets, three graduations, three Wheeling Miners indoor football games and a big concert by country star Brantley Gilbert — a show that fell short of expectations with only about 1,700 people in attendance.

“In May in the theater, we had seven events, and we’ll wrap up this Saturday with an almost-sold-out Travis Tritt show, so we’re very excited about that,” Tucker said. “This is the first time we’re going to try a post party after the show in the ballroom. People say there’s nowhere to go after the show, so we’re going to give it a shot and see how it goes.”

Coming up in June at the Capitol Theatre, there are dance recitals slated, along with concerts by Static X and GWAR, Steve Earle, Indigo Girls and George Thorogood & The Destroyers. The arena will host the Wheeling Hall of Fame Dinner at the end of June.

“It slows down quite a bit,” Tucker said about the slate of shows and events in the summer.

However, one new monthly event will be coming to WesBanco Arena beginning next month. Free local concerts will take place on the northwest patio of the arena beginning in June.

“Centre Market decided not to continue their First Fridays,” Tucker said. “We think it’s a great event, so we decided that we were going to do it instead of them. So we’re going to host First Fridays here on the patio, with the first one being June 6.”

Tucker noted that Pepsi has agreed to sponsor the First Friday series, providing $10,000 to cover the cost of the bands and the rental of the tent that is set up on the patio. WesBanco Arena also applied for its Private Outdoor Designated Area or PODA license, Tucker noted. This will allow patrons of participating licensed businesses to purchase alcoholic beverages to go in a designated cup that can be carried outside by pedestrians walking within the downtown and Center Wheeling PODA district.

The city of Wheeling’s PODA district just recently went into operation, and participating businesses are expected to display a sticker outside their establishment to declare their PODA status as “Sold Here,” “Welcome Here” or “Not Permitted Here.”

“Hopefully our PODA license comes in this week, so we’ll be ready to roll by June 6,” Tucker reported. “We’re excited to have something new to focus on this summer.”

GWSEA officials expressed gratitude to Wheeling City Council for approving their request for $210,962 for a new rigging system for WesBanco Arena, which will help accommodate shows with large arrays of production equipment that need to be suspended. Show promoters that require this infrastructure either have to use rented temporary systems or simply avoid booking shows at the arena, officials indicated.

Tucker said crews will begin installing the new rigging system for the arena in July.

“Our security camera installation is going to start next week,” she said. “That will all be wrapped up this summer.”

Officials are expected to solicit estimates for repairs to one of the outdoor areas in the back of the arena that is used primarily by vendors and other workers.

“The southwest porch has had some issues over the last several years because of weather,” said Tucker, noting that a crack in the surface of the porch has created cause for concern. The porch will most likely be closed while officials seek estimates for repairs.

Otherwise, it is full steam ahead with bookings of future shows.

“Right now, we’re working very hard on the fall and the spring,” Tucker said. “The good news is I’ve had three new promoters reach out to me within the last few weeks who have just now learned about Wheeling, and it’s exciting because the word’s out there that Wheeling is a great place to do shows. So hopefully, some of those come to fruition.”

During the presentation of the most recently completed monthly financial report, fiscal officer Nancy Hughes noted that the total year-to-date event revenues for WesBanco Arena and the Capitol Theatre officially surpassed the $3 million mark in April.