Capitol Theatre, WesBanco Arena Brace for a Busy Fall

Photo by Eric Ayres

WHEELING - Officials at the Greater Wheeling Sports and Entertainment Authority are ready to transition from a relatively quiet time of year during the summer months to a flurry of indoor shows and events for the fall.

Members of the GWSEA board gathered for their monthly meeting on Tuesday, reviewing operations and financial reports for recent months and reviewing activities that are scheduled for the weeks ahead at the Capitol Theatre and WesBanco Arena.

"We’re kicking off a crazy October," said Kelly Tucker, executive director of the GWSEA, noting that an array of concerts and Broadway productions are slated. "It’s like a two-week marathon. We have CAIN, "Swan Lake," Whiskey Myers, "Music Man," Spamiltom, A Taste of Ireland, Doo Wop, Vampire Circus, Lee Brice, Lip Sync, Daughtry, the symphony and Friendlier City - all at the theater in the month of October. So we are busy."

Tucker noted that they worked over the summer to get staff in place for the busy fall season.

"We also did two job fairs and two orientations, so we have new staff," Tucker said. "We’ve already done orientations, so everybody is ready to go. We had a food handling class, and everybody’s in order for the season, which is good."

Hockey season for the Wheeling Nailers is also unfolding in October at WesBanco Arena, with a pre-season game slated for Oct. 9 and the season home opener Oct. 24.

"We are stretched to the max this month, but very, very excited," Tucker said. "It will be a good month for us."

Recent events at the city’s two major venues were also well received, officials noted. A Dinosaur Adventure was set up at WesBanco Arena in September. The family friendly event was a rental booking for the arena, and those who attended seemed to enjoy it, Tucker said. The second annual cigar social was also held on the arena patio, and attendance was even bigger than last year.

Two big shows recently took place at the Capitol, with a Dwight Yoakam concert late in August and a comedy show by Jay Leno this past weekend.

"They were both great shows," Tucker said.

Tucker added that two big anniversaries are fast approaching for the city’s major venues.

"The arena is going to be turning 50 on April 19 of next year, which is pretty exciting," she said, noting that they are hoping to book an act specifically to help celebrate the occasion next spring. In 2028, the historic Capitol Theatre will celebrate its 100th anniversary.

Several other shows and events are planned for later in the fall, and the GWSEA recently announced the return of the Harlem Globetrotters next spring, as they bring their Rivalry Tour to the arena on March 25.

Tucker added that new lighting will soon be installed inside the Club area of WesBanco Arena soon. Wheeling City Manager Robert Herron, chairman of the GWSEA board, noted that money from the city’s Arena RCIP (Restricted Capital Improvement Project) fund can be used to reimburse the area for the expenses associated with these improvements.

Looking ahead, the Wheeling Miners indoor football team has dates set for a new season beginning next spring, but there has been no contract signed for use of WesBanco Arena.

"They still owe us a little bit of money - it’s around $7,500," Tucker reported. "I’ve made several attempts and talked to the owner on the phone, and we still haven’t received payment."

A payment deadline came and went in September, Tucker noted.

"I don’t have a contract in place with them," she said. "Verbally, we talked about them coming back for another three years, but there’s nothing in writing that’s signed. I refuse to hold any dates. We also do have the football field here. They were supposed to come pick it up, and they didn’t. Something is going to have to happen with that, because right now it is over at National Equipment, because we actually don’t have any room for it here. They were supposed to come pick it up, but they never showed up. They were supposed to pick it up the week after their final game, which was July."

Officials noted that the Wheeling Miners have a new coach, and dates for games next spring have been received by the venue. However, outstanding payment is expected before those dates can be secured.

"It’s disappointing," Tucker said. "Attendance wasn’t as great this year, which is why they owe us money. The last two seasons, the attendance and the ticket sales had covered all of their expenses. So that’s kind of where we’re at with that right now."

The turf field is being stored next door in the vacated former National Equipment building, which is slated to be demolished along with other buildings in that block of 14th Street to make room for the new waterfront development and hotel complex. Herron noted that the demolition will not likely begin within the next 30 days, as historic preservationists are expected to salvage architectural features from the buildings, some of which date back to pre-Civil War history - before West Virginia became a state.

But regardless of the contract for the upcoming season, the field will need to be relocated soon.

"It’s a pretty good field, too," Herron said. "It seems to me to be in pretty good shape."