WHEELING – The future of the West Virginia State Football Championships is officially in limbo.

The WVSSAC board of directors heard four competing bids to host the games, including one from Wheeling, the home of the state championships the last 30 years, on Wednesday in their Parkersburg office. A decision on where the championships will be held should come next month.

Wheeling was represented by Ohio County Schools assistant superintendent Rick Jones, and Wheeling Park High School Athletic Director and head football coach Chris Daugherty.

With Wheeling’s four-year contract to host the games expring in December, the pair’s presentation Wednesday drew attention to what has kept the event in Wheeling for decades, and what the future of the championships can look like in the Friendly City.

“We had a great bid presentation that highlighted all the things the people before us have worked so hard on to make this a top-notch event,” Jones said. “We also highlighted some things that we will add to enhance the experience for the teams- added features with the jumbotron, videos for all the players following them through the entire weekend, among other things.”

Members of the board- made up of the WVSSAC executive director David Price along with a number of assistant directors, high school principals and state representatives- will conduct visits to the sites of the different bid locations, and are expected to make a decision in February.

Aside from Wheeling, the other bids came from Charleston, Bluefield, and a hybrid proposition involving both West Virginia University and Marshall University in which the two schools would alternate hosting the event.

Though the SSAC is already well-acquainted with Wheeling.

“We know almost everybody [on the board],” Jones said. “I used to serve on that board for three years when I was a principal.”

“I already kind of know what they think- that they really like the event here and they always have, it’s just a matter of deciding as a group if this is the time to take it somewhere else or to keep it here, and they know what they’re getting here.”

With the ball now in the SSAC’s court, Jones and Daugherty will have to wait and see what route the state will choose.

“We’ve been interviewing for this for 30 years,” Jones said. “There was nothing in that 30-minute presentation that was going to make or break what they think of Wheeling. Regardless of what happens, they know Wheeling’s done a fantastic job. I’ve estimated Wheeling has invested over $2 million over the past 30 years into this event. People have done the best they possibly could, and we hope to continue that.”