Capitol Theatre (Wheeling, West Virginia) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Capitol Theatre |
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| Former names | Capitol Music Hall |
| General information | |
| Type | Theatre |
| Location | Wheeling, West Virginia, United States |
| Address | 1015 Main Street |
| Coordinates | 40°04′12″N 80°43′28″W / 40.07006°N 80.72442°W |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Charles W. Bates |
The Capitol Theatre (once known as the Capitol Music Hall) is the biggest theater in West Virginia. It is a very important building in the historic downtown area of Wheeling. For many years, it was home to the famous Jamboree USA and the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra.
Jamboree USA was a live country music show broadcast on WWVA 1170 AM radio. It ran from 1926 until 2007. This made it the second-longest running radio show in the United States, only behind the Grand Ole Opry. The live music show brought hundreds of thousands of country music fans to Wheeling each year. Both local artists and national stars like Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, Merle Haggard, and Charley Pride performed there.
A Look Back: The Capitol Theatre's History
The Capitol Theatre was designed by architect Charles W. Bates from Wheeling. It first opened its doors on Thanksgiving day in 1928. When it first opened, the theater showed movies and live stage shows.
Early Days and Moving Around
The Wheeling Symphony Society moved into the building in 1929. The radio station WWVA held its first Jamboree show at the Capitol in 1933. However, the Jamboree moved to the Victoria Theatre after just one year. The symphony also left, feeling that showing movies took away from the musical performances.
The Return of Music and Renaming
After the theater stopped showing movies, the symphony returned to the Capitol in 1961. Years later, in 1969, the Jamboree also came back. The Jamboree had tried several other places since leaving the Capitol. The longest place it stayed was the Virginia Theater.
In the years that followed, the Capitol became very successful as the Capitol Music Hall. In 1969, WWVA radio moved its studio into the Capitol building. From there, it produced and broadcast its Jamboree music shows. The show was later renamed Jamboree USA. The theater was also renamed the Capitol Music Hall. It became very popular and attracted fans from all over the region.
A Time of Change and Closure
In 2006, the company that owned WWVA radio decided to end the Jamboree USA show. They wanted to play more syndicated programs. In 2007, the theater had to close after it failed a safety inspection. It had a list of fire safety problems that needed fixing.
The Capitol Building included more than just the theater. It also had a ballroom, shops, and a recording studio. Other radio stations continued to use parts of the building even after the theater closed. The Wheeling Symphony also started playing in other places during this time. It was estimated that the building needed at least two million dollars for repairs and updates.
New Ownership for the Capitol Theatre
In 2005, the company that owned the theater sold it to another company called Live Nation. Live Nation then put the building up for sale in May 2007 for $850,000. On February 5, 2009, the Wheeling Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) announced they would buy the Capitol Music Hall. They bought it from Live Nation for $615,000. The purchase was completed on April 3, 2009.
Bringing the Capitol Theatre Back to Life
In early 2009, the 81-year-old theater had been closed for almost two years. It had 2,400 seats. A group of local organizations worked together to buy the theater from Live Nation for $615,000. The Ohio Valley Area Development Corporation first took ownership of the property.
Community Effort for Restoration
A group of local organizations joined forces. This group included the Wheeling-Ohio County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Wheeling National Heritage Area Corporation, Regional Economic Development Partnership, and the City of Wheeling. They decided to raise $8 million to fix up the building. They saw the theater as a key part of making the downtown entertainment area lively again.
Success After Reopening
The Greater Wheeling Sports and Entertainment Authority now runs the theater. It has been very successful since it reopened. Many shows have sold out over its first eight months. By the end of 2010, the theater offered new expanded snack areas and lounges. It also had new, larger restrooms that were easy for everyone to use. An elevator was added, and the ballroom was remodeled.
The newly remodeled ballroom can be reached easily by the new elevator. It is often open as a restaurant before many events. This area can also be rented for parties and other gatherings. Sometimes, smaller concerts, dances, and comedy shows are held there too.
A Bright Future for the Theatre
In June 2019, the theater's mortgage was fully paid off. The Wheeling/Ohio County Convention and Visitors Bureau, led by Frank O'Brien, paid off the loans for the theater's purchase and safety upgrades. The CVB is now the only owner of the theater. They have an agreement with the City of Wheeling's Sports and Entertainment Authority to operate it.
On average, about 52,000 people attend concerts, shows, and special community events each year at this historic theater. This brings an estimated $3 to $5 million into the local economy every year.
