WesBanco Arena facts for kids
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| Former names | Wheeling Civic Center (1977–2003) |
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| Address | 2 14th Street |
| Location | Wheeling, West Virginia |
| Owner | Wheeling Municipal Auditorium Board |
| Operator | Wheeling Municipal Auditorium Board |
| Capacity | 5,600 (concerts) 5,406 (Ice hockey) |
| Surface | Multi-surface |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | August 31, 1975 |
| Opened | April 19, 1977 |
| Construction cost | $9 million ($34.29 million in 2022 dollars) |
| Architect | Dalton-Dalton Little & Newport |
| Tenants | |
| Wheeling Thunderbirds/Nailers (ECHL) (1992–present) Ohio Valley Greyhounds (NIFL/UIF) (2001–2007) Wheeling Wildcats (CIFL) (2009) West Virginia Roughriders (AAL) (2019-2021) Wheeling Miners (AAL2/NAL) (2024-present) |
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WesBanco Arena is a cool place in Wheeling, West Virginia. It's a big building called an arena where lots of different events happen. It first opened in 1977 and was known as the Wheeling Civic Center until 2003.
Today, it's the home ice for the Wheeling Nailers ice hockey team. It also hosts the Wheeling Miners indoor football team. Many exciting sports tournaments take place here, like the Mountain East Conference basketball tournament and the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference wrestling tournament.
Contents
Building History: How WesBanco Arena Began
Planning a New Civic Center in Wheeling
Back in February 1973, people in Wheeling started talking about building a new civic center. By May 1973, an architecture company called Mosser Construction Inc. was chosen to design the arena.
The city council approved the plans for the arena and a nearby parking garage on April 16, 1974. The whole project was expected to cost about $9.6 million. Some residents tried to stop the construction, but the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia allowed the city to move forward. This meant the city could sell bonds to get money for the project.
Construction and Grand Opening Day
Construction on the civic center officially began on September 6, 1975. Around this time, a new architecture firm, Dalton, Dalton, Little & Newport, took over the design work.
The arena was ready to open on April 19, 1977. To celebrate, a famous band called The Doobie Brothers played a concert. Over 6,900 people came to enjoy the show on opening night!
New Name for the Arena: WesBanco Arena
On October 18, 2003, a local bank called WesBanco made a deal. They paid $2.3 million to have the arena named after them for 10 years. This is why it became known as WesBanco Arena.
In August 2013, WesBanco renewed the naming rights for another 10 years. They paid $2.5 million to keep their name on the arena.
What Can You Do at WesBanco Arena?
Arena Features and Meeting Spaces
WesBanco Arena is a very flexible space. It can host many different kinds of events. These include conventions, trade shows, concerts, and big banquets.
The arena has a large main floor with over 23,000 square feet of space. It also has about 7,500 square feet of meeting rooms. These rooms can hold groups from just ten people to several hundred. The biggest meeting room is called the "Health Plan Pavilion."
Food, Parking, and Accessibility
The arena has its own catering team that can provide food for any event. Local clubs often hold their lunch meetings in the meeting rooms. During hockey games, the "Health Plan Pavilion" turns into a restaurant and bar for fans.
The arena has a high ceiling, reaching 46 feet. There's plenty of parking at the Robert C. Byrd Intermodal Transportation Center. A special back parking lot allows large trucks and buses to easily load equipment directly onto the stage.
WesBanco Arena is also designed to be easy for everyone to use. It has direct access from handicap parking, an elevator, and accessible restrooms and concession stands. There are also special seating areas for people with disabilities.
Exciting Events at WesBanco Arena
Ice Hockey Action
The Wheeling Nailers hockey team has played their home games here since 1993. The arena even hosted games for the 2016 Kelly Cup Finals, which is a big championship series for hockey. The Nailers played against the Allen Americans in those games.
In 1993, the arena also hosted the ECHL All-Star Classic, where the best players from the league came to play.
Local Sports and Hall of Fame
The hallways of WesBanco Arena are special. They are lined with display cases that make up the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference Hall of Fame. These cases show off cool items from local schools and athletes. You can see memorabilia from famous sports stars like Bill Mazeroski and Phil Niekro.
The arena also hosts the conference's yearly Banquet of Champions. This is the largest high school sports banquet in the entire United States!
The West Virginia Mountaineers basketball team played some games here in 1999-2000. This happened because their usual venue was being renovated. Many other sports events, like high school and college basketball, college hockey, and indoor football, are regularly held at the arena. The Harlem Globetrotters also visit every year, bringing their amazing basketball tricks to Wheeling.
Concerts, Shows, and More Entertainment
WesBanco Arena isn't just for sports! Many famous comedians have performed here, such as Larry the Cable Guy and Jeff Dunham. Popular stage shows like Cats, Chicago, and Blue Man Group have also entertained crowds.
The arena is also a hotspot for high-energy events. It has hosted Monster Jam, WWE wrestling, Thunder Nationals, and PBR events. In 2012, music legend Elton John even performed a concert here!
