| WesBanco Arena | |
|---|---|
| Former names | Wheeling Civic Center |
| Location | 2 14th Street Wheeling, WV 26003 |
| Broke ground | 1975 |
| Opened | April 19, 1977[1] |
| Owner | Wheeling Municipal Auditorium Board |
| Operator | Wheeling Municipal Auditorium Board |
| Surface | Multi-surface |
| Construction cost | $7 million ($25.4 million in 2012 dollars[2]) |
| Architect | Dalton-Dalton Little & Newport[3] |
| Capacity | 5,600 (concerts) 5,406 (Ice Hockey) |
| Tenants | |
| Wheeling Nailers (1992–present) | |
WesBanco Arena (originally Wheeling Civic Center) is a multi-purpose arena, in Wheeling, West Virginia. It was built in 1977 at a cost of $7 million. It is home to the Wheeling Nailers ice hockey team and the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference wrestling tournament.
It can also be used for conventions, trade shows, concerts, banquets and other events. It features 23,684 square feet (2,200 m2) of space plus 7,500 square feet (700 m2) of meeting room space. These meeting rooms can accommodate parties from ten to several hundred people. The largest meeting room is named "Health Plan Pavilion." The in-house catering department is capable of catering any size event for any needs. The meeting rooms host area Civitan, Kiwanis, Lions, Rotary and Serra's clubs lunches and meetings weekly. During Nailers hockey games and some other events the "Health Plan Pavilion" is open to all ticketed patrons featuring a full service restaurant and bar.
It features a 46-foot (14 m)-high ceiling. The Robert C. Byrd Intermodal Transportation Center can accommodate cars for the arena's maximum capacity. The back parking lot offers parking to guests at some events and parking for trucks, trailers and buses of acts and offers direct stage access load-in through the large elephant door.
It offers access for handicap patrons, including direct access from handicap parking, an elevator, direct access to multiple concessions and restroom areas and handicap seating available from different spots throughout the arena.
It was host of the WWF Superstars TV taping on October 2, 1989. This particular episode of Superstars was notable in the fact that John Tenta made his debut as Earthquake. In addition the arena has hosted Monday Night Raw, Friday Night Smackdown and a few WCW Monday Nitro events throughout the late '90s and '00s, with Hulk Hogan making appearances at the venue. The legendary Andre The Giant has also made appearances.
The outer hallways are lined with display cases as The Ohio Valley Sports Museum. These cases display memorabilia from all schools past and present in the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference, as well as memorabilia from Ohio Valley natives, who have gone on to professional sports careers, including Bill Mazeroski, Bobby Duglas, Chuck Howley, Bill Stewart, Phil Niekro and Joe Niekro, among others.
Comedians such as Larry the Cable Guy and Jeff Dunham have appeared at the arena.
Stage shows such as Cats, Chicago, Lord of the Dance and Blue Man Group, have also packed the arena.
It also played host to the West Virginia University basketball team for one season in the 1999-2000 season due to construction at the teams normal venue. Other sporting events such as high school basketball, college hockey, indoor football and others have hosted games at the arena on a regular basis. The Harlem Globetrotters have become a favorite of residents making yearly appearances at the arena.
This arena has also played host to high action sports such as Monster Jam, Thunder Nationals, Freestyle Motocross, PBR and others every year usually in February.
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