Minors. The strikingly preserved historic theater opened in 1928, is an icon of the friendly city, bringing an array of musical, performance, and comedy acts to the thriving community. DOUBLING DOWN ON EVENTS Over the past year, WesBanco Arena and the Capitol Theater have hosted an impressive 110 events, doubling their usual annual count. This surge in activity is a testament to the venues’ dedication to diversifying their offerings.“It’s just been a whirlwind the last year,” notes Kelly Tucker, Executive Director of the Greater Wheeling Sports and Entertainment Authority. “We wanted to see what kind of shows work and don’t work in both venues. For many years it was just the Broadway series, the Wheeling Symphony, Nailers Hockey, annual events that we’re still doing, which are great, but we wanted to open up and utilize both buildings.” Part of the growth strategy was to bring Kyle Knox on board as Marketing Manager of Greater Wheeling Sports and Entertainment, WesBanco Arena, and Capitol Theater. “We didn’t have a marketing manager in place,” explains Tucker. “We’ve had to increase our operations, maintenance crew, and just continue to build the team so that we can execute so many events.” Job fairs have been a helpful tool in sourcing parttime staff such as ushers, box office personnel, concessions workers, security, and door guards. “In a lot of instances, we have an event happening at the arena and also an event happening at the same time at the theater,” she depicts.“So, there’s the core group of management, but then we need to rely on those part-time positions to help facilitate, and to make sure that all of those events are successful.” Recent happenings at WesBanco Arena run the gamut, from a family-friendly Dinosaur Adventure to Rough N Rowdy Barstool Sports.The fall season at the Capitol Theatre offers a diverse lineup, including comedy shows and musical performances covering genres from pop to classic rock to country. “We’re always searching for new and different types of events,” says Tucker. “We’re not opposed to trying 189 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 11, ISSUE 09 WESBANCO ARENA & CAPITOL THEATRE
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