Magruder: Videoboard Installation on Schedule at WesBanco Arena

Sparks were flying inside WesBanco Arena on Tuesday as welding work continues for the downtown Wheeling venue's brand-new $850,000 videoboard system.

Components of the new system - which includes digital ribbon boards and a high-definition center-mounted videoboard - began arriving Monday. Wiring work is well underway, along with installation of new steel beams to support the scoreboard.

Arena Manager Dennis Magruder said he received a progress update Tuesday morning, and everything appears to be on schedule for installation sometime next week.

Photo by Ian Hicks / Welding work continues in the rafters at WesBanco Arena in Wheeling, in preparation for the venues new videoboard system to be installed.

"I fully expect we'll be up and running (Jan. 23) as we've told people," he said.

The Wheeling Nailers host the Fort Wayne Komets that evening, the first of two home games on consecutive nights for the hockey club. After that, the Nailers won't play in Wheeling again until Feb. 6.

Although Magruder expects the videoboard will be ready to debut next weekend, he acknowledged that anything could happen, as plenty of work remains to be done.

"You've got all these different contractors coming together, and they're trying to get everything done while we're still having events," he said, adding setup begins today for the OVAC wrestling tournament Thursday through Saturday. "This is a huge undertaking."

WesBanco Arena has hosted three Nailers games since removal of the old center-mounted scoreboard. Magruder said the smaller, auxiliary scoreboards at both ends of the arena will remain in place until the new system is operational.

City officials have identified enhancing the fan experience as a major goal of an overall $5.6 million improvement project at the arena.

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Magruder: Videoboard Installation on Schedule at WesBanco Arena