Super Weekend For Wheeling
Thursday, December 1, 2005
By HEATHER ZIEGLER and BRIANNE ROSEBERRY - The Intelligencer & Wheeling News-Register

The huge influx of visitors to the Wheeling area this weekend for the Super Six is music to the ears of local businesses as restaurants, gas stations, hotels and tourist attractions will be teeming with customers.

Six West Virginia high school football teams will square off in their respective divisions on Friday and Saturday at the Wheeling Island Stadium. This much-anticipated event not only brings football players to the Friendly City, but a huge following of fans who add to the coffers of local businesses.

In downtown Wheeling, the McClure City Center Hotel on Market Street is booked solid this weekend.

Operations Manager Mike Kurner said all 170 rooms have been reserved. He noted that most of the rooms had been booked prior to the Super Six pairings, but they were totally filled after the Super Six teams were announced.

"We are definitely looking forward to it; it's very good for the local economy," Kurner said.

T.J.'s Sports Garden Restaurant in Wheeling also sees a jump in business at this time each year.

"I think the Super Six is a wonderful thing for the local community. It's a great thing for restaurants, hotels and local businesses, and I'm thrilled that we have them again this year. I hope that we have them here again next year," said T.J. Radevski, president of T.J.'s.

Wheeling Island Racetrack and Gaming Center, one of the sponsors and all-around good neighbor of the Super Six, looks forward to the excitement the annual football championships generate on Wheeling Island, noted Kim Florence, marketing coordinator at the racetrack and gaming center.

" Wheeling Island is a proud sponsor of the Super Six and has been for many years. Along with the use of our parking lot, this year we are hosting the Super Six after-game party on Friday night, as well as donating the academic award breakfast on Saturday morning. It is a great event for the Wheeling community, and we are happy to support it," Florence said.

This weekend also kicks off the downtown Wheeling Frosty Fridays. This Friday's events are from 5-7 p.m. on Water Street next to WesBanco Arena. Events include horse-drawn carriage rides, children's train rides and carolers. Additional vendors and crafters will have items on display inside the intermodal transportation center. There also will be a large-scale train display inside the Wheeling Artisan Center at 14th and Main streets.

At Oglebay Resort, spokeswoman Caren Knoyer said, the park always gears up for a busy time during the Super Six weekend.

"Last weekend and this weekend are always two of the biggest for the Winter Festival of Lights," Knoyer said.

commented. "We have extra staff to deal with the visitors, especially with traffic flow."

Oglebay's annual holiday lights show boasts more than 1 million lights and dozens of animated light displays manufactured by students at Wheeling Park High School.

According to Knoyer, Wilson Lodge at Oglebay is already booked solid for the weekend, but mostly with seasonal visitors. "Because people don't know until the last minute who is playing in the Super Six, we are usually booked with seasonal guests visiting the park and the lights."

However, the Super Six generates additional traffic through the lights show and visitors to the shops at Oglebay. Popular attractions during this time of the year at Oglebay include the Winter Festival of Lights, which runs nightly until 11 p.m., plus attractions at the Good Zoo. The zoo offers a laser light show, live animals including a white alligator, a Gingerbread Contest display and a large model train display.

This weekend also is typically a busy time for motor coach visitors at the park.

In downtown Wheeling Saturday, the Poverty Neck Hillbillies are in concert at 7 p.m. at the Capitol Music Hall.