May 25, 2011, brought music to the ears of Top of West Virginia Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) and regional leaders in the Northern Panhandle as 600 people gathered for the grand opening of the Weirton Event Center—the culmination of eight years of work and two years of planning for the venue.
“When the recession hit and we were opening and marketing a new venue, we didn’t know what the result would be,” says Top of West Virginia Executive Director Danny Greathouse. “When hundreds of people came out that first night, we knew we’d made the right investment for our region and we’re looking forward to a great second season.”
The event center is located on the site of the former Cove School, and the outdoor facility is designed to host a plethora of events, such as a summer concert series, flea markets and rentals. As part of the inaugural season, the Top of West Virginia hosted 10 free concerts, as well as weekly flea and farmers markets, and this summer, the CVB will bring back its free Friday concerts.
