ECHL Wheeling Nailers

WesBanco Renews Naming Rights Agreement for the WesBanco Arena

August 23, 2013 - ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release


Wheeling, WV - In a joint release today, Paul M. Limbert, WesBanco, Inc. President & CEO, Dennis R. Magruder, Executive Director of the Wheeling Municipal Entertainment Authority and WesBanco Arena General Manager and Don T. Rigby, Executive Director of RED and Governor of the Hockey Club of the Ohio Valley, announced that WesBanco has renewed its Naming Rights Agreement for the WesBanco Arena for an additional ten year period. The Arena will continue to carry the name "WesBanco Arena" and the contract will provide in excess of $2.5 million for the Arena over the life of the agreement.

By renewing the Agreement, WesBanco secures the name for a period of an additional ten years, assists in extending the future of the Wheeling Nailers hockey franchise as a part of Wheeling community and assists in securing the Nailers as a major tenant of the WesBanco Arena for many years to come.

Mr. Limbert indicated that WesBanco's decision to renew the Naming Rights Agreement will also provide funding for additional improvements to the WesBanco Arena, beyond previously announced planned improvements, support the local economy and build upon WesBanco's vision for the future of the Wheeling area.

In making the naming rights decision, Mr. Limbert cited the positive feedback generated by the Arena sponsorship during the past ten years, the overwhelming endorsement by WesBanco management and its board and the tremendous encouragement provided by the Entertainment and Sports Authority Board, Mayor, Andy McKenzie, City Manager, Robert Herron, WesBanco Arena Manager, Denny Magruder and Executive Director of RED and Governor of the Wheeling Nailers, Don Rigby.

City Officials, Mayor Andy McKenzie and City Manager Robert Herron, noted that WesBanco has long supported the city and Ohio County by providing community leadership and financial support through banking services, local taxes and ever increasing employment in the region. "We have a longstanding connection to WesBanco. Community responsibility has always been a WesBanco hallmark, as bank employees, officers and directors have contributed significantly toward the development of the Wheeling area from the late 19th century. Through this new Agreement, WesBanco has pledged its resources to the Wheeling area's development into the third decade of the 21st century," Mayor McKenzie said.

Mr. Limbert said that WesBanco was delighted with the continuation of a mutually beneficial partnership with the City of Wheeling, the Sports and Entertainment Authority and RED, owner of the Nailers, who recently announced the extension of their affiliation with the Pittsburgh Penguins organization and the Montreal Canadiens of the NHL. Mr. Limbert said, "The interest generated from the new ownership of the Nailers and the current agreements between the Penguins, Canadiens and the Nailers were significant factors for the bank in renewing the WesBanco Arena Naming Rights Agreement. Our experience has shown that professional hockey, and in our case, the exposure of the East Coast Hockey League, through the Nailers, and the National Hockey League, through the Pittsburgh Penguins and Montreal Canadiens, has been one of the best marketing programs available to us. We are thrilled to retain our longstanding partnerships and we are delighted to support the WesBanco Arena, city and county government, the Nailers and the citizens of the area, who look to WesBanco Arena as one of their major entertainment destinations."

Mr. Limbert went on to say that the naming rights provide an important marketing program due to the retail nature of the banking business. The continued exposure will provide important name recognition in the community and support WesBanco branding programs as WesBanco continues to benefit from the marketing power of a sports franchise and an entertainment venue.

Mr. Magruder said, "The long term goals of WesBanco Arena include stability, and that includes growing our client and tenant base and improving our facilities. The renewal of the naming rights agreement for the WesBanco Arena by WesBanco goes a long way to securing our future. We treasure the Wheeling Nailers and the fact that we are the oldest franchise in the ECHL. We're the smallest market and we're the oldest market. Another goal is that I want to see the Nailers be able to stay around, and WesBanco has stepped up once again in securing not only the Arena's future, but that of the Wheeling Nailers. WesBanco Arena is nearing its 40th year. The city of Wheeling through proposed changes to the tax structure will generate funds to upgrade the arena. We just received an additional ten years of support from WesBanco."

"We are excited to continue our relationship with WesBanco and the WesBanco Arena. We have just renewed our affiliations with the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Montreal Canadiens and now WesBanco. I'd say we just scored a hat trick,"Nailers Governor Don Rigby said. The Nailers organization is nearing its financial projections and the additional funding generated through the renewal of the WesBanco Arena Naming Rights will go a long way in developing a profitable franchise for Wheeling once again, Rigby went on to say.

WesBanco is a multi-state bank holding company with total assets of approximately $6.1 billion. Following the completion of these projects, WesBanco will operate through 120 branch locations and 110 ATMs in West Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. WesBanco's banking subsidiary is WesBanco Bank, Inc., headquartered in Wheeling, West Virginia. WesBanco also operates an insurance brokerage company, WesBanco Insurance Services, Inc., and a full service broker/dealer, WesBanco Securities, Inc.

The Wheeling Nailers drop the puck on the 2013-14 regular season against the Elmira Jackals, on Friday, October 18th at 7:00.

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