A Capitol Idea

For the city of Wheeling, W.Va., to go through with plans to purchase the historic Capitol Music Hall from current owner Live Nation, it needs to figure out what it’s going to do with it.

So the Wheeling National Heritage Area Corp. has decided to fund a feasibility study to do just that.

The study, to be conducted by Economics Research Associates of Washington, D.C., will determine the economic benefits the Capitol would bring to Wheeling as well as how much it would cost to operate.

Hydie Friend, the group’s executive director, said the study should take six to eight weeks, but when it will begin or how much it will cost isn’t yet known.

"We are going to start this as soon as possible because we want to know how much it will cost to operate the Capitol, as well as how much economic activity results from a vibrant and functional Capitol Music Hall," she told the Wheeling News-Register.

Carl Nix of Harvey Goodman Realtor told the paper that the asking price for the Capitol Music Hall is $850,000. City officials have reportedly indicated they would like to acquire the hall and open it as a nonprofit venue.