Wheeling Gateway Center Construction Bids Unsealed

Wheeling, WV (April 16, 2026) – Five (5) sealed submissions for the public bid construction

of the Wheeling Gateway Visitors and Heritage Center were received and unsealed by

Desmone Thursday afternoon, marking one of the final steps toward mobilizing construction

on one of the most transformational development projects in Northern West Virginia’s modern

history.

A Once-in-a-Generation Investment

The Wheeling Gateway Visitors and Heritage Center is a prototype for what tourism-driven

economic development can look like in West Virginia — and a landmark that will redefine

Wheeling’s primary entrance from the I-70 corridor for generations to come. More than 4,200

locals and visitors shaped the direction of this project through extensive community

engagement. Their priorities guided every design decision from start to finish, including:

• A direct connection to the Heritage Trail

• Maximized views of the Historic Suspension Bridge

• Experiences rooted in Wheeling’s history

That community vision resonated far beyond city limits.

A coalition of federal, state, and local funding sources came together in support of this

project, with contributions championed by Senator Shelley Moore Capito, Senator Jim Justice,

Governor Patrick Morrisey, Congressman Riley Moore, and Senator Joe Manchin, among

others. Most recently, a $2 million allocation was approved through the Consolidated

Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2026 to fund the structure connecting the building to the

Heritage Trail below, one of the community’s most aspirational goals.

“Going out to bid is how you take the temperature of the market, and that information is what

our funding partners asked us to gather. This process gives us a clear picture of what it costs

to deliver a project like this in today’s environment,” said Frank O’Brien, Executive Director of

the Wheeling-Ohio County Convention Visitor’s Bureau.

O’Brien continued, “Today, our architect has checked that the bids are all considered qualified

and compliant with our funding agencies, and next week, the architect will meet with the

three qualified, lowest bids to certify that their pricing matches the scope the project needs.”

“The pricing we’ve received will directly inform how we work with our funding sources to

refine our strategy and chart the clearest path forward.”

Overview of Bidding Requirements

The public bidding process was led by the Wheeling-Ohio County Convention & Visitors

Bureau in conjunction with Desmone Architects. Because the Wheeling Gateway Center has

been made possible through a partnership spanning federal, state, and local funding sources,

each with its own compliance requirements, the bid structure was carefully designed to meet

the standards of every contributing agency.

To qualify, every contractor who submitted a bid was required to:

• Obtain the complete bid document from the architect

• Attend the mandatory pre-bid meeting and site tour on March 26, 2026

• Submit a fully completed AIA Document A305-2020 “Contractor’s Qualification

Statement”

• Submit pricing for all seven base bid packages as outlined in the bid document

Additional project-specific requirements specific to the funding sources included:

• Davis-Bacon Act Wages

• BABA (Build America, Buy America) Act

• Hazardous Soils

Immediately after unsealing, Desmone Architects reviewed all submissions to confirm each

met the full qualification requirements before advancing in the process.

Firms that Submitted Completed Bid Packages in the Order they Were Publicly Opened:

• Stonemile Group - base bid $14,300,000 to $25,900,000 across the 7 bid packages

• United Construction Company - base bid $19,844,258 to $38,309,047 across the 7 bid packages

• Rycon Construction Incorporated - base bid $15,412,000 to $28,895,000 across the 7 bid packages

• Mascaro Construction - base bid $19,275,000 to $33,976,000 across the 7 bid packages

• Massaro Corporation - base bid $18,294,000 to $32,656,600 across the 7 bid packages

What Comes Next?

With bids now in hand, they will be sent to funding partners to allow for a review process that

will take place from April 17 to April 20 to review the qualified bids through a structured

analysis. The three qualified and lowest bidders will then complete a meeting on April 22 to

certify their bid scope, price with respect to the drawings and bidding instructions.

Once the project team and funding partners have verified that all submissions are in full

compliance with the requirements of every funding source, the contract negotiations will

begin with the contractor who submitted the qualified, lowest bid covering the complete

project scope as defined in the architectural drawings.

A formal press release and statement will be made by the CVB when this process has

concluded.

From the first public meeting to today’s bid opening, the Wheeling Gateway Center has been

shaped by the people it will serve.

The support of legislators and agencies across every level of government is a testament to

what a community-driven vision can accomplish. The project team looks forward to the next

phase, and to welcoming the partner who will help bring this landmark to life.

For more information, news, and updates on the Wheeling Gateway Center project, visit

https://wheelinggateway.tippingpointdev.com/.