Letter to the Editor: Thoughts on downtown venues
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I wanted to give my two cents on the City Park Pavilion and the Smoot Theater.
I've often thought Parkersburg being overlooked for downtown activities was a direct result of the Smoot Theater not attracting national acts. Marietta and Nelsonville, Ohio, manage to attract national acts on a regular basis. Their downtowns reap the rewards for bringing much needed business and revitalization to their downtowns. Charleston, Wheeling, Huntington, etc., all realize the importance of bringing entertainment to the downtown area. I remember seeing the national tour of Hello Dolly in the '90s at the Smoot. I also remember the person that ran the Smoot at the time was completely distraught that people would be "touching the walls" and damaging the theater. I remember thinking then that this was probably not the best person to be running the theater. I'm sure they want to protect the theater and I get it, but open that theater to shows. The city will benefit from it.
On a different, but related topic, I saw on a Facebook group someone suggested building the proposed Pavillion in the Park downtown. I have to say, I don't usually agree with the Facebook mob but I have to say their idea has merit. Building in the park offers no room for growth. Parkersburg deserves its own "Clay Center." For those not aware, the Clay Center is an entertainment venue that along with the Civic Center has put Charleston back on the entertainment map. There's absolutely no reason a city that is less than half the size of Parkersburg is getting the likes of Crystal Gayle, Air Supply, Paula Poundstone or any other national act. Build that Pavilion downtown where there's plenty of space, parking and hopefully more restaurants for an entertainment district. Obviously, there are plenty of buildings that have been torn down where this could go. I think City Council and the County Commissioner's are on to something but I have to agree the park isn't the place for this venture.
Parkersburg needs to reclaim the "big boy on the block" status and be THE major city in the Mid-Ohio Valley. It can be a great place to live and I'd love to see us buck the trend of WV cities losing population and this is one important piece of the puzzle.
Charles W. Smith
Parkersburg