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8/29/2008 3:36 AM

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By Brad Hundt, Staff writer

bhundt@observer-reporter.com

WHEELING, W.VA. - Two words: table games.

That's the reason why the Wheeling Island Racetrack and Gaming Center in Wheeling, W.Va., has significantly stepped-up its concert schedule in the last few months, according to spokeswoman Kim Florence.

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Tonight, Peter Noone, the toothy frontman for 1960s British Invasion band Herman's Hermits, will be at Wheeling Island's 700-capacity showroom. He'll be followed two weeks from now by 1980s relics Loverboy, and two weeks after that by country rockers .38 Special. The fall schedule also will include Lou Gramm, the onetime lead singer of Foreigner, and country artists Keith Anderson, Travis Tritt and Marty Stuart. Former Traffic member Dave Mason and country icon Merle Haggard both stopped at Wheeling Island in the last six weeks.

Before table games like poker and blackjack were introduced at West Virginia casinos last year, the demographic slice of the pie that Wheeling Island's tropically themed casino laid claim to was predominantly 45-and-up and female. But once the card-eyeing crowd began to descend on the casino, the demographics tilted more toward men and slightly down the age scale, Florence added.

And from that vantage point, it makes sense to bring in musical entertainment that might appeal to that audience, she explained.

"The whole goal is to make (Wheeling Island) a little more exciting, a little more fun."

This is the second time Wheeling Island has made an effort to book concerts. The first was in 2004, when the Beach Boys, Hootie and the Blowfish and Crosby, Stills and Nash all played there. However, they soon backed off, and decided to use the showroom for other events.

"It was a combination of things," Florence said. "Entertainment wasn't something we were focused on at that time."

Of course, both Wheeling Island and the Mountaineer Casino Racetrack and Resort, about 50 miles north of Wheeling in Chester, W.Va., are now peering across the Pennsylvania border at The Meadows Racetrack & Casino in North Strabane Township, as well as the proposed casino on Pittsburgh's North Shore, even though the latter has been beset by scores of problems with financing and on-and-off construction. Billboards touting the musical acts playing at Wheeling Island have been turning up in Washington County recently, and Florence said they've been advertising as far afield as Columbus, Ohio.

Along with Wheeling Island, the Mountaineer has been maintaining a concert schedule that's included country, comedy, oldies and the occasional classic-rock dinosaur. The Mountaineer has two concert facilities - the 1,000-seat arena called the Harv, and a smaller 500-seat ballroom.

"We're continuing with a concert schedule that meets our customers entertainment interests," according to Mountaineer spokeswoman Tamara Pettit. "We've always had a pretty diverse entertainment schedule."

Construction is proceeding on a permanent home for the Meadows casino, with a completion date set for next spring. "We're focused on getting the permanent casino up and running," according to spokesman David LaTorre. And when that permanent casino is operating, entertainment will take a back seat to slot machines, he added.

"People who come to casinos enjoy gaming," he said. Customers at the Meadows are "eager to go to a casino that's closer in proximity."

Meanwhile, officials at Wheeling Island are hoping that when people come to play games there they'll stay for the show, or vice-versa.

"It just makes us that much more well-rounded," Florence said.

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