WHEELING — Members of Wheeling City Council moved a six-figure sum into the new entertainment endowment fund and accepted nominees to the new ad hoc committee that will recommend higher caliber music and entertainment acts for the area.

On Tuesday, council approved an ordinance authorizing City Manager Robert Herron to transfer $250,000 to the Greater Wheeling Sports and Entertainment Authority for the endowment fund.

Last month, Wheeling City Council approved a resolution creating the entertainment endowment fund and ad-hoc committee to assist in expediting and attracting various entertainment acts to the city’s performing arts venues, particularly WesBanco Arena and the Capitol Theatre.

Wheeling Mayor Glenn Elliott also announced nominees for the ad hoc committee that will serve as an advisory panel for this effort. The mayor noted that he has been working on a list of candidates that could serve the panel well, and he asked council to support his nominations.

“These are folks who have expressed interest to me or to the city in one way or another since the announcement was made about this fund,” Elliott said.

“They are folks who are connected to music, comedy and other forms of entertainment, and they all have some ideas of how we can do a better job of getting some bigger and better shows here.”

Elliott indicated that the initial investment will hopefully spark the cause and help bring bigger events that — on their own — can generate additional funds to bolster future show promotions.

“The idea there is for this fund not to shrink over time, but to grow over time,” he said. “Basically, by offering promoters some upfront money to promote shows, if the shows do really well, then that fund will grow over time. It will hopefully encourage folks to bring shows here that they’re not currently doing.”

The list of nominees to the entertainment ad hoc committee included Dean Connors, Jermaine Lucious, Jon Banco, Crin Joy, Robert Felton, Shawn Fluharty and Lauren Baker. There will also be three other designees on the panel — one from Wheeling City Council, one from the Wheeling Convention and Visitors Bureau and one from the Greater Wheeling Sports and Entertainment Authority. For the Wheeling City Council designee, the mayor nominated Councilman Ty Thorngate. The nominations for the other two designees are expected to be moved forward in the near future.

Council members unanimously approved the nominations and the ordinance to transfer money to the entertainment endowment fund.

In other action Tuesday, Wheeling City Council accepted minutes from the most recent meeting of the Greater Wheeling Sports and Entertainment Authority from August. The meeting included a financial report that showed revenues and operating expenses for WesBanco Arena and Capitol Theatre. While the Capitol showed a revenue of $47,311 and operating expenses of $32,331, WesBanco Arena showed a significant operating loss, with total revenue of only $18,387 but operating expenses topping $61,800.

GWSEA Executive Director Denny Magruder noted, however, that a Sheltered Venue Operating Grant in the amount of $1,157,952 had been received. Magruder said receiving the grant was a “godsend” because it would allow them to continue doing business this year. The GWSEA’s net position at the end of July was a little more than $2.2 million, according to the financial report.