WHEELING The Highlands’ new 14-screen movie theater – scheduled to open Aug. 8 – will feature stadium seating with leather rocker-recliners.

A Marquee Cinemas theater, the facility will have digital movie projectors in each auditorium. It also will have an arcade, three party rooms where birthday celebrations can be held and conference space, said Robin Shumate, Marquee marketing director.

In addition to the newest movies, the theater will offer 3-D features, such as pre-recorded concerts. The lobby has an expanded concession area and TVs showing movie trailers and specials. ”We’re excited, we’re ready,” Shumate said.

The theater will offer a total of 2,500 seats between its 14 auditoriums. Shumate noted the building looks similar to the Marquee Cinemas theater in Beckley, W.Va., which is where the company is headquartered.

The theater also is handicapped accessible. Each auditorium will have space for wheelchairs and adjacent seating for a handicapped person’s family or friend to also sit.

The theater is situated between the Kohl’s department store and the Town Center shopping area building currently under construction.

In addition to Wheeling and Beckley, Marquee also has theaters in the West Virginia cities of Charleston, Huntington, Lewisburg, Summersville and Welch. Marquee also has cinemas in the states of Connecticut, Florida, Kentucky, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Virginia.

Marquee Cinemas is owned by Curtis McCall, who also serves as the company’s president. He opened his first theater in 1979 in Rainelle, W.Va, his hometown. The company was then called CDB Theaters.

Located near Dallas Pike, The Highlands is home to Cabela’s, Wal-Mart and several other stores and eateries.