WHEELING — Officials from the Wheeling Park Commission provided details about plans to bring major improvements to Oglebay’s Wilson Lodge and Good Zoo with financing made available through a $12 million revenue bond, which Wheeling City Council approved last week.

A public hearing was held during the most recent meeting of Wheeling City Council before the bond issue came to the floor for a third and final reading before members voted on the ordinance. The issue was unanimously approved by council.

During the public hearing, attorney Jim Gardill, representing the Wheeling Park Commission, along with its President and CEO Bob Peckenpaugh spoke before city leaders to explain the details of the planned improvements.

“The park can’t borrow money,” Gardill said “We can’t incur debt, but we can pledge revenue, and that’s the mechanism that we’re using with the city’s bonding capacity.”

Wheeling City Manager Robert Herron noted that the city has helped the park commission secure financing for projects in this manner twice in the past. The bond will have no impact on the city’s credit rating, and the city will not be obligated to repay the money, city leaders stressed.

Peckenpaugh offered a breakdown of how the $12 million will be used for improvements at the park.

“At (Wilson) Lodge, we have the Lakeside Wing renovation, which we’re actually in the final stages of completing,” he said. “The Lakeside Wing — which is the newest wing at Wilson Lodge — went through an entire renovation of the bedrooms and the bathrooms.”

These improvements at Wilson Lodge continue the work that has been going in recent years to bring significant updates to the resort. Just last year, a $12.5 million upgrade to Wilson Lodge was completed, bringing new restaurants and a new main entrance to the Oglebay Park landmark.

Funding secured through the bonds will also allow the park to complete highly anticipated projects to Oglebay’s Good Zoo. Construction is well underway now for the new Gary E. West Pridelands — which will feature not only a new lion habitat, but also new overnight villas where guests can stay alongside the lions.

Peckenpaugh credited Good Zoo Director Joe Greathouse for spearheading the idea to offer the unique guest experience of staying overnight with the big cats.

“When we were building the idea of having a lion habitat at the zoo, Dr. Joe came up with this wonderful idea of also having housing or lodging on that property as well,” he said. “So we’ll have three two-bedroom villas there, and you’ll be able to sleep with the lions. We’re pretty excited about that.”

Exhibits at the zoo and conservation efforts go hand-in-hand, Peckenpaugh noted, and that will be no different with the Gary E. West Pridelands.

“Part of the proceeds when you stay in the cottages or when you do the lion exhibits will be donated toward funds that do conservation work for the lions, so we’re very proud of that work, as well,” he said. “There’s a lot of conservation work that’s going to go along with this.”

Beginning in January after the Festival of Lights, work is expected to begin on the first major renovation of the zoo entrance in decades.

“The Good Zoo is getting a makeover for the entrance of the zoo and the entire arrival experience,” Peckenpaugh said. “Where you see the Good Zoo sign, that area will be all cleaned up and refreshed.”

Inside, the lobby, retail space and beverage stand area will all be enhanced to “create a nice, warmer environment” when you arrive at the zoo, he explained.

Officials shared several conceptual renderings of planned work at the park. Of the $12 million, the breakdown of the planned costs of the various projects was outlined as $2.4 million for the Lakeside Wing renovations at Wilson Lodge, $2 million for the Gary E. West Pridelands lion habitat, $5.3 million for the Gary E. West Prideland Villas and $2.3 million for the new entrance and arrival experience at the Good Zoo.

“So a lot of wonderful work is going on at the park and at the lodge,” Peckenpaugh said, noting that a groundbreaking ceremony for the lion habitat and villas was already held earlier this month. “Everything should be done by the end of June. We don’t go slow.”

City officials said they look forward to seeing the new additions and improvements at Oglebay soon.

“On this end, we constantly tout the quality of life in Wheeling, and Oglebay is a major part of that,” Wheeling Mayor Denny Magruder said.