Cyber Report #941

E-dition No. 941 • Thursday, March 2, 2017

Editor: Bob Johnson (bjibob@aol.com)

Owens to Lead Technical Support at Kegel

Kegel has announced the promotion of Terry Owens to Director of Technical Support.

Owens started with Kegel in 2000 in the core manufacturing division. He quickly advanced to Quality Control Manager, a position that included serving as the final inspector for all completed lane machines.

Most recently, Owens held the position of Technical Sales Specialist, and leveraged his technical knowledge to offer help with sales, installation and general service. He also led a series of lane maintenance training courses at Kegel for both distributors and customers.

“I look forward to leading this team as they continue to offer the highest quality service for our customers,” Owens said.

While Owens’s responsibilities shift, Eric Pierson will expand into a larger role at tournaments and Championship events, providing lane maintenance support on behalf of Kegel. With his vast experience, Pierson will be an asset at these events, the company said. When not on the road, he will continue offering customer support with the Tech Support team.

Bowlmor AMF Brings Back ‘The Pete’ for Another Year

Bowlmor AMF has received criticism from some corners of the bowling community for “turning its back” on the sport in favor of focusing on corporate and special events.

While its focus is on the latter business categories, the company did step up to sponsor the U.S. Open in 2015, and it continues to conduct one of bowling’s most storied tournaments — the Petersen Classic.

This week, the company announced dates for the 107th running of “The Pete”: April 29 through Sept. 3. Brunswick Zone in River Grove, Ill., located about 10 minutes by car from Chicago’s O’Hare International airport, will be the host.

Openings are available for numerous squads throughout the duration of the tournament, and new Squad Organizer incentives for full squads of 32 bowlers are also available. Interested organizers can find information on the Petersen Classic website, http://www.petersenclassic.com, or on the Petersen Classic Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/petersenclassic/, or by calling 214-704-3531.

Since 1921, more than 850,000 bowlers have won more than $31 million in the Petersen Classic, and this year, the top prizes in the singles event include $20,000 for first place, $10,000 for second, $4,000 for third place and $850 for 100th.

Bowlmor AMF presently has more than 300 domestic locations, eight locations in Mexico and three locations in Canada. The company was created in 2013 following the merger of Bowlmor, an upscale bowling and entertainment company, and AMF Bowling Worldwide. Bowlmor AMF acquired Brunswick’s bowling center business in 2014.

Named to the INC 500 list of America’s fastest growing private companies for the past three years, the company’s portfolio of bowling retail brands includes AMF, Bowlmor Lanes, Bowlero, Brunswick Bowling, Brunswick Zone, and Brunswick Zone XL.

The Ultimate Down Under Bowling Experience

Do you have three hours, 149 friends and $7,691 to spend?

Then the “Pins Royale” experience at the new Kingpin Bowling facility in the Crown Entertainment Complex in Melbourne, Australia, could be for you.

The experience includes:

• A private entrance, where you’ll be met by your event butler.

Unlimited bowling with gold-colored balls.

Karaoke.

Premium bar options.

Elegant canapés (freshly shucked oysters, anyone?).

In addition to the private Pins Royale space, Kingpin Bowling includes The Hub, with a bar, restaurant, two bowling zones, DJ booth and pool tables; Room 300, a cocktail lounge with access to bowling lanes; and Playtime, an arcade with more than 150 games, a redemption counter, laser tag and a “quick-food” area.

See more here: https://www.crownmelbourne.com.au/entertainment/fun-for-families/kingpin-bowling.

Winter Park’s Aloma Bowl Could Shut Down

There is an offer on the table from Orchards Hardware Supply to purchase the property on which Aloma Bowl in Winter Park, Fla., sits, the BJI Cyber Report has confirmed.

Two important dates in the process are March 7, when the project will be considered by the city’s planning/zoning board, and March 27, when it could go before the full city council.

The center is owned by the same company that owns Orlando’s Boardwalk Bowl and Sanford’s Airport Lanes, which would absorb employees from Aloma if the deal goes through.

It’s also possible that the parent company would construct a new center in the future.

Business Briefs…

• HeadPinz Entertainment Center in Ft. Myers, Fla., was the venue for an ESPN Sportscenter segment featuring Boston Red Sox outfielder (and accomplished bowler), Mookie Betts, who bowled a game with Randy Scott. Betts won (no surprise there), but not by as much as you might imagine. Check out the archived clip here: http://www.espn.com/video/clip?id=18756168.

The United States Bowling Congress and Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America, joint sponsors of the U.S. Open, have announced several changes for the 2017 event that will be held Oct. 25-Nov. 1 at 40-lane Flamingo Bowl in Liverpool, N.Y. Full details are here: http://www.bowlersjournal.com/2017-u-s-open-to-be-held-in-syracuse-with-select-field-and-improved-pattern-integrity/.

A 16-lane bowling center is being installed at the Vicksburg Mall in Vicksburg, Miss., with an expected completion date in September. The center is in space formerly occupied by a Goody’s clothing store, and will target the family entertainment demographic. Luis Angel is the owner of the center, and Patrick Belden is the project’s operations manager. The nearest center is in Clinton, Miss., about 40 miles away.

“What’s in a Bowling Ball, and How Does Its Chemistry Help Topple Pins?” That’s the headline of a story appearing in Chemical & Engineering News, which includes quotes from pro bowler Kelly Kulick; Danny Speranza of USBC; and Victor Marion of Storm Products. You can read the story here: http://cen.acs.org/articles/95/web/2017/02/What-s-in-a-bowling-ball-and-how-does-its-chemistry-help-topple-pins.html.

The closing of Fiesta Lanes at the end of March will leave El Paso, Texas, with only two commercial centers and one military base center: Oasis Lanes, Bowl El Paso and Desert Strike Lanes. BC Entertainment opened Fiesta Lanes, a 40-lane facility, in June 2003.

“They paved paradise, and put up a parking lot.” Those lyrics from Joni Mitchell’s 1970 song, “Big Yellow Taxi,” certainly seem to apply to the fate of Red Crown Bowling in Harrisburg, Pa. The center, which opened in 1959, has been sold by the Kirkpatrick family to J.B. Hunt, who will tear down the building and create more parking spaces. The doors are scheduled to close for good on March 14. Read more here: http://abc27.com/2017/02/23/red-crown-bowling-celebrates-before-closing-its-doors/.

Round 1 will take over part of the space formerly occupied by a Macy’s department store at the Northwoods Mall in Peoria, Ill. The complex will span 56,000 square feet and include bowling lanes, food and beverage options, and a wide array of arcade games. It will be the 17th U.S. location for the Japan-based company.

AMF Mission Lanes in Milpitas, Calif., has received a major makeover, and reopened as the more upscale Bowlero Milpitas. The Feb. 25 grand re-opening featured an appearance by legendary San Francisco 49ers wide receiver, Jerry Rice.

Other News You Can Use…

Danielle McEwan and Anthony Simonsen captured the $20,000 titles in the World Bowling Tour Finals Presented by PBA on a telecast that immediately followed the USBC Masters Sunday on ESPN. McEwan defeated Liz Johnson for the women’s championship when Johnson left a pocket 7-10 split in her final frame. Simonsen bested Sweden’s Martin Larsen by 30 pins in the men’s final. Full story: http://www.bowlersjournal.com/simonsen-mcewan-reign-in-world-bowling-tour-finals/.

Registration for the 2018 USBC Open Championships in Syracuse, N.Y., has begun. The tournament will feature an expanded squad schedule that will help accommodate more bowlers each day in the custom 48-lane tournament venue inside the Oncenter Convention Center. The daily schedule will include five squads instead of four, with team events taking place at 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., and doubles/singles squads at 7 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. Full story: http://www.bowl.com/News/NewsDetails.aspx?id=23622328653.

PBA Hall of Famer Pete Weber has learned he will be inducted into the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame in September, along with standout St. Louis Cardinals pitcher, Chris Carpenter. We’re working to learn more about that Hall of Fame. Meanwhile, we can tell you that Pete’s Dad, the late Dick Weber, is part of the St. Louis Walk of Fame, which also includes Maya Angelou, Robert Duvall, Bob Gibson, Charles Lindbergh, Stan Musial, David Sanborn, Tina Turner and Tennessee Williams, among other cultural icons.

• Dave Heun recalls some of the “basement bowling alleys” of the Tri-Cities (Batavia, Geneva and St. Charles, Ill.) in this enjoyable read from the Chicago Daily Herald: http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20170222/news/170229919/.

The guest this week on Phantom Radio is the respected bowling coach and former ball driller of the pros, Bill Hall. To listen to the conversation, go to: http://www.kegel.net/phantomblog/2017/2/28/bill-hall-phantom-radio.

CONTACT: Please send business news, event information, etc. to Bob Johnson at bjibob@aol.com. For breaking business news, visit http://www.bowlersjournal.com/?cat=6.