E-dition No. 1,031 • Wednesday, November 21, 2018
Editor: Bob Johnson (bjibob@aol.com)
Weather Could Impact Balloons in Macy’s Parade
The 92nd annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will take place on Thursday morning, with more than 3.5 million people expected to line the streets of Manhattan to watch the dazzling display of balloons and floats, including a unique entry from Go Bowling!
Unfortunately, the coldest air so far this season will descend on the Big Apple in time for the parade, accompanied by icy winds.
“It will be a cold day in New York for the parade, so spectators will need to bundle up,” said AccuWeather Meteorologist Steve Travis, adding that dry, sunny weather would prevail for the festivities.
Chilling winds will negate any warmth from the sunshine. Temperatures will be only in the lower to middle 20s during the parade, which starts at 9 a.m. Eastern. However, cold winds gusting past 20-mph at times will make it feel even more uncomfortable.
AccuWeather “RealFeel Temperatures” will be at dangerously low levels, in the teens and perhaps even the single digits, putting anyone with exposed skin at risk for frostbite.
“The wind may also be a factor for the balloons,” Travis said.
Some of the balloons might not be able to fly or they might be kept lower than you would typically see, he added.
If wind speeds are determined to be too high, the iconic giant balloons will not be included in the parade due to safety concerns.
Macy’s Parade spokesman Orlando Veras said that when sustained wind speeds exceed 23-mph and gusts surpass 34-mph, giant balloons cannot be operated due to city regulations.
While the tall buildings in the city can act as a buffer against the winds, they also can create a wind tunnel effect, causing winds to increase in-between the skyscrapers.
This year’s parade will include many of the balloons and floats from years past, as well as several new additions, including bowling pins and a bowling ball from Go Bowling!, Little Cloud by FriendsWithYou, and Sunny the Snowpal.
Musical acts will include John Legend, Leona Lewis, Martina McBride, Pentatonix and Sugarland.
QubicaAMF Gets Brass Ring for HyperBowling
QubicaAMF Worldwide was awarded the Brass Ring Award for Best New Product at the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions Expo 2018 last month in Orlando.
The annual awards recognize amusement parks, water parks, zoos, aquariums, museums, family entertainment centers and suppliers from around the world for excellence in food and beverage, games and retail, human resources, live entertainment, marketing, new products and exhibits.
IAAPA Brass Ring Awards celebrate the achievements of excellence throughout the global attractions industry. QubicaAMF was honored for its new HyperBowling experience.
“It is truly an honor to be recognized by IAAPA for the Brass Ring Award for Best New Product,” said Emanuele Govoni, CEO of QubicaAMF. “I have never been as excited about a new product as HyperBowling, and this is just the beginning of QubicaAMF’s mission to make bowling amazing.”
Main Event Alum to Help Develop Hasbro-Themed FECs
Los Angeles-based Kilburn Live has entered into a licensing agreement with Hasbro, a global play and entertainment company, to create, build and operate Hasbro-themed family entertainment centers across the U.S. and Canada.
The indoor family entertainment facilities will take iconic Hasbro brands and create interactive, immersive and innovative entertainment experiences in a high-energy, “gamified” environment with multiple activity zones.
Kilburn Live, in partnership with Fort Worth-based private investment company Goff Capital, a substantial shareholder of Kilburn Live, hired Charlie Keegan, former CEO of Main Event Entertainment, to head the new division that will lead the development of the multiple-location rollout across North America.
“Hasbro is a leader in branded play and entertainment, and its iconic brands appeal to a multigenerational fan base,” said Keegan.
John Goff of Goff Capital,added, “As with everything we do at Goff Capital, we aim to partner with the best and bring in the most qualified people to run our businesses. Hasbro is the world’s largest toy company, and hiring Charlie, an experienced industry leader in the location-based entertainment space, was a coup.”
“This new concept and collaboration marks our initial step into a wider partnership with Hasbro, a world-leading branded play and entertainment company, with one of the best lineups of brands we have come across,” said Kilburn Media CEO Mark Manuel. “This exciting new move is an extension of our creative skillsets built over the years, and expands on our business of creating and building unique experiences.”
Current licensed brands include My Little Pony, Monopoly, Mr. Potato Head, GI Joe, Clue, Battleship, Hungry Hungry Hippo, Trivial Pursuit, Chutes and Ladders, and others.
As Hasbro consumers look for more ways to engage with its brands that are loved by adults and kids alike, Hasbro believes that this new endeavor will exceed their expectations.
“Hasbro is committed to ‘creating the world’s best play experiences.’ In our 95-year history, Hasbro has transcended the toy aisle to become a lifestyle brand that both kids and adults enjoy,” said Casey Collins, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Hasbro Consumer Products. “Our partnership with Kilburn will allow us — for the first time ever — to offer a wholly immersive and true play experience that unlocks a totally new and exciting way for fans to experience the Hasbro family of brands.”
Tickets on Sale for CP3 Celebrity and Other PBA Events
Tickets are now on sale for the 10th edition of Houston Rockets star Chris Paul’s CP3 PBA Celebrity Invitational, presented by GoBowling!, which will return to Bowlero The Woodlands in Conroe, Texas, on Thursday, Jan. 17.
The star-studded CP3 PBA Celebrity Invitational will air on FOX on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 3 at 2 p.m. Eastern.
Paul, the tournament host and a nine-time NBA All-Star, is hoping to defend his doubles title and win for the fifth time overall in the multi-format event which benefits the Chris Paul Family Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting youth, education, health, sports and social responsibility. Paul and a group of his friends from the world of sports and entertainment will participate, along with an all-star lineup of PBA Tour players.
Four different ticket options for the CP3 PBA Celebrity Invitational are available. For information and advance purchase, click on www.pba.com/Tickets. The packages are as follows:
* VIP Package ($150) — Includes meet-and-greet with Chris Paul, full buffet (2:30 p.m.), open bar (2-6 p.m.), premium bleacher seat and Chris Paul-signed Bowlero pin.
* Premium General Package ($75) — Includes full buffet, two non-premium drink tickets and one bleacher seat.
* General Admission ($50) — Includes one bleacher seat.
* Standing Room Only ($25).
One lucky fan also will have the opportunity to attend, and will win two Celebrity Invitational VIP passes courtesy of the CP3 PBA Celebrity Invitational presented by Go Bowling! Bowlero VIP Sweepstakes.
Now through Dec. 16, fans can enter to win by following the @BowleroBowl Instagram, liking the CP3 PBA Celebrity Invitational Sweepstakes Instagram post, and tagging a friend they’d like to bring in the comments section. One winner will be selected at random and announced on Dec. 21.
The Celebrity Invitational begins with a red carpet ceremony at 3 p.m. Central (doors open at 2 p.m.) on Jan. 17 at Bowlero The Woodlands, with the FOX taping of competition beginning at 4 p.m.
In addition to Paul, who won the 2018 doubles title with PBA Hall of Fame partner Norm Duke, the event will feature a number of celebrities and PBA Tour stars. The full lineup of participants will be announced soon.
One of the first celebrities to commit to the event is NASCAR star Aric Almirola, a two-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup series title winner who was a finalist in the 2018 NASCAR Cup playoffs. Also expected to return to the 2019 tournament are Boston Red Sox All-Star outfielder, 2018 American League MVP and World Series champion Mookie Betts, along with 2018 NFL Hall of Fame inductee Terrell Owens.
If you’d like to get a jump-start on the 2019 Go Bowling! PBA Tour season — or perhaps acquire a very special Christmas gift for the bowling fan(s) in your family — be aware that tickets for all 2019 “PBA on FOX” tournament finals are now on sale through the PBA Event Tickets landing page (https://www.pba.com/Tickets).
The page includes links not only to admission tickets for each Go Bowling! PBA Tour event, but also links to PBA merchandise, “meet-the-pros” opportunities and more. The lone exception for tickets is the USBC Masters, which offers free admission.
The 2019 Go Bowling! PBA Tour season begins with the PBA Hall of Fame Classic from the International Training and Research Center in Arlington, Texas, and continues through the PBA League Elias Cup Finals at Bayside Bowl in Portland, Maine, including stops in Shawnee, Okla.; Lubbock and Conroe, Texas; Fairlawn and Columbus, Ohio; Indianapolis; Jonesboro, Ark.; Allen Park, Mich., and Las Vegas along the way. Each event will include at least one television program on FOX or FS1.
Updates on 2 NorCal Centers Fighting for Survival
Two centers in Northern California remain in danger of being shut down because of issues with the land on which they sit. However, the owners of the centers are not giving up.
Mike Schutz, the owner of Yokayo Bowling Center in Ukiah, Calif., is fighting the impending demise of his business in a unique way: through the heart.
While customers and local businesses already have gathered 6,000 petition signatures urging the building’s owner to sell the property to Schutz, the proprietor has been trying to contact the development company’s family members. He wants each of them to visit the center while Special Olympics participants are practicing, so they can feel the level of energy and excitement that is generated by the activity.
“Too many cities in this country have lost important community businesses because of greed,” Schutz said in a Facebook post. “We cannot let our community be added to this list.”
Meanwhile, efforts to save Cloverleaf Family Bowl in Fremont, Calif., were bolstered when the city’s Historical Architectural Review Board voted in Cloverleaf’s favor and referred the matter to Fremont’s City Council with a historic referral.
“I certainly want to thank the members of HARB for listening to all sides and for finding such value to Cloverleaf Bowl — the building and the business inside,” co-owner Mike Hillman said.
Bowling Center Survives Fire That Consumes Most of Town
Not too many homes or businesses survived the devastating fire that swept through the northern California community of Paradise earlier this month. But, somehow, Tall Pines Entertainment Center did.
At least 81 people died in what was called the Camp Fire, which has burned through more than 152,000 acres and consumed virtually all of Paradise. As of Wednesday morning, he blaze — California’s deadliest and most destructive — had destroyed 12,637 residences, as well as 483 commercial structures and 3,718 other buildings.
Search and rescue teams have gathered in the parking lot of the bowling center and set up camp. Among them were members of the California Army National Guard, police officers from around the state, volunteers, cadaver dog units and anthropologists who specialize in human remains.
The Camp Fire caused Mike Jasnau to cancel a series of lessons planned in Paradise and the community of Chico. In a Facebook post, Jasnau echoed the sentiments of many: “My thoughts and prayers go out to all of those affected by this tragic event… The incredible amount of loss is truly hard to comprehend and process. My heart goes out to the many who have lost loved ones and friends, homes, businesses, livelihoods and, in some cases, all of that.”
Other News You Can Use…
* Second-year PBA member Andrew Anderson has been selected as the 2018 Chris Schenkel PBA Player of the Year, and 20-year-old Kamron Doyle has won 2018 Harry Golden PBA Rookie of the Year honors. Full story: http://www.bowlersjournal.com/andrew-anderson-wins-2018-pba-player-of-year-doyle-wins-rookie-of-year/.
* The Team USA men are on their way to the 2018 World Bowling Men’s Championships, where they are the defending champions in the coveted five-player team event and in doubles. The two players who were part of both winning efforts — 16-time team member Chris Barnes and 11-time team member Tommy Jones — will lead Team USA’s six-competitor contingent into Hong Kong’s South China Athletic Centre. The event kicks off with official practice and an opening ceremony Nov. 24, and singles competition will get underway the following morning. Bowlers from 50 countries will compete for medals in singles, doubles, trios, team, all-events and Masters competition, before the tournament concludes Dec. 5. Preview: http://www.bowlersjournal.com/team-usa-men-headed-to-hong-kong-for-2018-world-mens-championships/.
* PBA CEO and Commissioner Tom Clark was a special guest on the Brandstorm podcast, discussing the modernization of the PBA. To list to the podcast, click here: https://www.platypus-ad.com/brandstorm/episode-56-modernizing-the-professional-bowlers-association-with-commissioner-tom-clark/.
* CONTACT: Please send business news, event information, etc. to Bob Johnson at bjibob@aol.com. For breaking business news, visit bcmmag.com or bowlersjournal.com, and “Like” Bowling Center Management and Bowlers Journal International on Facebook. BJI Cyber Reports are archived at bcmmag.com.
Bowling Center Management Online 
Leave a Reply