Home

Welcome to the Palm Beach County Chapter of The USBC

<< 23-24 Aves on Year book page >>

Back to Back
Things didn't start out well for Sal Anzelone on May 9th. The 200 plus bowler in the Thursday G 2
League at Boca started out with a disappointing 159 but things changed quickly.
Sal rolled a perfect 2nd game and did it again in the third game. If you don't believe it, the proof is below.

Congratulations Sal.

BOWLING CHANGES LANES
By Andrea Stetson

Bowland Beacon in Collier County is about to strike out. The last balls will roll down the alley on Aug. 17. The facility which opened in 1958 has been sold to Waterside Hotel Dev LLC for $8 million. For bowling enthusiasts, the demise of traditional bowling alleys, and the rise of bowling entertainment centers, is part of a nationwide trend.

The new look

In 2014, Pat Ciniello, owner of bowling establishments in southwest Florida, tried an experiment. He built the first HeadPinz in Cape Coral.

"That is where we transformed traditional bowling", he declared.

He made the facility non-smoking to attract more families. He added more arcade games, miniature golf and other attractions.

"The model really catered to families and young people, and it really changed the whole industry", Ciniello stressed. "Today when you are building a bowling center, you are not building a traditional bowling center".

This business model isn't just in Lee and Collier counties but all over the state and nation.

Robin Shopa, owner of Treasure Lanes in Port Charlotte, is currently adding a 10,000-square-foot game room and laser tag rooms to her bowling establishment

In Palm Beach County, three of the four bowling centers are owned by Bowlero which has an entertainment style business model. And while that is a fast growing trend, not everyone is happy about it.

Bill Haser is the USBC (United States Bowling Congress) president, and a bowler of 53 years.

"Bowling has declined over the last 40 years on a regular basis" Haser began."In 1979, Palm Beach County had 13 bowling centers. Now there are four. In the 1980s, the bottom line for a bowling center was usually 80% on league play. Now it is under 20%."

" Bowling is a dying breed. The younger kids they are into a lot of other things", he said as he pointed to his cell phone. " Up north when I was a kid all you had in the winter is bowling unless you went skiing. Now there are so many other things. This is happening all over and it is sad."

To Read the article as published by Florida Weekly Click Here

Thank You

Bill And Sheryl presented a check of $4,000 to the VA hospital
We wan't to thank everyone who donated to this good cause.