Has a bowling alley ever considered locating in Bricktown? I think there would be good money to be made if a business offered something to actually do in Bricktown besides eat. People pay $5.00 to ride on a boat, why not bowling or an arcade?


Midtowner mentioned this in the Lotus thread....I thought it might be a good new topic to start. I've included my reply to Midtowner below:

Actually the Sega Gameworks Randy Hogan proposed several years ago would've been a new concept for Sega, offering not only the arcade and restaurant, but also a bowling alley and movie theater. Well, as you know, that deal fell by the wayside and we now have Harkins 16 instead!

Regardless, Bricktown Bowl or Bricktown Lanes (however you'd like to put it) would be a great idea, providing another entertainment venue to the area! The more entertainment venues we have, the more of a 24-7-365 destination Bricktown becomes.

It's interesting that you mention this Midtowner, because I actually thought about a bowling alley concept the other day when I was driving through Bricktown. I don't think the canal would be a good lcoation for such a facility, but one of the larger WH Stewart Steel Co. buildings might be a good location! The steel building kind of reminded me of a large bowling alley.

It would add to the mixed development concept of the Steel Yard development.

What do you think?

Best freakin' idea....

We would have to make it upscale to fit in with Bricktown and to ward off inner south side gangbangers and their daddy's mama's, if you even understand that. I don't.

Actually the two bowling alleys on SW 44th aren't that bad, and they're on the south side. Generally, blowing alleys attract a pretty decent crowd.

I don't think I would be found in a blowing alley... especially near Capital Hill. Lol.

It could be a bowling alley/pool hall.

If you want it upscale, you could charge a little more, maybe offer (and charge for) nicer rental balls. Could include a full service bar, maybe a dance floor and a good menu.

Add an arcade and pool hall, and it's really a can't miss type place.

I think the parking charges alone would keep the thugs out.

Screw a bar! Bowling alley food is despicable! It is already in Bricktown.

I don't think I've ever been to a bowling alley where thugs roam the place. Most bowling alleys attract a different clientale. Maybe Keith can chime in on some of the bowling alleys on the south side, in some of the lower areas of town.

I always thought bowling alleys had a lot of smokers and baby boomers. Not that their is anything wrong with too many old people, but an overwhelming amount can leave a real aura, however I spell it (it's the internet, not a thesis) if you know what I mean.

Thugs aren't usually around bowling alley at all...maybe kids, but not thugs

Most bowling alleys now have gone smoke free under new state regulations.

Yeah, bowling alleys do attract a lot of baby boomers, but they also attract a lot of families, church groups, etc.

We need a new, nice bowling alley in Oklahoma City. The bowling alleys around the city are outdated, old and most are not well maintained. Some have 40 lanes at the most. Some have 32, or 24, even 16. Boulevard Bowl went downhill in Edmond after the private owner sold it to AMF. Heritage Lanes had problems with gang crowds, and that bowling alley is going downhill as well.

A nice, 60-lane bowling alley equiped for hosting professional televised tournaments would be good for Bricktown, and for Oklahoma City.

Personally, I think a bowling alley in Bricktown where real estate is prime, would be a waste of money. Also, Sooner&RiceGrad made a point I was thinking about. In my experience, the whole "aura" of a bowling alley isn't something I'd want in Bricktown. I just don't think the clientele for a bowling alley and the clientele for Bricktown are a good match.

There is a hidden place near SW 119 and Western. It is called Bowling Green.

Personally, I think a bowling alley in Bricktown where real estate is prime, would be a waste of money. Also, Sooner&RiceGrad made a point I was thinking about. In my experience, the whole "aura" of a bowling alley isn't something I'd want in Bricktown. I just don't think the clientele for a bowling alley and the clientele for Bricktown are a good match.

A bowling alley done right might work.

The entire reason that I thought it might be a good idea is that I'd like to see Bricktown become a place where there is more to do than dinner and a movie. Whether that's a bowling alley, a Dave & Busters style arcade, or even relocating the gymnastics hall of fame out of the concourse under First National Center, we need more things to do there.

I agree, we definitely need more things to do in Bricktown. I just don't think a bowling alley would be the best use of land and buildings there. A Dave & Busters or other similar entertainment venue would be a good fit, but a bowling alley wouldn't. Again, in my opinion.

I think Keith has mentinoed this before....

To make Bricktown more touristy and expand the entertainment options, what would you think of an entertainment complex similar to Celebration Station, complete with an arcade, go carts, and a min golf course? I know Branson has several of these. Also, the mini golf course up in Edmond (2nd and Bryant) is very first class.

But, urban Bricktown might not be the right place! Your thoughts?

By the way, I'm going to alter the main thread title a little to reflect this change in discussion.

http://www.majesticdetroit.com/index.asp

just a thought from home....I think it definately could work....

A bowling alley done right might work.

The entire reason that I thought it might be a good idea is that I'd like to see Bricktown become a place where there is more to do than dinner and a movie. Whether that's a bowling alley, a Dave & Busters style arcade, or even relocating the gymnastics hall of fame out of the concourse under First National Center, we need more things to do there.

Amen. That HOF is grossly underserved by it current location. Patrick can probably speak to this better than I can, but a gymnastics HOF was proposed along the Bricktown canal with the either the Tal plan or Hogan plan when he was with Cordish. But the deal fell through with Tal's lawsuits. Something like that. I hope it can come back again, with a facility near the Ford Center.

Anyway, if the bowling alley is done with the utmost quality where the fees reflect that, we can eliminate any seediness. Bricktown needs more places for diversions. A Slick Willies with bowling or Dave & Busters would be great.

I have talked to Hogan about a possible Dave and Buster's in Bricktown. He said he would look into it and said it would be a great addition to Bricktown. This was last month.

Personally, I think a bowling alley in Bricktown where real estate is prime, would be a waste of money. Also, Sooner&RiceGrad made a point I was thinking about. In my experience, the whole "aura" of a bowling alley isn't something I'd want in Bricktown. I just don't think the clientele for a bowling alley and the clientele for Bricktown are a good match.
Yes, but the other half of my point is that we can counter is with making sure the bowling alley is going to excusively cater to an upper class crowd.

Yes, but the other half of my point is that we can counter is with making sure the bowling alley is going to excusively cater to an upper class crowd.

I'm no frequent bowler, so I guess that's just kind of hard for me to understand.

It's like trying to imagine an upscale Wal-Mart.

But, I guess it's possible.

Sure... upscale Wal Marts? Sears, maybe, Target, etc.

has anyone looked at the link in my last post in this thread?

The Majestic looks like a fun complex! Bricktown has all of those (well, not precisely a Mediterranean restaurant, but so many others!), except the bowling lanes. Personally, whether it's bowling lanes, billiards, arcade games, or even a bookstore (in whose cafe you can have board games) we need some diversions. The Bricktown Brewery's isn't enough.

You mean like a recreation megaplex?

You mean like a recreation megaplex?

Huh? The Majestic is the link in Loco's ;) post a few posts above. Just saying that Bricktown has all of its elements without the bowling lanes. But yeah, we need more diversions, not necessarily all of those I mentioned.

We need more miscallenous ventures. We need more Bricktown Events Centers, we need more Bass Pro's types, more Harkin's types, more condo's, etc. Diversification is the next step, and will be the most profitable step in Bricktown.

We need more miscallenous ventures. We need more Bricktown Events Centers, we need more Bass Pro's types, more Harkin's types, more condo's, etc. Diversification is the next step, and will be the most profitable step in Bricktown.

Yeah, there's a glut of eating places not enough doing places

I could see myself going to a bookstore with a cafŽ everyday. Starbucks, Barnes & Noble, are you listening?

Not widely known I'm sure, but one of the foremost bowling alley designers
in the U.S. is located right here in OKC......(Fitzgerald and Associates Architects)
Bowling Alleys are their primary focus......
They have done most of the Brunswick facilities for decades....
I posed the exact thing brought up here:
Why the hell with all these great bowling complexes you've been doing all around the
US, do we not have an upscale alley in OKC.....

The answer I got was:

Brunswick focuses on midsize to small cities on the far outskirts of major
markets.....for instance Brunswick did an INCREDIBLE facility in Feasterville, PA
about 30 miles outside Philadelphia and then Lone Tree, Colorado about 30 miles
outside Denver.....

These facilities have gone upscale to include REAL bar facilities including leather
couches all over the place and a round stone fireplace in the middle....big screens everywhere, and the cosmic bowling craze has reiginited that industry, they also
have GOOD food now.......it's kind of bowling's equivalent to Harkins.....
but Brunswick has found that their penetration is so much better in markets where they
are the ONLY entertainment choice in the area......they don't want to complete with
a cineplex, they'd rather compete with a 4 screen theatre down the road....
they don't compete with a whitewater or frontier city for people's entertainment dollar....
they'd rather compete with the community pool it seems........and then they also
seem to rely on the people who drive from far out to fill out their fan base so to speak....

I have queried whether Bricktown could be the exception to the rule....if people
would indeed go in strong numbers to a laser tag/cosmic bowling/bar/restaurant
type complex in the Bricks.......

I think it could work......but there are a lot of businesses with extremely strong traffic
numbers and even profit margins who because of astronomical lease rates
and labor, lose money overall.......

I would like to see it happen tho