Billy Balloos

[ddavidson8]

Hey, I was over at the lost ogle reading about this place. Does anyone remember much about it? I remember a bit but never really went there. I'm interested in finding out what happened to it and what is in the space now.

[jbrown84]

I saw that too and was having trouble remembering it or placing that building in context.

[ddavidson8]

I believe that it was in the same shopping center as the Crystal's on NW Expressway. I think it was open during 97-98 because I was bartending and I knew some people who had friends who worked there.

Edit: If you do a google maps search for nw expressway and rockwell you'll come up with the sat picture. Go to the far sw corner of the huge parking lot and you'll see the complex with apartments surrounding it on the south and south east side.

[Matt]

It is an Aspen Athletic Club now, I do believe.

[ddavidson8]

Speaking of athletic clubs. One of the major things I've noticed since moving to Texas is the sheer number of national fitness chains in the metro areas. There are three 24 hour fitness clubs near my home and then there's LA fitness and Ballys. Not to mention the Lifetime fitness club. I think that's one area that OKC could improve on.

Sorry, I know it's a bit off topic.

[actionman]

Yep. It was Aspen. Went there when it was Balloos and I go there now too. It was an ice skating rink and arcade. The rink is now the free weight area and basketball courts I believe.

[youguysare...]

I had a birthday party there in maybe 96 or 97, I think there was also a go kart track. They had more arcade games than anywhere else OKC has ever had. Word on the street when they closed was that it had something to do with gambling debt, but I don't know how true that is.

[the_Mont]

Yep. It was Aspen. Went there when it was Balloos and I go there now too. It was an ice skating rink and arcade. The rink is now the free weight area and basketball courts I believe.

Actually it was a full size roller hockey rink made of Sport Court. I don't remember any go kart tracks, but they had a ton of arcade games, a restaurant/bar, locker rooms and a pro shop. I played hockey there for two seasons, the rink was awesome. I think the owner didn't pay his taxes on the building and that's why it closed. My best friend had signed up to play roller hockey just before it shut down. He had paid all the league fees, but when he showed up for one of the games, the doors were locked. One of the news channels featured him in a story, showing how the owners took all this money from customers, then closed the place down without notifying anybody.

[metro]

Yes, it was/is the what is the current Aspen Athletic Club (original OKC location). I used to play at Billy Balloo's and also used to work out at that Aspen for a few years. I wish we had a similar roller hockey complex but sadly we do not. I have a longer post and pics in the Sports Talk section of this website as some guy was trying to find a place to play roller hockey. I believe they had 4 roller hockey rinks plus the pizza and arcade. I heard they closed because they didn't pay their taxes, but I have no idea if that is true.