Bring back the bowlers

Could Wichita’s on-again, off-again courtship of the 2011 United States Bowling Congress Championship still have a happy ending? Wichita should do whatever possible to see that it does – no small task, given the numbers of bookings now in place for Century II during the tournament’s time period of January to July 2011. But events involving 60,000 visitors and an estimated $100 million in tourism dollars to the city don’t come along every day. Having won the 2011 tournament in 2004, lost it in 2007 over contractual hassles and then lost out to the Orlando, Fla., area in the rebidding late last year, Wichita should seize this rare opportunity to get the bowlers back.

9 Comments

  1. JWink
    Posted November 4, 2008 at 6:06 am | Permalink

    The alternative some of us proposed to the big mistake, the 1/2 billion dollar white elephant downtown arena was:

    A SPARKLING DOWNTOWN BOWLING AND CONVENTION CENTER WITH ALL THE BELLS AND WHISTLES ADJACENT TO THE ARKANSAS RIVER TO ATTRACT VISITORS FROM ALL THE NATIONS OF THE WORLD TO WICHITA.

    Guess who won out on the wrong headed expenditure?

  2. bth
    Posted November 4, 2008 at 9:29 am | Permalink

    While I cannot agree with you on a bowling (single-use) facility I agree on the need for a multi-purpose convention facility.

    Now the onus is on the Arena boosters. Let’s see them find a way to either (a) host the bowling tourney in their arena or (b) host all of the events currently scheduled in Century II so the bowlers can go there.

    OK Arena crowd – can you do it?

  3. JWink
    Posted November 4, 2008 at 6:25 pm | Permalink

    BTH: I do think an International Bowling Center with all the bells, whistles and jangles should be close to a full service convention center on the west side of the Arkansas River. For example, the convention center could front on the north side of Douglas just west of the Arkansas River. The International Bowling Center could be nearby between McLain and the Arkansas River.

    I have been told the national bowling association changes location of its annual bowling convention on a three year cycle with one being held in Las Vegas.

    I have also been told that Wichita was an early famous bowling city back in World War II because of the around-the-clock airplane manufacturing companies. Apparently Rosie the Riveter liked to bowl at midnight to wind down.

  4. bth
    Posted November 4, 2008 at 6:50 pm | Permalink

    So once every three years it gets used? Sorry, that makes about as much sense as a basketball arena.

  5. BlueJay
    Posted November 4, 2008 at 7:01 pm | Permalink

    I just don’t see people coming from all over the world to bowl. I wouldn’t go to France to play tennis.

  6. JWink
    Posted November 4, 2008 at 7:56 pm | Permalink

    I agree this idea needs examination to see if it has as much potential as I think it has. I believe it is a world wide sport that would bring in lots of travelers. In fact, bowling might be the worlds’ leading sport. The bowling convention lasts several weeks or perhaps months and the bowlers come in, in waves. Even when the convention is not held, visitors would flock in from China, Japan, France, Russia, the Middle East.

    Wichita’s draw would be a conservative, middle-class city with family values.

    Not every traveler wants gambling, boozing, and the other big city stuff available in Las Vegas.

    Basically good hotels, good buffets, a family atmosphere in a safe environment is what Wichita could offer. Summer evening baseball nearby at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium. And some good downtown churches nearby.

    Wichita could offer these amenities to bowlers and conventioneers together or independently.

  7. bth
    Posted November 5, 2008 at 12:29 pm | Permalink

    Conventioneers yes – and that is why I think we need to improve convention facilities. But I still doubt bowling beyond the periodic tournament.

    Yes – a lot of people bowl. And I play touch football. But I’m not travelling somewhere to play it on some expensive field.

    While I am disappointed that Gregory did not win I do think the Arena situation is going to be fun to watch. I plan to forward my information on it to Karl.

  8. JWink
    Posted November 5, 2008 at 9:44 pm | Permalink

    bth: You might have unwittingly hit upon a brilliant idea. We already have an “expensive field” as you put it. Turn the 1/2 billion dollar unneeded downtown arena into a drop-in “touch football field.”

    This would furnish an activity, an actual use for the downtown arena to justify building it from our taxes.

    Wow, build it and they will come!

  9. bth
    Posted November 7, 2008 at 4:36 pm | Permalink

    Oh well, maybe next time …

    http://www.kansas.com/news/updates/story/589304.html

    Bowling group doesn’t pick Wichita
    BY BILL WILSON
    The Wichita Eagle