GRAND OPENING OF THE INTERNATIONAL BOWLING CAMPUS
By Joan Taylor
January 25, 2010…Arlington, Texas—The theme of the grand opening was “The Stars Shine Bright Deep in the Heart of Texas” and it was no exaggeration. The BWAA board was well represented by Jackie Wyckoff, Ron DeRoxtra, Jim Goodwin, Joan Taylor, Chris Beard, Fran Deken, Bill Zuben, Mary Lynley, David Prange, Joan Romeo, and Kathy Watson. Other BWAA members, Barbara Metzinger, Hazel McCleary, Kathy Prange, CJ Goodwin, Len Nicholson, Craig Mathews and his wife, also came into town for the big event.
It was rewarding to see a big turnout of local media and to see some of the most positive newspaper articles to ever come out in support of bowling and its headquarters. Someone should have been soliciting new members! The International Bowling Training and Research Center saw local television coverage, with some broadcasters even taking bowling lessons on camera from Stefanie Nation, Kim Terrell-Kearny, and Shannon O’Keefe.
Many husband-wife teams are on staff at USBC headquarters, such as Shannon and Bryan O’Keefe, Kim Terrell Kearney and her husband Eric, and Carolyn Dorin-Ballard and Del Ballard. Did you see Bob Learn at the training center? He is a proprietor liaison.
John Berglund flew in from St. Martin, his “retirement” home. It was his dream to build and expand the bowling campus, so he took time off from his Caribbean perfumery to see old friends and enjoy the fruits of his years of labor. I bet when he was in law school he had no idea his career paths would be so diverse!
We managed to sandwich in a Board meeting on Sunday January 24th. Speaking of sandwiches, it was very kind of the USBC and the many hosts of the Bowling Summit weekend to let us attend the seminars and partake of the food receptions.
And who arranged for that gorgeous weather? Jim Goodwin promised the outdoors would be 60 degrees and he didn’t disappoint! The pageantry of the grand opening was thrilling, to say the least. Miss Arlington, the United States Marine Corps color guard, representation from the Arlington Chamber of Commerce and the Convention and Visitors’ Bureau, Mayor Cluck of Arlington, and their state representative in addition to the USBC and Museum/Hall people put on a great show and dedication. We got to see Ron DeRoxtra’s cube on the tour, a highlight indeed!
This area of Arlington not only has the new bowling campus, but also Six Flags amusement park, the Texas Rangers stadium (a beautiful retro brick building) and the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium, host to next year’s Super Bowl. These complexes, in addition to the many hotels in the area, and the proximity to DFW airport should bring in all kinds of tourists all year. And, in the center, the bowling campus!
Ribbon Cutting photo courtesy of Joan Taylor
Grand Opening photo courtesy of USBC