ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, April 9, 1997 TAG: 9704090014
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-4 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG
SOURCE: CHRIS LANG THE ROANOKE TIMES
With a new bowling alley opening in Christiansburg, there could be a reshuffling of local leagues.
The bowling landscape soon will change in the New River Valley with the projected opening of the New River Valley Super Bowl behind the Market Place shopping center in Christiansburg.
The impact on area bowling leagues ought to be interesting.
About 20 leagues bowl at nearby Triangle Lanes in Christiansburg, owner Ray Alcorn said. With the opening of Super Bowl behind schedule, some of the leagues have been left questioning where they will bowl.
Triangle, open since 1960, is for sale, Alcorn said in March. There is a possibility that the lanes will move to another location soon, Alcorn said.
National retailers are looking at the site in the booming U.S. 460 corridor, Alcorn said in March.
"The leagues are kind of in limbo right now," Alcorn said. "Most of the questions are with the leagues starting in the fall. We have assured the leagues that they will have a place to bowl. There is a lot of loyalty to this place."
Leagues also are forming at Super Bowl. It is hard to tell whether some leagues will move from the old to the new bowling alley. Most of it will depend on personal preference.
"It's just like any other new business," said Rick Cupp, president of the New River Valley Men's Bowling Association. "There are going to be people going there. But it's just a personal preference to what house they're going to be bowling at."
There are approximately 600 bowlers in the NRV Men's Association, with the bowlers splitting time between Triangle Lanes and Leisure Lanes in Pulaski.
There are approximately 10 leagues bowling out of Leisure Lanes, but many of those bowlers frequent both Leisure and Triangle.
"We're a good distance away from Christiansburg so I don't know how it's going to affect us," said Robert Clark, manager of Leisure Lanes. "A lot of our bowlers throw two nights anyway, so I look for them to patronize our leagues just like they have before."
The Super Bowl has received commitments from quite a few leagues, manager Terry Stike said.
Super Bowl is also working on adding specialized leagues. One of these will cater to nonsmokers. Nonsmoking nights also will be offered. Other innovations include scratch leagues with no handicap, many beginners leagues and a "super bowling kids club."
"It will be for kids that have never bowled before," Stike said. "And it will involve a couple of weeks of instruction before the league starts."
Stike said that the Super Bowl has finalized commitments with the 1997-98 Moose State Tournament and the 1997-98 Junior State Tournaments as well.
Even with Triangle's future clouded, Alcorn indicated he believed there was enough business for two bowling alleys.
"The Super Bowl is going to be great for bowling," Alcorn said. "We're in full support of anything that's good for bowling. My father built [Triangle Lanes] in 1960, so we've been in it for a lifetime."
If you have an idea for a story or note about recreational sports, call Chris Lang at 381-1664 in Montgomery County or Radford or 1-800-346-1234, extension 664 elsewhere or fax to 381-1656.
LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ALAN KIM/THE ROANOKE TIMES. Sign in front of the Superby CNBBowl advertises for bowling leagues.