USBC CONVENTION, BOWL EXPO
SCHEDULED TOGETHER FOR 2011 IN TEXAS

All of the bowling industry will meet in one place for the first time as the United States Bowling Congress Convention will be held in the same city as International Bowl Expo in 2011.

Both events are scheduled for June 27-July 2, 2011 at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine, Texas. Plans for the grand week of bowling became official when the USBC Board of Directors approved moving its convention and annual meeting to June.

"The Board has looked at the April-May timeframe with some concern due to the absence of youth at our convention," said USBC President Jeff Boj?. "They are in school or taking final exams so the move opens up our convention for youth bowlers and families.

"Bowling is a family sport and convention should be a family activity, too. The Texas event also will allow people to see everything the International Bowling Campus has to offer. The International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame will be open by 2011 and the new Training and Research Center will be in full operation."

Shuttles will be provided between the Gaylord Texan, other host hotels and to the International Bowling Campus.

"Simply put, International Bowl Expo is a convention not only for proprietors, but for the bowling industry," said BPAA President Jim Sturm. "There are seminars at Bowl Expo that will interest USBC delegates and exhibits at USBC Convention that benefit proprietors."

"At the end of the day, we're all bowlers and this will showcase our sport to everyone."

A tentative schedule has the BPAA Annual Meeting held early in the week, followed by educational keynote speakers and seminars. The International Bowl Expo general session and trade show along with USBC workshops would follow mid-week, with the USBC Annual Meeting held the final two days. The week also would feature annual gatherings of the International Bowling Pro Shop and Instructors Association, USBC Coaches Conference and Bowling Writers' Association of America.

USBC delegates would be invited to attend the Bowl Expo trade show and general session at no charge. Some Bowl Expo seminars and special events will have admission fees.

Executives at USBC and BPAA project seeing significant cost savings and efficiencies for both organizations by moving their national events to the same time and location.