BOWL.comCONSTRUCTION
SET TO BEGIN AT USBC
WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIPS

During the next five weeks, The Oncenter Convention Center in Syracuse, N.Y., will be transformed into a state-of-the-art 48-lane bowling facility that will be the home of the 2011 United States Bowling Congress Women’s Championships.On Monday, Feb. 21, crews started bringing in more than 30 truckloads of materials needed to construct the venue, which also includes vendor and office space, a squad room, a locker area and spectator seating.The finished product will be the biggest stage in women’s bowling, and the 2011 Women’s Championships is expected to bring more than 30,000 bowlers to Syracuse during its 88-day run from April 7-July 3.The amount of lumber required for the venue is enough to construct at least five three-bedroom homes, and more than six miles of wiring is required to handle the tournament’s electrical needs.The first piece of the installation process will be the tournament’s custom scoreboards, starting Wednesday, Feb. 23. The scoreboards are comparable to the oversized screens often found in sports venues and arenas across the country, but offer a clearer picture thanks to the latest technology. They feature enhanced graphics with 4.4 trillion colors and streaming video capabilities and make up the world’s largest mobile scoreboard of its kind.The setup also includes a 12 feet by 9 feet, high-definition video display screen over the tournament’s traditional Center Aisle.Construction on the 48 championship lanes is scheduled to begin Feb. 28.The 2011 event marks the second time the tournament will be held in a convention-center setting. Prior to last year’s event in El Paso, Texas, the tournament was contested in traditional bowling centers when not held at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nev. (every third year since 1997). The tournament first was held in 1916, and 2011 will be the 92nd year of competition.“The move to the convention-center setting helped boost the prestige and excitement that surrounds the Women’s Championships and really gave the event a championship feel,” said Brian Lewis, USBC Managing Director of Tournaments. “Participants enjoyed the new look in 2010, and we hope to make this year even more memorable.”The Women’s Championships returns to New York state for the first time since 1996. It previously was held in Syracuse in 1940 and 1954 with 1,185 and 4,538 five-player teams, respectively.“On behalf of the Greater Syracuse community, we are thrilled that the event we’ve been preparing for, for the past five years, is just about here,” said Syracuse Convention & Visitors Bureau President David Holder. “All of our industry partners, ranging from our hotels and restaurants to our attractions and taxicab drivers, are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the 30,000 bowlers and their friends and family.”There still are plenty of prime bowling times available for the 2011 tournament, but the March 1 entry deadline is quickly approaching. So far, 5,660 five-player teams are scheduled to compete in 2011.For more information, visit BOWL.com/tournaments or call the tournament entries department at 800-514-2695.Sponsors for the 2011 USBC Women’s Championships sponsors include Turning Stone Resort and Casino, official brackets sponsor, Humana, official registration sponsor, Miller Lite and Molson Canadian, official beer sponsors. Supporting sponsors include Storm Bowling Products, Nationwide Insurance, The Oncenter, Syracuse Convention and Visitors Bureau, Caz Limo & Tours, Kegel, official lane maintenance provider, US Steltronic, official scoring system, and Brunswick, official lane provider.For more information on the Women’s Championships, visit BOWL.com/usbcwomenschamp.United States Bowling CongressThe United States Bowling Congress, as the national governing body, ensures the integrity and protects the future of the sport, provides programs and services to more than two million adult and youth members and enhances the bowling experience.The interactive home of USBC is BOWL.com. Go to twitter.com/USBC for the fastest USBC headlines.Bowl with US