When you think of sports in the Capital region, it’s likely of basketball, football or baseball. We recall the tournaments and competitions that shape the character of fans and athletes, and we think of the high school and college arenas where countless dreams unfold.
But there’s a sport in the Capital region that has rolled through the decades and provided endless surprise and action: bowling. And it’s a pastime that unites all ages and cultures with a single strike.
Mike MacColeman understands the power of setting the pins. As a co-owner and partner of
Spare Time Entertainmentr Center, MacColeman has brought a variation of the boutique-bowling craze to Lansing with the mission of keeping the sport top-of-mind through top-notch family and business entertainment.
“We have a bowling legacy in Lansing that’s exciting,” says MacColeman. “We’re here to fill a niche market as well as to welcome the traditional bowler.”
Staying on a roll
MacColeman struck upon the idea of opening a hybrid bowling alley when the iconic Holiday Lanes went up for sale in 2011. Here was a town, he says, with a rich bowling history. Here was a location with lots of young families within a five-mile radius. Here, too, was a city with a mix of small and large businesses seeking creative, fun options for meetings and corporate gatherings.
“This was a business our family could really do something with,” says MacColeman, who runs the center with his wife, Nancy, and daughter Meredith Assande. “We’re here 100 hours a week and we want to work with everyone to make it work.” Spare Time Entertainment Center combines the best of a traditional bowling alley with an upscale bar and restaurant, then layers of indoor attractions.
Things get rolling with 23 tech-rich bowling lanes. Artsy panels deck the walls while enormous high-definition television screens can be dropped down for viewing high profile or weekend sporting events. Dozens of other TVs are strategically positioned throughout the center so customers never miss a play while bowling a frame.
Bowlers and non-bowlers alike can also enter a virtual world through a 4,000 square foot arcade with more than 50 state-of-the-art video games. A two-story laser tag facility, complete with black lights and smoke, teems with battling customers day and night.
Assande—a party planning professional with experience at Walt Disney World—arranges and coordinates events, parties and fundraisers. Ele’s Place has been among Lansing organizations benefitting from the event-friendly facility. “They have a great facility for a fundraiser,” says Tracy Russman, Special Events Coordinator for Ele’s Place. “Plus, my kids got to play laser tag and just loved it.”
Spare Time customers can rent lanes on the floor or opt for an exclusive bowling suite. The Capitol Room is available for private parties or corporate events and includes couches, a bar, eight private lanes and a meeting room that seats up to 70 people.
“There’s so much to do here,” says MacColeman. “Kids can have birthday parties, [adults] can watch football, and [no one has] to clean up after 14 kids. Who do you think had a good birthday?”
Framing the concept
Bringing a new face to the Lansing bowling scene took a lot of sweat and determination. While the former Holiday Lanes was on the mental map of most Lansing residents, MacColeman orchestrated an extensive facelift to accommodate 21
st
century elements.
Renovations began in May 2012 after the last roll of the bowling league season. MacColeman shuttered the center for the summer and reopened in September. “It took 15,000 gallons of paint, ripping up layers of carpet, and about five months of interior and exterior renovation, but we’re here,” says MacColeman. “We retained a little history, too.”
MacColeman points to familiar benches and signs and color schemes that evoke the previous establishment, as well as to plaques that honor some of Lansing’s half-century-old leagues. “Leagues are still a very important part of bowling,” says MacColeman. “They’re part of our history and culture. We’re encouraging people to form new leagues, and to introduce bowling to a younger crowd so we don’t become a dinosaur.”
At one time, Lansing was a bowling mecca. More than a dozen alleys flourished in all parts of the city. Bowlers like Joe Joseph, Jack Curry, David Beck and Michael Braun were among hundreds of Lansing athletes who became household names and picked up accolades at state, national and professionally sanctioned tournaments.
Stars of the lanes lived in neighborhoods, worked in factories and offices, and were part of the defining character of Lansing. Statistics from the Greater Lansing Area Bowling Hall of Fame reveal that Lansing was home to about 10,000 bowlers in the mid 1970s.
“We’re at about 5,500 now,” says Bruce Marshall, the Hall of Fame associate manager. “We have about 80 recreational and competitive leagues, but that’s down from about 150 a dozen years ago.”
Local bowling historian and Hall of Fame president Mike Hecksel says that changing work habits and population shifts have affected participation. He’s hopeful that broadening options for competitive, recreational and summer leagues and transforming alleys into hybrid facilities will help stem the decline.
“We’re recognizing that you can’t just be a bowling alley anymore and survive,” says Hecksel of Lansing remaining alleys that include Spare Time Entertainment Center, Royal Scot, City Limits Sports Bar and Bowling Center, and Pro Bowl. “A facility needs a restaurant and other things for people to do.”
Making the perfect game
Despite a changing world, bowling continues to attract a loyal following. Plans are in the works to host a sanctioned women’s tournament in Lansing, while regional competitions continue to roll. High school leagues abound, and younger bowlers spark the city’s bowling pride.
Mike Bradfield is among a newer generation of bowlers that keeps the fire burning. “He has a very hot hand,” says Marshall of the mid-90s Waverly High School graduate. “He’s probably having one of the best seasons in Lansing bowling.”
This year alone, Bradfield has picked up four 300-games and five 800-series, and six consecutive games with 11 strikes. That’s a mere addendum to an astonishing 31 300-games, 22 800-series, 17 back-to-back appearances at national tournaments, and several city titles.
“I plan to bowl my whole life,” says Bradfield who started at age 8. “With a little time and effort, anyone can get what they want out of this sport. Whether you just do it for fun or if you want to be competitive, a little practice pays off.”
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Ann Kammerer is a freelance writer living in the Greater Lansing Area.
Photos ©
Dave Trumpie
Dave Trumpie is the managing photographer for Capital Gains. He is a freelance photographer and owner of
Trumpie Photography.