BOWLING CENTER AWARDS

The 40th Annual Bowling Center Architecture and Design Awards (BCM) has officially named the U.S. winners for 2024, celebrating the best in bowling venue design across the nation. This prestigious competition, held by Bowling Center Management (BCM) magazine, has been recognizing outstanding contributions to the bowling industry for four decades, encouraging bowling proprietors to reinvest in their facilities and reward creativity in both newly built centers and those undergoing modernization.

This year, 11 venues from 10 states were selected as winners, highlighting the industry’s diverse approach to combining entertainment, aesthetics, and modernized business models.

The competition has evolved significantly over the years, now featuring separate divisions for U.S. and international centers, reflecting the growing trend of incorporating innovative concepts like Family Entertainment Centers (FECs) and hybrid venues into traditional bowling facilities.

Here’s a look at the U.S. winners of the 40th Design Awards:

1. Best New Boutique/FEC/Hybrid VenueBullwinkle’s – Upland, California(Proprietor: Scott Huish)

2. Best Modernized Boutique/FEC/Hybrid VenueBoondocks – Draper, Utah(Proprietor: Deric Thorpe)

3. Best New Traditional CenterDerby Lanes – Cheyenne, Wyoming(Proprietor: Brian Rico)

4. Best Modernized Traditional CenterBilly’s Ayr Lanes – Liberal, Kansas(Proprietor: Hill family)

5. Best New Duckpin VenueCrafted Copper – Kalamazoo, Michigan(Proprietor: Crafted Copper Partners LLC)

6. Best Modernized Duckpin VenueCorner Pins – Lima, Ohio(Proprietor: John Heaphy)

7. Best ExteriorB&B Theatres Red Oak 12/B-Roll Bowling – Red Oak, Texas(Proprietor: B&B Theatres Operating Company Inc.)

8. Best InteriorLane Park – Scottsdale, Arizona(Proprietor: Angelo DiNardo)

9. Best RestaurantThrill Factory Entertainment – Madison, Wisconsin(Proprietor: Guy Kitchell)

10. Best Bar/LoungeFive Iron Golf – Kirkland, Washington(Proprietor: Nora Dunnan)

11. Best ArcadeIncredibowl – Toledo, Ohio(Proprietor: Michael Ducat)

The competition's judging panel was led by James Nowak, an esteemed architect who brings 50 years of technical expertise to the table. Nowak, who has previously worked on iconic projects like the Rush University Medical Center and Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Studios, has now completed his second consecutive year heading the judging process.

These award-winning projects will be featured in Bowling Center Management (BCM) magazine, with U.S. winners highlighted in the April issue and international winners slated for the May issue.

Stay tuned as BCM prepares to announce the international winners in mid-March.

Congratulations to the winners and all the entrants for their creativity and commitment to improving the bowling and entertainment industry!