STRIKEZONE ready to open soon
After more than a year from the abrupt closure of former Brunswick Zone XL facility in May, local bowling enthusiasts will soon be able to enjoy the bowling once again starting next weekend.
Strikezone IV has scheduled its soft opening for Aug. 5. Arturo Santos chief executive officer of the ARC of Imperial Valley, the nonprofit organization that now owns the facility said during a media event-only on Friday everything is set for the opening except for the approval for a license to sell alcoholic beverages by the Alcoholic Beverage Control Licensing Board.
The hours of operation for the facility will be from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.
Hours will be extended once the remaining permit has been approved.
ARC Imperial Valley is a local nonprofit organization that specializes in providing job opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities
“Obviously we’re very excited about having the business open and not just for us and what it means for the organization, but also for the community,” Santos said.
“There are limited entertainment options in the Valley and we feel this is going to complete something that is lacking and improve the quality of life in the Valley.”
The center is expected to have 40 full-time employees when it reopens and if demand requires it, more positions will be added. Santos said approximately 40 percent of their workforce will come from the people they serve at ARC Imperial Valley.
“The main focus of our program is to provide employment for our consumers with mental disabilities. The whole idea is exciting, and is great to take steps in making inclusivity is part of our goal,” Santos said.
“It’s critically important, legislation has been passed in which they don’t want much of the services to be center-based. The whole idea is to bring the consumer into the community.”
Strikezone will provide some of the old favorites as well as feature an array of new and different options.
One of the biggest changes to expect is Mozzarelli Pizza and Gelato, also owned by ARC Imperial Valley, will be relocating from its current location into the bowling alley and will have an expanded menu to meet all tastes and budgets.
The software at the lanes has been upgraded, also the laser-tag and arcade which will be operated by NAMCO and provide more upgrades. Other improvements that have been made include kitchen and air conditioning upgrades and fiber optic Wi-Fi.
Santos believes one of the reasons the former Brunswick XL bowling alley closed was due to the fact that it was managed from afar which often translated into a bad experience for local bowlers.
“With direct management and full support of the organization we feel we’re going to have a very successful business,” Santos said. “It’s not about us succeeding, it’s to have something for the Valley.”
The former Brunswick Zone XL opened its doors in 2008 and abruptly closed its doors at 3 p.m. May 31, 2016. Since then, a group of local business owners formed El Centro Investments LLC and acquired the facility in the fall.
After initiating discussions with ARC Imperial Valley about running the restaurant, Santos said they became interested in the possibility of running the entire operation. El Centro Investments initially received a $1 million loan from the county Community Benefit Program which was approved by the county Board of Supervisors on Jan. 24.
After El Centro Investments decided to sell the property to ARC Imperial Valley, the board authorized transferring the loan to ARC on April 25, since then ARC has been working to get the facility ready to reopen its doors.
The bowling alley will not be affiliated with Brunswick although some items still bare the Brunswick name. The bowling alley initially cost more than $10 million when it first opened in 2008.