The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
‘CAN WE OPEN?’
Officials push for bowling industry to reopen
ROME, N.Y. » “Can we open already?” reads a sign outside of King Pins Lanes in Rome, one of several bowling alleys across the state that has been closed since the start of the pandemic.
The industry was initially slated to reopen in phase four of the state’s reopening plan but has been put on hold. The state decision has left many frustrated and without answers.
To urge the state to let bowling alleys reopen, State Sen. Joseph Griffo along with Assemblymembers Marianne Buttenschon, Brian Miller, and John Salka attended a press conference held in the King Pins parking lot on August 6 to make the message loud and clear. Bowling alley owners and advocates came with signs in tow and a sense of urgency for the industry’s future.
Griffo commented, “[Bowling alleys] struggle regularly to try to be creative and innovative and to do things that will bring people [in]. They don’t need any additional burdens or any addi
“These are important recreational outlets in our community. Tony Lapolla indicated that in the spring alone, in three months, he lost over $110,000.”
— State Sen. Joseph Griffo
tional roadblocks that will put them out of business.”
Tony Lapolla of Vista Bowling Center in Yorkville stated, “We were ready. We’re ready now. We need to open.”
He and other bowling representatives came prepared with a lengthy document outlining a reopening plan sponsored by the NYS Bowling Proprietors Association (NYSBPA).
These plans have been ready and waiting since April 1, Lapolla said. “We’re losing money every day. I’m afraid we’re going to close.”
Craig Vogel, who runs King Pin Lanes, shared key developments in his reopening plan that he says will help keep everyone safe: sanitation will be routine and diligent, mask-wearing rules will be enforced, and given a bowling alley’s characteristically large size—social distancing will not be a problem.
“I think we can do this safely for everybody concerned,” he said.
The NYSBPA reopening document provided at the conference refers to policies such as staggering lane usage, training employees before return, and enforcing managerial supervision of “COVID-19 Operational Standards.”
Vogel says that an employee will be hired on at King Pins to dedicate his/her time to disinfecting hightouch surfaces.
“Their job is to clean, to turn over bowling lanes, to sanitize everything, every touch surface, every chair, every table, every scoring unit, every bowling ball, every pair of shoes,” he said.
“[Things will be] cleaned better than the item on the shelf at Lowes that people pick up, read the label, and put back down,” he remarked. “That goes on all day.”
He added, “We’ve got just about all the safety protocols that restaurants use, except we can keep people farther apart.” He also said his facility is equipped with a ventilation system that can keep the facility “airy” and circulate fresh air.
State representatives present at the press conference all agreed that the bowling alley industry has the means to serve the public safely.
“The plans are solid. The plans are there. The plans have been done to ensure that safety, and [bowling alleys] deserve the opportunity to put those plans forward,” Buttenchon declared.
“These are important small businesses. These are important recreational outlets in our community,” added Griffo. “Tony Lapolla indicated that in the spring alone, in three months, he lost over $110,000.”
“They’re on the brink.” Further, Griffo noted that AMF, an American manufacturing company out of Lewis County, produces domestic bowling pins. “So not only are we looking at a risk for the loss of these businesses and the people who work here and the owners of these facilities, but this manufacturer also becomes at risk.”
Miller, who says he a COVID-19 survivor, backed the bowling industry’s plans to reopen. “I think this industry here, these gentlemen here behind me and my colleagues, have really put together a very practical plan that can work. And that’s the big thing.”
Salka added, “We have a business here that pays taxes, employs people, that gives worthwhile incomes, and is able to be an important part of their community as a business. We need to make sure that these businesses survive.” Having fun and “blowing off steam” at recreational venues is also an important part of a community’s mental health, he said, and that shouldn’t be overlooked, especially during a pandemic when stressors are high.
“There are a lot of challenges that the governor is facing,” Griffo admitted. “We recognize that, relative to schools, and education, and other public health concerns, the nursing home industry. But we’ve got to address this. We can’t continue to let this linger.”
Vogel also sympathized with the governor’s concern with indoor events, calling it “reasonable.” He shared, “I stopped in to get a pizza the other day into a crowded restaurant where nobody was six feet apart.”
What matters is that facilities and their patrons follow the rules, he said, and clearly, some places open right now aren’t. His facility will, he said, if they were just allowed the chance.
Some of the governor’s senior staff have even commended Vogel’s reopening plan, Griffo said, adding, “We don’t disagree with trying to be smart and to ensure we do things safely.”
He said urgently, “If you don’t allow them to reopen now, then this industry is in peril.”
Vogel said he estimates that his business has three weeks’ time before all money runs out, and the state hasn’t been any help either. He said there are no grants, and any available loans are all dried up.
“Once we run out of money, we’re done.”
“We urge the governor’s office to reclassify us as an essential sport instead of a nonessential recreation. We’re very essential to the community, to the city of Rome. Our employees need us. Our community needs us. We can do this safely, and we will do this safely.”