Entertainment

bowling-centric entertainment centers are popping up or are in the works. Three have been built, and developers have plans to build additional centers in Avondale and Tempe. Similar complexes across the nation have helped bowling make a comeback and broaden its appeal, experts say.

The venues, which can attract more than 1,000 people a day, are popular because priceconscious residents want the whole family to have fun together, center operators say.

City leaders like the centers because they fill an entertainment void, create jobs and raise property values.

The existing entertainment centers in the Valley and in Maricopa include:

» UltraStar Multi-tainment Center at Ak-Chin Circle in Maricopa, a 6 month-old venue, the largest near metro Phoenix at 165,000 square feet. In addition to bowling and games, it includes 12 movie theater auditoriums with suites and an outdoor amphitheater.

» Uptown Alley in Surprise, a 60,000-square-foot center that has bowling, two-story laser tag, an arcade, a sports theater and live entertainment. Uptown Alley opened a year ago, and the owners plan to build more centers in the Valley.

» FlipSide in Gilbert, a 50,000-square-foot center that opened in January, includes bowling, a laser maze and lasertag arena, billiards, an arcade, a blast pad with three levels and spinning bumper cars.

Plano, Texas-based Main Event Entertainment has 12 bowling entertainment complexes in Texas and plans to build the two to come in metro Phoenix. Main Event Entertainment Tempe, now under construction, will be a 57,000square-foot center. And Avondale recently offered the developer $800,000 in incentives to build a 58,000-square-foot Main Event center there.

Once a sport dominated by blue-collar league bowlers, bowling is enjoying a renaissance, industry experts say.

The sport declined in popularity around the 1980s, but over the past 10 years, bowling has become more popular as bowling venues offer other en-