How many lanes should a bowling alley have? A Professional Guide
When designing or upgrading a bowling center, one of the most critical decisions is determining how many lanes the facility should feature. Factors like business model, target demographics, and space limitations all affect this choice. This article covers essential considerations and industry benchmarks to help professionals answer the question: How many lanes should a bowling alley have?
Key Considerations for Selecting the Number of Bowling Lanes
Industry Standards and Averages
- Small Bowling Centers:
- Range: 6–12 lanes
- Typical for boutique, residential, or hotel installations (source: International Bowling Industry magazine).
- Mid-Size Centers:
- Range: 12–28 lanes
- Ideal for local community markets and family entertainment centers
- Allows for moderate league and open play.
- Large and Competition Centers:
- Range: 32–48+ lanes
- Caters to high league volume, tournaments, and regional draws (data: Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America ).
Target Customer Segments
- League Bowlers:
- Require more lanes for large simultaneous play
- Encourage more frequent visits and higher occupancy rates.
- Open Play and Casual Customers:
- Even during peak times, ensure a balance to maintain short wait times (Bowling Industry Online report).
- Event Hosting:
- Corporate groups, parties, and tournaments may need dedicated lanes separate from the general public.
Real Estate and Local Market
- Facility Size:
- Each lane requires approximately 83 ft x 6 ft (excluding seating, approaches, and equipment rooms; see United States Bowling Congress Facilities Manual).
- Demographics & Demand:
- Analyze local population, competitive landscape, and market saturation
- Urban markets may succeed with fewer lanes and luxury upgrades.
- Expansion Potential:
- Design for flexibility when future growth is expected.
Financial and Operational Implications
- Startup and Maintenance Costs:
- More lanes mean higher initial investment and ongoing operational expenses
- Consider expected revenue per lane versus total build costs (BPAA benchmarking).
- Revenue Maximization:
- Industry average: each lane can accommodate 5–6 games per hour
- Optimize according to peak business hours and local preferences.
Closing Thoughts
Deciding how many lanes a bowling alley should have involves a careful balance of market research, operational understanding, and long-term business planning. Leverage industry benchmarks and tailor decisions to your unique business goals to ensure sustainable success.
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Bowling Equipment
How wide is the bowling lane?
We have four types of bowling lanes. The width of the 4 standard bowling lanes is 6.9 meters. The width of the 2 duckpin bowling lanes is 3.48 meters. The width of the four mini bowling lanes is 5.66 meters. The width of a single children's bowling lane is 0.9 meters.
How many feet is a bowling lane?
We have a total of four different sizes of bowling lanes. The length of a standard bowling lane is 84 feet. The length of Duckpin Bowling Lane is 39.4 feet. The Mini Bowling Lane size is 39.7 feet. The size of the children's bowling lanes is 14.1 feet. In addition, the length of our standard bowling lanes and duckpin bowling lanes can be customized.
How to maintain the mechanical equipment of a bowling alley?
Fairway boards and equipment require regular maintenance. Fairway boards need to be oiled every half month and cleaned daily to extend their service life. At the same time, the condition of the rope and ball return machine needs to be checked every period of time to ensure the normal operation of the equipment. Specifically, we will give you detailed maintenance manuals and videos to teach you how to maintain.
Who makes new bowling equipment?
Flying specializes in manufacturing brand new bowling equipment. All the equipment, fairway boards, balls, and pins we provide are brand new. Including the scoring and management systems of our bowling lanes, they are all unique and developed by ourselves.
How to build a bowling alley?
If you choose Flying, we will provide you with a one-stop solution, from planning construction to finishing the establishment. You don't need to worry about anything. As long as you can give us the venue size diagram, we can start cooperating.
Price
Cost to setup a 8 lane bowling business？
This includes bowling lanes, bowling balls, pins, scoring systems, ball return systems, shoes, and other necessary equipment. Purchasing or leasing high-quality equipment is essential for a successful operation.
The total cost can vary greatly depending on factors such as location, size, quality, and additional amenities (such as a restaurant or arcade). On average, setting up an 8-lane bowling business can cost anywhere from several hundred thousand to over a million dollars. It's essential to conduct thorough research and create a detailed business plan to accurately estimate the specific costs of your venture.
Consulting with Flying Bowling experts can provide valuable insights into potential expenses.
Product
How a bowling ball return machine works？
A bowling ball return system uses a combination of gravity, belts, and sometimes lifts to bring your ball back to you after your roll. Here's a breakdown of the typical process:
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Ball Exit: After rolling down the lane, the ball exits into a channel at the end. This channel might have a slight incline to help guide the ball towards the return mechanism.
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Transfer Tray: The ball rolls into a shallow tray or trough. This tray might have a diverter at the end to ensure balls from adjacent lanes don't collide.
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Elevator or Incline (optional): In some setups, the ball might be lifted to a higher level before entering the return system. This creates a steeper decline for the ball to travel down, helping it gain momentum.
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Belt Conveyor: The ball reaches a conveyor belt with a textured surface to prevent slipping. This belt carries the ball up an incline.
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Gravity Channel: Once at the top of the incline, the ball is released onto a long, U-shaped channel. Gravity takes over, pulling the ball down through the channel.
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Ball Deflector: At the end of the channel, there might be a deflector that diverts the ball slightly towards your lane. This ensures the ball ends up in the correct return slot.
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Ball Return Tray: The ball finally reaches a tray or cradle positioned in front of your lane, ready for your next roll.
Here are some additional points to note:
- Modern systems might have sensors to detect the presence of a ball and activate the return mechanism accordingly.
- Some higher-end systems use quieter materials and designs to minimize noise during ball return.
Let’s Build a center Together
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Flying has successfully built ideal bowling alleys for more than 3,000 customers.
Technical Expert
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Contact Flying
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