Closed Bowling Alley Getting New Life

Everything's coming up roses again out on historic Route 66. New owners are breathing new life into the old Rose Bowl. It hasn't been a bowling alley since it closed a couple of years ago. The

Wednesday, May 23rd 2007, 5:00 pm

By: News On 6

Everything's coming up roses again out on historic Route 66. New owners are breathing new life into the old Rose Bowl. It hasn't been a bowling alley since it closed a couple of years ago. The News On 6â€™s Rick Wells reports that in fact, just about everything will change but the name.

They're putting a new face on the old Rose Bowl. It's getting a fresh coat of paint, not the bubble gum pink color it once was, but itâ€™s close enough for the new owners.

"We're not even gonna change the name,â€ said Chris Whinery of Rose Bowl Properties. â€œIt's gonna be the Rose Bowl Events Center."

They've taken out all the old bowling stuff, sold some of it on eBay, some to other bowling centers and some will be put to use other places.

"Two of the lanes have gone to the Farmington, New Mexico, airport,â€ Whinery said. â€œThe city of Farmington bought them. They're gonna be bar tops inside the airport."

A couple more went to the Los Angeles fire department for fire house table tops and some will be used at the center. The last time there was bowling at Rose Bowl was two years ago, and on one of the last days, Jim Culbertson rolled a perfect 300 game.

The new place will be home to exhibits shows and concerts, they hope. The big domed roof provides interesting acoustics. There's lots of work left to do to turn it into an events center so someday soon people will be coming back to the Rose Bowl on historic Route 66.

There is already an antique auction scheduled for the first weekend in July in the new Rose Bowl Event Center.

For more on the Rose Bowl visit their website, www.tulsarosebowl.com.