Calgary’s 10-pin bowling centres purchased by UK-based company

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Bowling in Calgary is about to take a complete new flip.

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Ontario-based Splitsville Leisure and its mother or father firm, UK-based Hollywood Bowl Group (HBG), have bought all three 10-pin bowling amenities within the metropolis and are promising modernization at every of the lanes.

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The $12 million deal accomplished in February makes Let’s Bowl (2916 fifth Ave. NE), YYC Bowling & Leisure (1130 forty second Ave. SE) and Mountain View Bowl (11-3919 Richmond Rd. SW) a serious foothold within the West for the rising firm. The three facilities are Calgary’s solely full-size 10-pin bowling alleys.

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Pat Haggerty, president of Splitsville Leisure, mentioned the purpose is to develop the game throughout the nation with the monetary help of one of many business’s greatest gamers.

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“We simply noticed the potential of marrying them on how we might proceed to supply a development case in Canada,” he mentioned.

Splitsville was bought by HBG in Might 2022 with the intention of increasing its pursuits in Canada. Splitsville operates 5 facilities out of Ontario and one in Nanaimo, BC

HBG is listed on the London Inventory Alternate and is the second largest 10-pin bowling operator on the planet, with 69 facilities within the UK and Canada.

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HBG goals to personal 20 % of Canada’s bowling facilities

HBG CFO Laurence Eager mentioned the corporate has designs on proudly owning 20 % of the 191 bowling facilities throughout Canada.

“We see Canada as an amazing alternative to spend money on constructing companies and creating what we consider are incredible household leisure hubs,” he mentioned.

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Haggerty estimates there are about 200 million individuals in North America who’ve but to achieve the game, even casually for one or two video games a yr. He mentioned one in every of its greatest promoting factors is its inclusiveness, as anybody can play no matter age or bodily or cognitive capacity.

For homeowners, investments supplied an opportunity for early retirement

Dave and Lynn Kist and one other silent investor noticed the chance to promote as an surprising probability at early retirement.

Dave spent his life bowling and the couple purchased YYC Bowling on February 10, 2022, initially pondering they’d 10 extra years within the recreation. However Haggerty planted the seed of sale quickly after HBD purchased Splitsville from him.

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The pandemic additionally performed a job in making the Kists receptive to the thought of ​​promoting.

‘My pondering may be very easy: there might be one other COVID, proper? We simply do not know anymore,” says Dave (60), who has labored at bowling alleys in Ontario since he was 12 years outdated. “It is like the rest in life – the long run isn’t assured and also you make your greatest choices or greatest guesses primarily based on the data at hand.”

Whereas the pandemic did quantity to 2 years of misplaced income, the Kists have greater than recovered to 2019 ranges, with 1,000 individuals throughout the three facilities concerned in leagues. Earlier than COVID-19, there have been between 800 and 850 individuals.

Eager mentioned income for the three alleys is about $7 million a yr, 11 % of which comes from league bowlers, with a complete of about 500,000 individuals visiting the three facilities previously 12 months.

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HBG desires to remodel alleyways into ‘nothing seen’ in Calgary

The facilities bought by Splitsville have been cornerstones within the 10-pin bowling neighborhood for many years.

Let’s Bowl has been in its present location for 30 years and is house to a number of nationwide group members. It has hosted a variety of premier occasions through the years and gives 30 lanes of 10-pin bowling.

Mountain View Bowl has been in its present location for about 65 years and carries a 50s classic theme, with 10 lanes of 10-pin bowling and one other 10 lanes of five-pin bowling.

YYC Bowling is the biggest venue of the three, with 40,000 sq. ft of house for 30 lanes of bowling, an arcade, miniature golf, pool tables and different facilities.

The three facilities make use of about 60 individuals and Kist mentioned the group in place has been a giant promoting level for Haggerty and Eager.

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The brand new homeowners mentioned they’d spend money on the facilities to make sure they met firm requirements. Enhancements might be made to create a extra comfy atmosphere to encourage clients to remain longer.

Eager mentioned that HBG refurbishes about 5 to seven of its facilities within the UK annually for about $1 million per venture.

“There’s a possibility to take them to … nothing that is been seen in Calgary in my view,” he mentioned.

Kist will spend the subsequent three months serving to with the transition, after which he plans to journey with Lynn and work on his golf recreation.

And as for bowling? Though it is going to be unusual, he might be on the opposite facet of the counter as a paying buyer, working to enhance his 190 common.

“I’ve some work. I have to get my common again to 210. That is the place I used to be earlier than,” he mentioned. “However you recognize, lengthy hours and lengthy days make it onerous to work in your recreation. So I am wanting ahead to doing that.”

jaldrich@postmedia.com

Twitter: @JoshAldrich03