Maryland bowling centers, much like many small businesses, have suffered catastrophic financial hardship during our COVID-19 mandated shutdown. The month of March typically can create the most amount of net revenue for bowling centers. Also, April can add some extra income from end of the bowling season league parties and events. We did not get the opportunity to put that end of the season money away and have a cash flow to carry us through the summer. Our bowling centers are left without the cash needed to survive the next few months and with government programs currently out of cash, we are left with the reality that permanent closure is near. In addition, our landlord is still expecting rental income from us even though we have no income. Bowling has been a major contributor to community events and fundraisers in our community. Our facilities serve as destinations for entertainment, fundraising, birthday celebrations, and much more. We have diligently served our communities with a sense of pride, respect, and belonging.

Bowling could provide safe measures for our communities. We can provide segregated entrance and exit doorways or entire entrances dedicated to one or the other to control our customer flow. Bowling has always been an environment that has been cleaned well, as it is essential to provide a clean and inviting atmosphere to our customers for safety and appeal. We can disinfect all bowling shoe rentals (which we currently do). We can put measures in place to clean and sanitize all bowling balls used. Bowling centers could disinfect all seating and contact points between lane usage. We can clean and disinfect each table and seating chairs between each usage. We could provide hand sanitizing stations at various touch point areas in our centers. We have the ability and willingness to provide our community a safe, clean, and disinfected environment to participate in an activity that has many health benefits including positive mental health as well.

Allow bowling centers to operate with the following requirements:

• Clean the seating, ball return, and scoring area using a disinfectant rated for COVID- 19. Cleaning will be done between each lane usage.

• Disinfect each bowling center rental ball after use by using a dedicated area for disinfected and used bowling balls.

• Disinfect each shoe rental between use or provide guests Bowling area meeting room, and restaurant space will provide 6 feet of distance between tables and or bar stools.

    • Provide 6 ft social distancing signs near all areas that can produce guest congregation.

   • Provide cashless payment options   

·   Provide separate entrance and exit doors to allow for higher cleanliness. When a guest arrives, we can clean the entrance doors, when guests leave, we can clean the exit doors. 

·   Apply strict measures on the health and well being of our team members, including temperature checks and social distancing restrictions while working together.

With the proper measures in place, our Maryland bowling centers could thoroughly clean touch points between each guest visit. These measures will allow our business owners to have a chance to stay in  business and allow for a chance to save nearly 70 small businesses in this state.  Please help bowling survive and all our bowling centers to be opened back up. 

Thank you.
George and Stacy Sloan