JAX60 is celebrating one year since they (Fun Time Centers) took over, and began a major rehab of the former Airport Lanes.
General Manager Josh Solomon was a guest on Good Morning Greater Jackson this past Tuesday, and laid out their mission of fun. “Bowling for us as a company is meant to be fun. We do host a lot of leagues and a lot of tournaments; but bowling has always been something that is fun, it’s been something for kids, and anybody of any age can do,” he said. “That’s what we try to emphasize, it’s in our corporate name, Fun Time Centers. It’s right there. We’re meant to have fun.”
FTC has made a significant investment into the center, as Solomon points out. “We updated the lighting, we made it brighter in there. Bowling centers have always been so dark. We did brand new paint, decals on the walls. New floors in the bowler’s area, new carpet, new flat screen monitors, scoring system upgrade, we updated the arcade a little bit; we updated the menu to include some things that weren’t there before, some sandwiches and things that weren’t there before.”
July 30 through August 6 is a huge week for JAX60, as the Professional Bowlers Association returns for the first time in nearly a decade for a tournament. “We have the PBA coming back to Jackson. I don’t know if anybody knows the history of the PBA in Jackson; Dr. Mel Wolf was the pioneer of that. He brought the PBA to Jackson 20-plus years ago, and the tournament ran for 20 years, and it’s been since his passing (in 2011) that it hasn’t been back. We’re bringing that back.”
Fun Time Centers is a major supporter of the PBA, and Solomon points out that fact, “(Fun Time Centers CEO) Mr. (David) Small hosted more PBA events than any other proprietor in the country.”
In addition to the pro tournament, there will be an opportunity for those not-so-professionals to show off, “We even have a Pro-Am,” Solomon said. “That’s open to anybody. Your skill level doesn’t matter for that Pro-Am either; come out and enjoy time with some of the best bowlers in the world.”
If you have questions about bowling times, leagues, tournaments, parties, or fundraisers, call JAX60 at 517-783-2711.