Corvette Lanes, Murray’s lone bowling alley, receives a face lift after Edmiston Marketing, a corporation based in Paducah, Ky., bought the bowling alley and the property in September. Above, Lloyd Todd works on the pin machines.
Corvette Lanes, the bowling alley located next to campus, is now deep into the project which plans to see a completely remodeled building open to the public at the end of March.
Edmiston Marketing, a corporation based in Paducah, Ky., bought the bowling alley and the property in September and is in partnership with local general contractor Jim Spainhour.
The two are seeing through a remodeling project that will revamp every detail of Corvette Lanes.
Everything in the building is being torn out so it can be rebuilt brand new, even though that is neither the most cost effective, nor the simplest way of achieving his goal with the building, Brandon Edmiston, president of Edmiston Marketing, said it is the way he wanted things done.
Spainhour, who manages the vast renovation project, said Murray State students have much to look forward to with the re-opening of the bowling alley.
“All new computerized and automatic scoring for bowling games are being implemented.” Spainhour said. “We have also installed television monitors above each lane if students want to watch a ball game while they are bowling.”
For now, the inside of Corvette Lanes looks far from finished. However, there are definite signs of progress that show large improvements from the previous state of the building.
An entirely new sound system has been installed, high quality television sets will accompany each bowling lane and walls have also been removed to create space to include an addition of a restaurant.
The ground floor of the building will contain the full restaurant and dining area, arcade and bowling alley, as well as a room available to rent out for parties or meetings.
The 4,000-square-foot second story of the building is being transformed into a bar and lounge area, complete with a stage for occasional live music.
Furthermore, AMF Bowling, one of the world’s largest owners and operators of bowling centers, has stepped in to lay down new wood for bowling lanes.
All 18 of the old lanes were more than 50 years old.
Lloyd Todd, a Murray resident who has been with Corvette Lanes for more than 50 years, has managed the bowling equipment since it was installed in the late 1950s.
“The bowling alley has changed a lot since I’ve been here,” Todd said. “Everything is going computerized, but the bowling pin equipment has stayed the same.”
The community is also stepping in to ensure the success of the bowling alley. Immanuel Lutheran Church has offered its parking space to those who wish to go to the bowling alley in the event Corvette Lanes’s immediate parking fills up.
“Everybody is excited to see something happen and be involved with this place, especially the surrounding businesses.” Spainhour said.
The renovations are being completed in two parts. The first part of renovations finished in November and the rest of the changes are scheduled to be finished by March.
Story by Alex McLaughlin, Staff writer