Holland bowling center introduces Michigan's first-ever Lit Lanes
HOLLAND — Michigan residents looking for a new twist to their bowling experience will get their wish, as Bam Entertainment Center unveils its newest attraction in West Michigan: Lit Lanes.
Also known as Unreal Bowling or Crunchy Lanes, Lit Lanes launched Saturday, Sept. 24, and provides bowlers with an interactive experience that Bam owner Phil Huffman says is the first of its kind in Michigan.
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According to Huffman, Lit Lanes uses a series of projectors installed above multiple lanes. It projects animations onto each lane that interact with bowling balls as they move toward the pins.
Huffman saw the technology at a convention.
“I just love to bring the best toys back to Holland,” he said. “We currently have six lanes set up for use and will offer a total of eight lanes once we get the additional equipment.”
To use the technology, bowlers with an iPhone (staff will assist those without an iPhone) scan a QR code specific to their lane, download the Unreal Bowling app and pick what sort of animation they’d like projected.
Users can choose from over 40 animations, including balloons, piano keys, outer space and more — along with over 20 styles of ball tracing technology. When a bowler is ready to try a different animation, they simply select a new one on the app, let it load and bowl.
Huffman said he purchased the equipment in March. Then came several months of supply chain challenges, installation, lining up the projectors and troubleshooting.
“Before we brought it here, the company had to work out some kinks in the technology and expand the offered features,” Huffman said. “For me, I wanted this to be something that would last for years and be something that’ll stick around.”
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The lanes are booked using an online reservation system at gobamgo.com.
Lit Lanes is the latest addition Huffman has brought to Bam. Other offerings include axe throwing, an adult gaming lounge, dart leagues, climbing walls, an arcade and a mini-bowling lounge.
For Huffman, it's all meant to entertain every customer that walks through the doors.
“This is something that people are going to talk about, they're going to take a video and post it on social media,” he said. “It just makes things more fun here. There are people that don’t like bowling but will love this … and frankly, I have fun doing this kind of thing.”
— Austin Metz is a former Holland Sentinel reporter.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Holland bowling center introduces Michigan's first-ever Lit Lanes
