What makes one bowling alley better than another? Some might say it’s the acoustics, the music they play, the atmosphere, or the fact that they let you smoke inside and buy alcohol. Others might say it’s the equipment, the quality of the furnishings, or even the quality of the out-of-town clientele.
Still, what makes one bowling alley better than the next is usually the air conditioning, that’s right, the air conditioning system, especially in the summer. Of course, if the bowling alley operator really wants to make money, he can’t put on too much air conditioning, or he’ll spend all his money paying for electricity, and there won’t be enough left over to maintain his lease or pay all the employees’ salaries.
Bowling alleys are actually part of the entertainment sector, one that was hit hard during the recession, and thus compete with things like movie theaters, miniature golf, and even smaller theme parks. If the price is right and the climate is right, the place will be packed.
Bowling alley operators must have dual air conditioning systems. They should use evaporative coolers for temperatures up to a certain point, and then a different type of air conditioning system when the temperature reaches the point of maximum efficiency for the evaporative cooler.
The air conditioning system should also drive airflow from the middle of the lanes into the area where people wait to bowl. This way, people will want to stay where everyone else is bowling, causing more people to bowl, rather than just hang out. In addition, the room with pinball machines or electronic games must be well cooled and isolated from the rest of the bowling alley.
By maintaining efficiency and climate control, a bowling alley can maximize profits by lowering energy costs. Please consider all of this.
