By Ryan Carlson (@RyanCarlson88 ):
Where else on campus can San Jose State students actually get a turkey, figuratively speaking of course.
The new bowling center at San Jose State University is quickly becoming a hot spot for Spartans to gather and have a good time — perhaps even gobbling up three-consecutive strikes.
Located next to the Starbucks and billiards room in the Diaz Compean Student Union, the bowling center is the perfect place for students to spend their spare time.
The Student Union originally opened in 1969 and included a bowling alley with 10 lanes along with billiards tables.
It was one of the first college campuses to also include pinball machines which were placed around 1985 and eventually led to an arcade.
The arcade lasted until 2005 and because of the video industry is currently booming, the staff came to a consensus to not include an arcade.
Over the university’s winter break in 2008-09, there was significant damage to the Student Union when over 27,000 gallons of water flooded the main dining area and the bowling alley due to a refrigeration unit overheating that caught fire.
“With all of the renovation we did, removing all the lanes, completely rebuilding the foundation underneath the lanes, installing rubber acoustic buffers, everything you see down here is new,” said Terry Gregory, the Associate Director of the Student Union building and former manager of the bowling center.
The renovation for the Student Union at SJSU started in 2010 and finished in 2014. It is equipped with a new dining area, Starbucks, pool tables and other amenities.
However, the bowling center took four years longer to renovate. It was said that it took time to put all the new pieces of the bowling center into place.
It finally opened this spring and is “quickly becoming of the best bowling centers in the Bay Area,” Gregory said.
It is certainly the best bowling center for the bowling team at SJSU. The club team used to practice at 4th Street Bowl, 10 minutes north of campus.
The team would travel to Las Vegas, Indianapolis and Dallas during the season to compete in events.
Treasurer Austin Gilbert said the van rides have been some of his best memories.
“The comradery — it’s a family. You get to hang out with them and bowl a lot and it’s a lot of fun,” Gilbert added.
The bowling team will be glad to make new memories and break in the new lanes here at home.
