The facility is like no other in the Dayton area, said Denise Morgan, general manager of Woodman Lanes. “This is the only one in the city,” said Morgan.
The arena can hold up to 26 players at a time. “It’s an 18 minute experience,” Morgan said. Participants can play in 22 different styles of games ranging from free-for-all, team matches, and base battles.
In addition to the laser tag arena, there’s a separate obstacle room. The Laser Frenzy space has several different modes that challenge individuals to twist and turn through a maze of lasers.
“We’re trying to build business during the summer. The majority of bowlers bowl between August to the middle of April,” said Morgan.
Owner and operator Joseph Poelking said he is looking to keep up with the growing trend in the industry. “There’s probably about four centers in Ohio that are doing it, if not more. It’s a growing trend, and we’re seeing it more and more,” said Poelking.
The addition is part of a change to become more of a family entertainment center, rather than just a bowling alley, Poelking said. Last summer, management added a new arcade space. “I know another proprietor that did the same thing. He took so many lanes out and added a laser tag and arcade space. He started to see very positive things come out of that,” said Poelking.
With more business, the bowling alley hopes to add more employees. “We already anticipated adding two to three more staff members and a couple more as we get busier,” Poelking said.
The number of bowling alleys in the Dayton area have decreased in past years.
“When I started 30 years ago, there were 23 centers now we’re down to just 11 or so,”Morgan said. She contributes the central location and the number of bowling leagues to the ally’s success.
The laser tag operation will open at 3 p.m. Friday, June 3 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The event will feature half priced laser tag games and refreshments.
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