A New York Center's Investment Reaps Rewards: Spark at Maple Lanes RVC
As seen in IBI (International Bowling Industry) magazine, May 2023, in an Interactive Scoring story by Corrie Pelc.
In late 2022, Maple Lanes RVC in Rockville Centre, New York, installed an immersive, interactive scoring experience for guests. According to Joe LaSpina, vice president of Maple Family Centers, they're traditional bowling operators who consistently look for new ways to upgrade the customer experience. The team chose Spark® by Brunswick, adding games and animations projected directly onto six of their 34 lanes.
"We have a lot of league bowling and a lot of traditional bowling," LaSpina explains. "Spark was cool because we could enhance the casual side of the business without having to change anything about the building. We didn't have to remove lanes. We could live in both worlds… It lets us do both."
Key takeaways from the article:
- Longer visits, more spending. Spark has increased dwell time, which lifts spending in other areas of the center like concessions. "We're seeing many people buy one hour and then buy a second hour. And then that second hour — there's nothing more profitable than the next paid game of bowling — all your fixed costs are paid for."
- Premium party packages. "We've been able to enhance our parties at a higher price point for a premium Spark package; we usually sell out the Spark lanes every party session every weekend," LaSpina says. "At a higher price point that customers are happy to pay because it's an enhanced experience."
- A staff engagement tool. All Maple Lanes staff received a tutorial on how to instruct guests. "We proactively get the staff on the lanes to play because they'll do a better job teaching customers how to do it. Even our older, more traditional employees play on Spark, and they all love it." Training a guest takes about 10 seconds.
- A marketing data engine. The ultimate goal is collecting emails from Spark bowlers for the marketing list. "The more customer data we can get from them, the better. These guests want to hear from us and get their pictures as memories from their visit."
Read the full story from IBI magazine here.
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Maple Lanes RVC runs a significant league and traditional bowling program. Spark let them enhance the casual side of the business without pulling lanes or changing the building — as LaSpina puts it, they could live in both worlds without disrupting their existing business model.
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Guests stay longer, which increases spending in areas like concessions. LaSpina notes that many guests buy one hour and then a second—and that second hour is highly profitable because fixed costs are already covered.
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Yes. Maple Lanes created a premium Spark party package at a higher price point, and the Spark lanes typically sell out every party session each weekend—demand guests are happy to pay for because the experience is enhanced.
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Very little. Staff received a tutorial after installation, and showing a guest the various features and how to access the games takes about 10 seconds. Maple Lanes also encourages staff to play on the lanes so they can confidently teach guests.