Bolera Caribe
Encyclopedia
Bolera Caribe is a bowling center located in barrio Coto Laurel
in the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico
, where bowling competitions for the 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games
(CACG) were held. The venue is located at the intersection of PR-506 and PR-52. The Center is owned by Bolera Caribe, Inc., a private company. The bowling center was inaugurated in November 2004.
of Ponce. As the 1990s progressed, the neighboorhood where the Bolera was located showed signs of aging and began to decay
. This was a problem for the company, as it was inconsistent with the image it wanted to portray and the type of clientele it was seeking to continue attracting.
Due to overcrowding in the area, parking also became a problem for the Bolera. Thus, as overflow, guests made use of the parking area of a shopping plaza across the street from the Bolera. However, this resulted in several breakins
that gave the Bolera a bad reputation as an entertainment destination. To solve the problem, the company attempted to sell the building and move elsewhere, but no buyer could be found. The business continued to lose revenue for several years. And a result the bowling alley opted for closing down while seeking another location. It closed down in the late 1990s, leaving the old building vacant.
architectural firm that built the Center for Molecular and Comparative Medicine at the Ponce School of Medicine
, the 16-story Torre Chardón office tower in San Juan's Plaza Las Américas
, and the underground Urban Train
Río Piedras University Station. The building consists of 2500 square meters of space.
of bowling competitions for the 21st Central American and Caribbean Games
. The bowling venue is in regulatory compliance with the World Tenpin Bowling Association
(WTBA) standards, which helped get it approved as "the official stage for the upcoming bowling competitions of the XXI Central American and Caribbean Games to be held in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico in July 2010." The Games were celebrated from July 17 to August 1, 2010, in the city of Mayagüez
, and the schedule of events showed when Games wwere played at the Bolera . The bowling center has a capacity of 300 Game espectators. The facilities were offered to the CACG Organizing Committee by the Mayor of Ponce, María Meléndez
, in April 2010: "The events of canoeing, rowing, and bowling will take place in the Ciudad Señorial
, this last one at Bolera Caribe."
Coto Laurel
Coto Laurel is one of the 31 barrios of the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Along with Anón, Marueño, Guaraguao, Quebrada Limon, Real, and San Patricio, and the coastal barrios of Canas and Capitanejo, Coto Laurel is one of the municipality's nine bordering barrios...
in the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
, where bowling competitions for the 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games
2010 Central American and Caribbean Games
The 21st Central American and Caribbean Games took place in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, from July 18, 2010 to August 1, 2010.-Bid:...
(CACG) were held. The venue is located at the intersection of PR-506 and PR-52. The Center is owned by Bolera Caribe, Inc., a private company. The bowling center was inaugurated in November 2004.
History
The Bolera de Ponce, as Bolera Caribe was previously called, was inaugurated in Ponce in the mid 1950s in the Mariani sector of barrio PrimeroPrimero (Ponce)
Primero is one of the 31 barrios of the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Together with Segundo, Tercero, Cuarto, Quinto, and Sexto, Primero is one the municipality's six core urban barrios.-Location:...
of Ponce. As the 1990s progressed, the neighboorhood where the Bolera was located showed signs of aging and began to decay
Urban decay
Urban decay is the process whereby a previously functioning city, or part of a city, falls into disrepair and decrepitude...
. This was a problem for the company, as it was inconsistent with the image it wanted to portray and the type of clientele it was seeking to continue attracting.
Due to overcrowding in the area, parking also became a problem for the Bolera. Thus, as overflow, guests made use of the parking area of a shopping plaza across the street from the Bolera. However, this resulted in several breakins
Burglary
Burglary is a crime, the essence of which is illicit entry into a building for the purposes of committing an offense. Usually that offense will be theft, but most jurisdictions specify others which fall within the ambit of burglary...
that gave the Bolera a bad reputation as an entertainment destination. To solve the problem, the company attempted to sell the building and move elsewhere, but no buyer could be found. The business continued to lose revenue for several years. And a result the bowling alley opted for closing down while seeking another location. It closed down in the late 1990s, leaving the old building vacant.
New building and location
In 2007, the company found a suitable location for its new bowling center at the intersection of routes PR-506 and PR-52, which provided easy access to Ponce and towns nearby, thus providing it greater exposure as well. Given its new location the Bolera shed its Ponce-only roots and became more of a regional entertainment venue. In light of this, its name was also changed from Bolera de Ponce to Bolera Caribe, thus reflecting its newly expanded business territory. Caribe means Caribbean in Spanish. This name change was appropriate because not only the city of Ponce but all of its neighboring towns are on the shores of the Caribbean. The new bowling center was part of Mayor Churumba's plan for providing an entertainment venue in that part of the municipality. The venue is currently the only bowling center in the entire Caribbean coast of Puerto Rico.Building
The new Bolera Caribe was designed by CMA Architects & Engineers LLP, the same Puerto RicanPuerto Rican people
A Puerto Rican is a person who was born in Puerto Rico.Puerto Ricans born and raised in the continental United States are also sometimes referred to as Puerto Ricans, although they were not born in Puerto Rico...
architectural firm that built the Center for Molecular and Comparative Medicine at the Ponce School of Medicine
Ponce School of Medicine
Ponce School of Medicine is a private medical school located in the city of Ponce in Puerto Rico, U.S. The school is accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education , and classified as a United States Medical School...
, the 16-story Torre Chardón office tower in San Juan's Plaza Las Américas
Plaza Las Américas
Plaza Las Américas is a shopping mall in Hato Rey, San Juan, Puerto Rico, located at the intersection of Routes 18 and 22. It is near the Roberto Clemente Coliseum, the Hiram Bithorn Stadium, and the WKAQ-TV's studios. "Plaza", as it is known to many Puerto Ricans, was the first indoor mall built...
, and the underground Urban Train
Tren Urbano
The Tren Urbano — or Urban Train in English — is a fully automated rapid transit that serves the metropolitan area of San Juan, which includes the municipalities of San Juan, Bayamón and Guaynabo. It is electrified by third rail at 750 V DC...
Río Piedras University Station. The building consists of 2500 square meters of space.
Facilities
The facility includes:- Twenty-four synthetic lanes with Brunswick GSX equipment
- Tournament space for up to 300 spectators
- Billiard room
- Game room
- Cafeteria
- Private conference room with capacity for 25
- A restaurant called Café Caribe Restaurant-Bar & Grill
Economics
The facility was built at a cost of USD$6 million. Current estimates show this company has an annual revenue of $130,000 and employs a staff of approximately two employees. The Bolera is the venue for the Ponce Bowling Club Bowling League, and other leagues.Central American and Caribbean Games
The bowling center was the venueSport venue
Sport venue is an arena, a stadium or similar building in which a sporting competition is held.-Types of sports venues:*Sport hall*Motorsport venues *Horse racing venues *Swimming pool*Shooting range*Bullring...
of bowling competitions for the 21st Central American and Caribbean Games
2010 Central American and Caribbean Games
The 21st Central American and Caribbean Games took place in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, from July 18, 2010 to August 1, 2010.-Bid:...
. The bowling venue is in regulatory compliance with the World Tenpin Bowling Association
World Tenpin Bowling Association
The World Tenpin Bowling Association of the Fédération Internationale des Quilleurs is a Ten-pin bowling organisation which independently formulates its own policies, which may not conflict with FIQ Statutes...
(WTBA) standards, which helped get it approved as "the official stage for the upcoming bowling competitions of the XXI Central American and Caribbean Games to be held in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico in July 2010." The Games were celebrated from July 17 to August 1, 2010, in the city of Mayagüez
Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
Mayagüez is the eighth-largest municipality of Puerto Rico. Originally founded as "Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria" it is also known as "La Sultana del Oeste" , "Ciudad de las Aguas Puras" , or "Ciudad del Mangó"...
, and the schedule of events showed when Games wwere played at the Bolera . The bowling center has a capacity of 300 Game espectators. The facilities were offered to the CACG Organizing Committee by the Mayor of Ponce, María Meléndez
María Meléndez
Dr. María Eloisa Meléndez Altieri, also known as Mayita, is the current mayor of the city of Ponce, Puerto Rico. She was elected during the Puerto Rican general elections of 2008, becoming the first woman elected to the office in Ponce's political history...
, in April 2010: "The events of canoeing, rowing, and bowling will take place in the Ciudad Señorial
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
, this last one at Bolera Caribe."