Dust off that bowing ball and get a new shirt embroidered.
A new entertainment center – featuring 34 bowling lanes – could open in Turlock as soon as September 2011.
Central Valley Property Investments, LLC filed an application with the City of Turlock this week to construct the 51,828 sq. ft. Ten Pin Fun Center, planned for a patch of vacant land behind the Rite Aid shopping center at the corner of Crowell Road and Monte Vista Avenue.
“This project will fill a void in the local family entertainment options and satisfy a growing demand for family-based entertainment,” said Rod Scott, managing partner with Central Valley Property Investments, LLC. “We are excited about the overwhelming support and interest this project has received from everyone that has had an opportunity to review the project.”
Once completed, the center will include the aforementioned 34 bowling lanes, a multi-level laser tag arena, an arcade, six banquet rooms for parties, and a sports bar and grill with patio seating. The diverse entertainment complex will even feature some out-of-the-ordinary recreation with two outdoor bocce ball courts.
It’s all part of the plan to offer a bit of something for the entire family, according to Jim Theis with Central Valley Property Investments, LLC.
“We’re trying to make something for everybody and it fit really with everything we’re trying to do,” Theis said.
And every bit of that something looks to be top of the line, with cosmic bowling, the newest arcade games, billiard tables, shuffle board, and regulation-size bocce courts. The sports bar and grill will feature a massive, 8 feet by 32 feet JumboTron screen to enjoy the day’s games.
The site plan allows for additional development as well. The entertainment center would sit at the back corner of the L-shaped parcel, flanked by two 5,000 sq. ft. pads intended for retail or restaurants.
Should the development proceed, it’s expected to be a boon to the Turlock economy, according to Central Valley Property Investments, LLC projections.
Local construction and supply vendors would be employed. Turlock’s sales and property tax revenues would increase. The center would hire 60 employees, with an annual payroll of $1.2 million.
Before construction can begin, however, the project must receive the approval of the Turlock Planning Commission and the Turlock City Council.
The land, once intended for a failed off-campus student housing project, is currently zoned for high-density residential units. Before a commercial development could proceed, developers must secure a General Plan Amendment, a rezone, and a Planned Development.
Rezoning from residential to commercial can be tricky, as the state-required Housing Element, a document which lays out how Turlock will address its housing needs, mandates that cities can not reduce the number of available unit sites below anticipated demand. Turlock planner Katie Melson said that the city already has 350 excess units, created by rezoning from commercial to residential, which should satisfy the Housing Element Requirements.
Melson pointed out that the project must also satisfy its residential neighbors. The developers have already performed a noise study and labored to site driveways so headlights won’t disturb nearby homes.
Residents will soon have a chance to voice their opinion about the plan, with noticed public meetings at the Turlock Planning Commission and the Turlock City Council. Before those meetings, the developer intends to hold an independent community meeting to engage neighbors and address concerns, Melson said.
The entertainment center will come before the Planning Commission at their Nov. 4 meeting. If approved, the Turlock City Council would likely review the project at their Nov. 9 meeting, Melson said.
Should all go according to plan, construction would start March 2011 with a planned completion date of September 2011.
To contact Alex Cantatore, e-mail acantatore@turlockjournal.com or call 634-9141 ext. 2005.
