Lehigh Lanes owners Chris Keane and Dennis Bush. PROVIDED

Lehigh Lanes, a landmark of fun for more than 60 years in Lehigh Acres, is undergoing a massive renovation that will put the center on the cutting edge of the latest pinsetter technology in the bowling industry. At the heart of the renovation is the installation of USBC-approved QubicaAMF EDGE String Pinsetters.

“Like most bowlers, we were skeptical of these string pins at the start,” said Chris Keane, one of the partners of Lehigh Lanes. “But after bowling on them in January, all our doubts were quickly erased.”

Now just a few weeks later, Keane and his partner Dennis Bush were busy preparing for the biggest remodel ever for the center with all 12 lanes getting the EDGE String Pinsetters.

“We’re excited for the future knowing that these machines will deliver a better experience with more reliability than our 60-year-old AMF 82-70 mechanical pinsetters,” said Bush. “As owners, we also love the string pinsetters because they use fewer parts and need appreciably less maintenance.”

The project, to remove the old machines and install the new string pinsetters, was completed last month. The owners used this time to also update carpeting and furnishings so the center has a completely fresh look. The project is estimated to cost approximately $300,000.

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Keane, who knows there will be resistance from some bowlers, said he feels confident most will become believers of the new technology once they’ve bowled on the lanes.

“These machines are so advanced that it’s virtually impossible to know there are strings attached to the pins.”

String pinsetters were approved for use in-center by the United States Bowling Congress, the national governing body for the sport of bowling, in April 2023.

“We’re excited to be hosting a PBA50 (seniors) Regional event in May,” said Keane, himself a member of the PBA50. “These guys want to compete and they have no problem doing so with the string pinsetters.”

The non-title event runs May 16-18. This means Lehigh Lanes will go down in bowling history as the first center ever to host a PBA event on all string pinsetters.

Out with the old. The AMF 82-70 mechanical pinsetters have been replaced by state-of-the-art USBC-approved QubicaAMF EDGE String Pinsetters. PROVIDED

“Our commitment to our bowlers and the residents of the area has never been stronger,” Bush said. “We want to Lehigh Lanes to be their place for competitive as well as fun entertainment for decades to come.”

Lehigh Lanes is at 1244 Business Way. Keane and Bush have co-owned the facility since 2019. They can be reached at 239-369-5817. For more information, visit lehighlanes.com or follow Lehigh Lanes on FACEBOOK.

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USBC-approved QubicaAMF EDGE String Pinsetters. PROVIDED