Sun City West launches resident-only Saturday bowling; 'red pin' payouts ending

**** Rhodes, chairman of the Sports Pavilion and Bowling Committee, said committee members approved the March 12 minutes and then moved to staff reports that included an operational change for the bowling center. Gary Zarek, a sports pavilion and bowling staff member, announced the committee will eliminate the alternating "Red Pin" event and start a resident-only Saturday night bowling league at 5 p.m., with a 24-team no-tap format and Lanes 1 through 6 reserved for open bowling on those nights.

The change is intended to increase resident access after committee members and staff heard repeated complaints that nonresidents sometimes filled league slots. "So, we are, eliminating Red Pin, and we are starting a resident only bowling league on Friday night I'm sorry, Saturday nights at 5PM. We are going to do a 24 team no tap league, and we are gonna leave Lanes 1 Through 6 open for residents who may wanna come in and open bowl," Zarek said.

The new resident-only program will run as two 13-week sessions that will operate on the opposite weeks of the charter club currently using Saturday nights; sign-ups for the September session will begin in April. Zarek said specifics on prize formats and weekly distributions will be decided by the league organizers before the session begins: "We will decide on exactly what the format will be when we have a meeting before the league starts, and then they will decide what we're gonna do as far as the money that we're going to give back to the league bowlers." The staff will return to standard league operations in May with summer leagues after most winter leagues finish.

Residents and committee members spoke in favor of the change during the meeting. Resident Ron Sperazzo asked whether the new resident league would run every other week because of an existing charter club; Zarek replied the two 13-week sessions "will run on the opposite week of when Bob Bauer's Charter Club is." Committee member Sherry said the bowling programs had a strong year and praised staff: "From the bowling perspective, I think it's been a successful year...the staff that Gary, we had 1 of our mechanics who had to resign, and he was replaced by another mechanic. And he seems to be doing a stellar job." Committee member Ms. Card also praised the Saturday resident initiative as a response to availability complaints.

Staff reports earlier in the meeting noted overall play is up about 3–4 percent year to date, nonleague games are increasing, and the pool room has been especially busy, likely reflecting spring training visitors. Zarek said the center expects a modest dip in April as winter leagues end, with summer leagues resuming in May 2025.

Votes at a glance: The committee "approved" the minutes of the March 12 meeting as presented; no mover/second or roll-call tally was recorded in the transcript.

The changes are operational and will be implemented by pavilion staff; the committee did not record a separate formal motion on the resident-only league during the meeting.