Rec center director proposes converting old bowling alley into laser‑tag arena

Steph, the recreation center director, told the Fletcher County Fiscal Court on July 21 she would like to convert the rec center’s old bowling alley into a laser‑tag arena to create revenue and offer an activity for local youth. “I wanted to introduce the idea of turning the old bowling alley in the rec center into a laser tag arena,” she said. She told the court the room is the right size and already set up for black lights, and she has been in contact with at least one vendor. The director said the conversion could support birthday parties and corporate events and “bring revenue from outside the county into the county.” The proposal would charge separate admission rather than include the activity in membership fees, she said. The director described current party income as roughly $500 for a typical children’s party, and said a laser‑tag party would produce higher receipts; she stated, “Average income for a party with a laser tag would be somewhere 3 to 500,” and added prices had not been finalized. Court members praised the idea and asked Steph to “put some information together” with hard cost and revenue numbers so the court could consider the project at a later meeting. No formal vote or appropriation was taken July 21. The court’s direction was limited to asking staff to return with a written estimate of installation costs, operating assumptions (hours, party packages, concessions), and expected recurring revenue so the court can evaluate whether the project is self‑supporting or requires subsidy. The rec center director emphasized potential benefits for teenagers and for attracting visitors; court members emphasized the need for concrete cost figures before any commitment. The court did not set a timeline for a follow‑up presentation.