“National Bowling Stadium” by Bryce Edwards, used under CC BY 2.0 / Cropped from original
Often referred to as the “Taj Mahal of Tenpins,” the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, NV is the only facility of its kind dedicated to bowling. Built in 1995, the 363,000 square foot ten-pin bowling stadium has a 4-story lobby, holds a capacity of 1100 guests, and is most recognizable for its 80-foot aluminum geodesic dome made to resemble a large bowling ball.
It was constructed in part to boost tourism to Reno through a renovation effort of downtown Reno which also included the construction of the Silver Legacy Resort Casino. When the National Bowling Stadium officially opened in 1995, it hosted 100,000 members of the American Bowling Congress for their 100th anniversary (source).
The stadium also boasts the following features:
- 78 championship lanes
- Lane 81 Pro (Gift) Shop
- The longest video screen in the world capable of projecting video images and state-of-the-art scoring graphics across 440 feet
- 172-seat I-WERKS theater on the 5th floor, capable of accommodating 70mm films
- Six channel digital surround sound audio system
- C.A.T.S. (Computer Aided Tracking System) Practice Lane to analyze bowlers’ games
- Open and versatile design, can be covered and converted to convention space
- An onsite stadium club called the Kingpin Club by Brunswick with 10 professional lanes and multiple HD flat screens located off the first floor lobby
- A full sports bar
- 300-space parking garage
Filmography
The National Bowling Stadium has been utilized as a filming location for several feature films. In the 1996 comedy Kingpin, the National Bowling Stadium was used as the location of the final face-off between Bill Murray and Woody Harrelson’s characters.
The stadium was also used in the Michael J. Fox and Kirk Douglas film Greedy, and Billy Crystal and Robin Williams also bowled at the stadium while they were in Reno filming the comedy Fathers’ Day (source).
360° Tours
Check out these 360° tours of the National Bowling Stadium:
Outside National Bowling Stadium
The Lobby of National Bowling Stadium
The Lanes At National Bowling Stadium
If you are looking for a one-of-a-kind bowling facility to use as a filming location for your next production, be sure to check out the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, NV! For more information and pictures, you can view the full National Bowling Stadium filming location details here and don’t forget to register your project!