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38-558: Main Event was founded in 1998 by Neil Hupfauer and David Smith. The company became a subsidiary of Ardent Leisure in 2006 before its acquisition by competitor Dave & Buster’s in June 2022. Main Event now operates as a family entertainment brand and separately owned unit of the more adult-oriented Dave & Buster's chain. Main Event was founded in 1998 by Neil Hupfauer and David Smith. Ardent Leisure , an Australian company acquired it from

76-716: A special purpose vehicle owned by Goldman Sachs and Balmain Corporation. In December 2017, Ardent sold its to Australian bowling and arcade businesses (AMF, Kingpin and Playtime) to The Entertainment and Education Group for A$ 160 million. In June 2020, RedBird Capital Partners acquired a 24.2% stake in Main Event. On 6 April 2022, competitor Dave & Buster's announced its intent to wholly acquire Main Event from Ardent and RedBird for US$ 835 million (A$ 1.1 billion); former Main Event CEO Chris Morris

114-507: A birthday party or corporate event package. Many locations support bowling leagues . Because many of the AMF-branded bowling centers were acquired from other parties, some centers may use bowling equipment manufactured or distributed by other companies such as Brunswick Bowling & Billiards and Switch International Bowling instead of AMF-branded equipment. The American Machine and Foundry (known after 1970 as AMF, Inc.) moved into

152-539: A new company, 900 Global, purchased the rights to sell customized bowling balls with the AMF logo. In February 2014, the principals of bowling ball manufacturer Storm Products, Inc. made a significant investment in 900 Global. With AMF Bowling's exit from bankruptcy in 2013, the 50% interest in the QubicaAMF joint venture was brought under the control of Bowlmor AMF (now known as Bowlero Corporation ). In December 2014,

190-503: A new water park constructed on the Gold Coast. In July 2007, Macquarie Leisure announced it would acquire Goodlife Health Clubs for $ 60 million. At the time, Goodlife had 18 health clubs across Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales. In August 2009, management of Macquarie Leisure Trust was internalised and it was renamed Ardent Leisure Group, ending its connection with Macquarie Group. In November 2009, Ardent Leisure acquired

228-711: A provider of berth and marina facilities, for A$ 36.3 million . Macquarie Leisure acquired the Cabarita Point Marina for its D'Albora Marinas business in January 2004. In October 2004, Macquarie Leisure acquired AMF Bowling 's Australian business for A$ 67.4 million. In August 2006, it announced that it would acquire the Texas -based family entertainment centre operator Main Event Entertainment . Later that year, it opened WhiteWater World ,

266-548: A smaller footprint in the same market. Main Event Entertainment operates family entertainment centers which feature billiards, bowling, arcade games, virtual reality games, laser tag, miniature golf, gravity ropes course, and karaoke. Main Event offers facilities and services for birthday parties . The company also provides food and beverage, as well as meeting and event space with accommodations for corporate meetings or group gatherings; and event facility rental services. Each Main Event location offers full restaurant services under

304-701: Is an Australian leisure company . It is most known for its operation of the Dreamworld theme park and the WhiteWater World water park on the Gold Coast, Queensland , Australia. Coast Entertainment began in 1998 as Macquarie Leisure Trust, a listed trust managed by Macquarie Leisure Operations, a subsidiary of Macquarie Bank . The trust acquired the existing Dreamworld theme park in July 1998. In November 1999, it purchased d'Albora Marinas,

342-624: The Dreamworld theme park owned by Ardent. The Thunder River Rapids Ride they were travelling on malfunctioned and they were thrown onto a flooded conveyor belt. Criticism was initially levelled when it was proposed to partially re-open Dreamworld for a memorial event, with proceeds going to the Australian Red Cross, on 28 October. This was later cancelled to allow investigations into the incident to continue unimpeded. Dreamworlds CEO Craig Davidson later said that it would not reopen till at least after all four funerals were held. This

380-485: The Great Recession of 2008 eroded AMF's ability to maintain and enhance its 262 existing US bowling centers and meant that people were bowling less often. At the time of the bankruptcy filing, AMF owned 27 bowling centers, leased 186 bowling centers through agreements with iStar Financial, and leased 57 under agreements with various other parties. The 2013 merger brought the remaining US and Mexico centers under

418-629: The QDeck observation deck for A$ 13.3 million. In April 2015, Deborah Thomas , former editor of Cleo and other magazines, was appointed as chief executive officer (CEO) of Ardent Leisure. Thomas was replaced on 9 June 2017 when Simon Kelly was appointed as CEO and Managing Director. In August 2016, Ardent sold the Goodlife Health Clubs business to Quadrant Private Equity for $ 260 million. In December that year, Ardent Leisure sold its d'Albora Marinas division for A$ 126 million to

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456-421: The 1960s and 70s… the typical bowler was a blue collar factory worker who belonged to one or more bowling leagues . Today’s typical bowler comes from a broader swath of the middle-class, and is unlikely to bowl in a league. Non-league bowlers bowl less often. And when they do bowl, they expect nicer amenities – automatic scoring, a variety of food and beverage options, and more attractive facilities.” As evidence of

494-730: The Australian Stock Exchange that three charges had been laid against Ardent. The charges were filed by the Work Health and Safety prosecutor, under the Work Health and Safety Act, at the Brisbane Magistrates Court. The maximum penalty for each charge is A$ 1.5 million . On 29 July 2020, Dreamworld operator Ardent Leisure pleaded guilty to three charges relating to the death of four people on the Thunder River Rapids Ride. In

532-573: The Qubica original founders acquired the 50% interest held by Bowlmor AMF (Bowlero), bringing the manufacturing and marketing of AMF-branded bowling equipment under the full control of QubicaAMF Worldwide. For the history of AMF bowling centres in Australia, see Zone Bowling Australia . In 2017 the company changed owners and was renamed Zone Bowling, or Xtreme Entertainment in New Zealand. For

570-533: The Southport Magistrates Court on 28 September, Magistrate Pam Dowse sentenced Ardent Leisure to a A$ 3.6 million fine. AMF Bowling AMF Bowling ( AMF Bowling Worldwide ) is a major operator of bowling centers and major manufacturer of bowling equipment. The AMF brand continues in use by the following companies: The bowling centers are ten-pin bowling centers where bowling may be purchased per game, per hour, or as part of

608-551: The United States and eight in Mexico passing to Bowlmor AMF at the time of the reorganization. The American Machine and Foundry Pinspotter , developed in 1951 and first marketed in 1952, was one of the first fully automated pinspotters used in quantity in the bowling industry. When Commonwealth Ventures acquired the bowling center and bowling equipment divisions of AMF, Inc. to form AMF Bowling in 1985, its new company

646-433: The average bowling customer”. In 2013, AMF Bowling was brought out of bankruptcy through its merger with Strike Holdings LLC (doing business as the bowling center operator Bowlmor Lanes ), bringing all remaining bowling centers and the 50% interest in the QubicaAMF joint venture under the control of Bowlmor AMF (now known as Bowlero Corporation ). Bowlmor AMF sold its QubicaAMF joint venture interest to Qubica in 2014. At

684-431: The bowling business after World War II , when AMF automated bowling equipment and bowling centers became profitable business ventures, and in subsequent years into many other manufacturing businesses. Aging production facilities and increasing quality control problems in some product lines caused sales declines in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The company's vast diversified output proved difficult to efficiently manage, and

722-536: The bowling center and bowling products divisions, forming AMF Bowling Companies, Inc. (later known as AMF Bowling Worldwide). In 1996 Goldman Sachs paid $ 1.4 billion to buy the company from Commonwealth Ventures. AMF Bowling went public with its listing on the New York Stock Exchange in November 1997. In 1998 its stock price plummeted as losses mounted, so expansion plans were put on hold. In 1999

760-594: The cash component of her yearly bonus, equalling A$ 167,500 , to the Red Cross "... to support people affected by this tragic event". After the AGM, Ardent's share price dropped sharply after the incident, reducing its market capitalisation by A$ 310 million . The findings of the Coroner's report (by Queensland south-eastern coroner James McDougall) were released on 24 February 2020. On 21 July 2020, Ardent announced to

798-578: The cash needed to renovate its centers. The addition of Fair Lanes's 106 bowling centers brought AMF Bowling’s total to 205 centers in the US and 79 overseas. When Goldman Sachs acquired the company in 1996, its strategy was to clean up purchased properties and create a national chain of amusement complexes. That year, the company bought Bowling Corporation of America from closely held Charan Industries, adding 50 more bowling centers. In that same year it purchased 43 centers from American Recreation Centers. In 1997,

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836-486: The company acquired 15 centers from Conbow Corporation. By the start of 1999, AMF Bowling operated 421 centers in the United States, 46 in Australia, 37 in the United Kingdom, and 41 in eight other countries. After emerging from bankruptcy in 2005, the company sold its centers in Australia and the United Kingdom in 2004 and 2005. When it entered bankruptcy for the second time in 2012, the company observed, “In

874-531: The company began to experience losses. Bowling remained quite profitable, however, so the company began a campaign of expansion in this area, spending nearly $ 100 million on acquisitions of bowling centers in 1984 and 1985. In 1985, corporate raider Irwin L. Jacobs 's Minstar, Inc. bought AMF Inc. and began to sell its various business divisions. Commonwealth Venture Partners, a group of private investors in Richmond, Virginia , paid $ 225 million in 1985 to purchase

912-414: The company hired former PepsiCo executive Mark Willoughby to head the bowling center business. Willoughby set out to make AMF Bowling the “ McDonald's of bowling”. The company became the largest owner of bowling centers in the US in 1995 with the acquisition of Fair Lanes , which the year before had been through a leveraged buyout, filed for bankruptcy, and then emerged from it as it struggled to get

950-428: The company in 2004 for $ 670 million to bring it out of bankruptcy. The transaction was financed in part by a $ 254 million sale and lease-back of 186 bowling centers to iStar Financial. Shortly after, the company began shedding its “non-core, foreign assets” to focus on improving the operations of its remaining centers. Fred Hipp, the former California Pizza Kitchen top executive who became President and CEO in 2004, said

988-566: The completion of the sale to the latter company, and the Summit brand ceased to exist. On April 6, 2022, Dave & Buster's announced its intent to acquire Main Event for $ 835 million, with Main Event's CEO Chris Morris becoming the chief executive of the combined company. Outgoing interim CEO Kevin Sheehan considered Main Event to be complementary to the main Dave & Buster's chain, citing that

1026-432: The control of a new entity, Bowlmor AMF (now known as Bowlero Corporation ), making it the largest owner and operator of bowling centers in the United States. In the three years prior to the reorganization, AMF Bowling had closed nine owned US centers and 33 leased US centers due to "declining operating performance, unattractive options to renew leases, or an attractive sales opportunity." That left 257 AMF bowling centers in

1064-469: The decision was made to downsize. By 2000 the company was more than $ 1 billion in debt and was delisted. AMF Bowling entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the first time in April 2001, stating that it had “overextended itself by acquiring 260 additional bowling centers that it had struggled to manage,” and that the demand for bowling products had decreased. Private equity firm Code Hennessy & Simmons bought

1102-489: The formation of AMF Bowling in 1986, Commonwealth Ventures acquired the 110 AMF-owned bowling centers in the United States and abroad, as well as the 22 centers owned by one of the partners in Commonwealth Ventures, Major League Bowling Corp. Commonwealth then spent nearly $ 500 million revitalizing the bowling center business with a focus on expanding the appeal of bowling to league and casual bowlers. In 1991

1140-643: The founders in 2006. In 2018, Chris Morris replaced Charlie Keegan as president and CEO of the company. In June 2020, Ardent Leisure sold a 24.2% stake in the company to RedBird Capital Partners. In early 2022, Main Event completed its acquisition of Summit Entertainment Centers, a Colorado -based arcade, bowling and entertainment center chain with three locations that were located in Windsor , Thornton , and Colorado Springs . The former Summit locations almost immediately started remodeling and transitioning to Main Event branding, arcade game cards, and signage after

1178-410: The name Family Kitchen , with items like appetizers, pizza, hamburgers, salads, and unique desserts. Each location also has a full-service bar, serving beer, wine, mixed drinks, and a bar menu. Despite having a generally more family-oriented target demographic, Main Event has adopted the same policies as Dave & Buster’s, where individuals under the age of 18 or 21 (varies by location) may only enter

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1216-529: The premises with a guardian who is at least 25 years of age, the latter of whom is strictly required to only bring a maximum of six (6) underage patrons in the same party. Certain locations, regardless of whether they are branded as a D&B or Main Event, have a strict curfew policy which requires patrons under the age of 21 to vacate the premises by 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday evenings. Ardent Leisure Coast Entertainment Holdings Limited (formerly Ardent Leisure Group and Macquarie Leisure Trust )

1254-558: The shift, the company noted that, “according to the United States Bowling Congress , in 1998 the nation’s three largest league bowling organizations had over 4.1 million members. Just a decade later, membership had declined by 36% to 2.6 million.” To respond to the change in the average bowling customer, AMF constructed nine upscale 300 Centers with “high-end bars and lounges designed with a modern décor” that drew “significant business through group events.” However,

1292-435: The strategy would now be to “bring as much focus as possible to the management of our core U.S. center and bowling products businesses." In 2005, AMF Bowling's products division and Italian-based Qubica Worldwide formed a 50/50 joint venture, QubicaAMF Worldwide . AMF Bowling went into Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the second time in November 2012. In its filing the company cited the challenge of adjusting to “the marked shift in

1330-438: The two chains were positioned towards different demographics (families and young adults respectively), and that Main Event had a focus on larger-scale activities and attractions. The acquisition was completed in June 2022; Sheehan, who became chairman at that time, stated that larger Dave & Buster's locations could be converted to Main Event to take better advantage of their floorspace, and be supplanted by D&B locations with

1368-454: Was already a major manufacturer of pinspotters , bowling pins, bowling balls , ball returns, lane surfaces, automatic scoring equipment , and other bowling equipment. In 2005, AMF Bowling's equipment division and Italian-based Qubica Worldwide formed a 50/50 joint venture, QubicaAMF Worldwide . The partnership combined Qubica's expertise in automatic scoring technology and AMF Bowling's technology in lane equipment and pinspotters. In 2007,

1406-420: Was decided by Ardent CEO Deborah Thomas . By coincidence Ardent's annual general meeting (AGM) was scheduled for 27 October, two days after the accident. During the meeting CEO Deborah Thomas was criticised for not having directly contacted all the families of those killed. She was also criticised over her bonuses, totalling about $ 850,000, which were voted on at the AGM. Thomas later said that she would give

1444-736: Was retained, and was made the CEO of Dave and Buster’s. Ardent Leisure changed its name to Coast Entertainment Holdings in December 2023. Ardent Leisure began as the company which owned and operated the Dreamworld theme park on the Gold Coast. Dreamworld was acquired in July 1998 - within a month of its establishment. The theme park has over 30 rides, shows and attractions across a 30-hectare (74-acre) park. In December 2006, an adjacent water park to Dreamworld opened. WhiteWater World features 14 different water attractions including some Australian firsts. On 25 October 2016, four people were killed at

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