What’s in a name? For the person who suggests the winning moniker for a new bowling alley to be constructed in Oak Bluffs, it could be worth dinner and a free evening of bowling for four people.
Developer and architect Sam Dunn is building a 13,500-square-foot bowling alley/entertainment center on Uncas Avenue, at the edge of the town’s business district. He and his partners, landowner Barry Reeves and real estate advisor Bob Sawyer, decided they would ask Islanders for some feedback and suggestions before they make a final decision on the bowling center’s name.
“The idea was to let the community be involved in deciding this,” Mr. Dunn said. “We’re hoping it will generate some interest.”
To vote, use the link, https://apps.facebook.com/my-polls/lvwkmk or visit the Facebook page, “Bowling Center on Martha’s Vineyard,” and click on “vote for name.”
The name choices include MV Bowl, Vineyard Bowl, Bowl MV, OB Bowl, and Cottage City Bowl. If none of those strike anyone’s fancy, there is a box marked “other” where people can type in their own suggestions.
Based on the poll, Mr. Dunn said that he, Mr. Reeves, and Mr. Sawyer will pick a winner from the first group of names, and also select one from those suggested by the community.
The two final selections will be put to a final vote, again on Facebook. If the winning name is suggested by someone in the community, that person and three guests will be treated to dinner and an evening of bowling at the new center.
“My personal favorite so far is OB Bowl,” Mr. Dunn said. “I think it has great alliteration and would lend itself to a really cool logo.”
“But people have been coming up to me and making some fun suggestions, though, that we never thought of,” he added.
The bowling alley/entertainment center will house 10 bowling lanes, a bar, a restaurant, two golf simulators, a game room, an event room and two apartments that will qualify as affordable housing. The new facility will replace a long-vacant laundromat, demolished in May. Perhaps that will inspire a few contest participants to work the word “suds” into their entries.
The Martha’s Vineyard Commission approved the bowling alley project in March, with conditions regarding sound and light mitigation, landscaping, and limited use of the function room. The Oak Bluffs selectmen approved Mr. Dunn’s liquor license application on March 25.
At the selectmen’s June 9 meeting, a group of abutters of the Uncas Avenue property asked that all construction be halted until September 15. As a compromise, the selectmen voted to allow construction to continue from 8 am to 4 pm, Monday through Thursday, during the summer months.
Mr. Dunn previously told The Times that his goal is to have the bowling alley open by the holidays.
