by Randy Ooney
My Nickel’s Worth by Randy Ooney
Xtreme
About 31 years ago, the Mdewakanton Dakota Nation of Native Americans opened a small Bingo Hall south of Hastings near Welch Minnesota. The bingo hall grew into a full fledged casino with table games, slot machines, and night club acts. It was a nice place to visit, but there were a number of Native American Casinos in Minnesota, so to obtain another feature, the Treasure Island Xtreme bowling center was added. It is a wonderfully designed 24 lane center and was excellently managed by Dave Langer, followed by John Foss, and now we are greeted with the friendly smiling face of Bob Micek.
I competed in several MSC tournaments there and enjoyed the scoring condition, but now there is BIG news on the horizon! First, the Midwest Senior Classic will be holding their year end tournament at the Xtreme on May 31. In order to compete, you need to have participated in at least three tournaments during the 2014/15 season.
Coming this year in July, the PBA 50 tournament will take place beginning July 19 with the popular Pro-Am event. It is a 9 pin no tap format, and you will be paired with a different pro for each of three games. It’s great to be able to bowl with the pros, close up for a reasonable cost, (around $40.00) but if you have reached the ripe old age of 50 and have $500.00 or so that you don’t know what to do with, I am sure Mr. Micek can hook you up with a tournament entry. I will be a spectator but will be available to sign autographs. I am reluctant to enter the tournament for the simple reason that I am not as good as Walter Ray Williams Jr., Parker Bohn III, Norm Duke, or Sam Lantto; not to mention that I already had a driver’s license when those guys were born.
“The ladies are coming, The ladies are coming!” The PWBA has announced a tournament stop at Treasure Island Xtreme during the third week of August this year. I believe it runs from August 20-22, with their pro am after the event on Sunday August 23. Spots are filling up fast, I have my reservation and will also be a spectator, in case you did not get my autograph at the PBA50 event. There are also clinics being conducted with Walter Ray Williams Jr. (PBA50 event) and Kelly Kulick (PWBA event).
Thank you Treasure Island for bringing the pros to Minnesota, and thank you Bob Micek for the ton of work you do to assure that everything runs smoothly. The island is stocked with many of those adult games that you put money in and maybe get more back, but adjacent to the bowling center is a large room where you or your young ones can put money in and maybe win a prize. They are too complicated for me. I set video games aside after I beat the ninth key in Pac-Man. Good Luck!
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