A state bowling tournament is bringing a few thousand people to Oak Ridge and Knoxville for two weekends in February and one weekend in March. Above, teams bowl in the Tennessee State USBC Bowling Association 69th Annual Handicap Tournament at the Oak Ridge Bowling Center on Saturday, Feb. 27, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

A state bowling tournament is bringing close to 2,000 bowlers to Oak Ridge and Knoxville for the last two weekends in February and the first weekend in March.

It’s the Tennessee State USBC Bowling Association 69th Annual Handicap Tournament.

The team events are at Oak Ridge Bowling Center on South Illinois Avenue in Oak Ridge, and the singles and doubles events are at Strike and Spare on Western Avenue in Knoxville.

Officials estimated there are between 1,400 and 1,800 bowlers participating. Add in local bowlers on sub lists, and the total is probably close to 2,000, they said. Plus, many bowlers bring others with them, including family members, and they’re staying in area hotels, eating at local restaurants, and taking children to see tourist attractions like the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge and American Museum of Science and Energy.

“This is phenomenal for Oak Ridge,” said Craig Porter, general manager at the Oak Ridge Bowling Center. It also helps Knoxville, he said. [Read more…]