I heard the bowling division was bought.
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OLI - USAF Retired and Pro Shop Operator

Have yall heard about this too:

AMF TO LICENSE BRAND NAME TO COLUMBIA

     San Antonio, Texas (May 5, 2003) - Columbia Industries, Inc. confirmed
today that it has been licensed by AMF Bowling Products to manufacture and
market AMF bowling balls, bags, pro shop accessories and other bowling
consumer products.

     The agreement was signed May 5, 2003 and is effective July 1, 2003.
The agreement was signed for five years with an additional five years based
on performance achievements.  Financial terms were not disclosed.  AMF
Consumer Products will operate as a division of Columbia Industries, Inc.

     Columbia Industries, Inc. will be organizing a team of professional
sales and marketing personnel to act autonomously in the sale of AMF
branded consumer products.  This management team, operating out of the San
Antonio, Texas area, will assemble and carry out its own strategic business
plan.  One of the team's first duties will be to establish a global
distribution network and outline a timetable for new product introductions.

      "Our plans are to manufacture, market and support a full line of AMF-
branded products," commented  Mike Allbritton, president of Columbia
Industries, Inc.  We will be totally committed to growing the AMF branded
business with all the resources and experience of over 40 years in the
manufacture and distribution of consumer products".

     "We are also fully committed to our distributor network, so we've made
the decision to utilize those distributors for the sale of AMF products"
continued Allbritton.  "Columbia's entire business culture is very much
relationship-based which has worked to the advantage of all our business
partners, from our employees to our vendors right through to our
customers".

     "Columbia has been a great partner for AMF as an innovative, high-
quality supplier who we think will continue making an excellent AMF-branded
product and be able to support the brand in the way it deserves," said Ron
Wood, General Manager of AMF's Consumer and Support Products Division.  "We
have no manufacturing capability, so this agreement should allow us to
effectively exploit AMF's tremendous brand equity with the potential for
profitability growth for both companies".

     Columbia Industries, Inc. is a privately held company located in San
Antonio, Texas.  The company has been manufacturing quality bowling balls
for over 40 years and is considered to have the most extensive research &
development capabilities in the world.

     During the transitional stage, periodic updates will be submitted.  In
the meantime, for further information call 1-877-430-0263 (1-877-4300AMF)
or submit inquiries by email to info@amf300.com.


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Money is no object to me because I dont have any...

OLI

From what I have heard it was Tom Hicks of the Texas Rangers/Dallas Stars and some other people.  I can't confirm that or just exactly what they bought.  I knew that last month Columbia had taken over the AMF brand name marketing for balls and equipment.  From what I have heard is that AMF managers are in Vegas at a big meeting.  No word other than that or what impact it will have on the industry.

Smash49
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Smash49
robert@bowlersslidesock.com
www.bowlersslidesock.com

I heard rumors of it from a distributor.  No names were given at the time. There was talk about them closing some centers.  It is not public knowledge. Haven't seen or heard of any articles.
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OLI - USAF Retired and Pro Shop Operator

Edited on 7/10/2003 4:10 PM

There was an article in Bowlers Journal a few months ago about a businessman in Dallas that was starting up a bowing center management company. In that article he mentioned that their plan was also to own something like one hundred centers within the next few years. The article also mentioned that at the Dallas Tour Stop, this gentlemen met with Mark Cuban and had discussed possibly doing business together. He has a ton of money so I wouldn't doubt it if he was the one that bought all of the AMF centers. I feel that this would be excellent for the bowling industry.

Being from the Dallas area, the group from Dallas was the first thing I thought of. I know the guy who in charge of this group and prior to working for this investment company he ran the most popular center in Dallas. I have mixed emotions to some extent with the guy though. He had great leagues and more open play than he could handle on many nights. But..when it came to working with the local associations and their city tournaments he dictated what lanes and how many you could use on each squad and they were not all the same. This is a big center with something like 48 lanes or more and on some squads he would only give us 16 lanes. SO the men have never bowled there. I have also heard rumors that the previous Mavericks owner is also involved as well as Cuban, so Hicks could be also. Hey at least a good rumor if nothing else.