I live and bowl in Columbus, Ohio.  Our city council is going to vote Monday on a complete city wide smoking ban that will include all public buildings,plus all bars and bowling alleys.  As you can imagine, it is a hot debate.  The center I bowl at for my summer sport condition league on Thursday nights, left  nasty mean spirited letters on all the tables in favor of smokers rights.  Basicaly saying that if you can't stand second hand smoke, you should find another activity.  It also stated that a traditional three hour league was to long for partons to go without a smoke.  I personally don't smoke, but I wouldn't let that stop me from bowling.  To all you smokers out there, I am curious.  Will a smoking ban in bowling centers also kill your desire to bowl?  Seems like the centers are really worried about their bottom line, over and above the health risk of second hand smoke does present.

Personally, I would like to have a smoking ban! My whole family smokes, and Im used to it, but it gets old. Especially when I go to do the thing I love, to go bowling, and have to deal with it there to. I know smokers would raise all heck if they tried to ban it here!
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16 years and still going strong! 16 years old that is! The names Warrior Princess, Xena..Warrior Princess
And why would I "saw" pins in half, THATS A WASTE OF PINS!

If a proprietor left a letter like that for me, I believe I would have to thank them for addressing what activities I should choose to be participating in...and then seek out something outside of that center or any owned by the proprietor.

Hell, I walked away from bowling once, I could do it again.

The difference between smoking and non-smoking centers is dramatic...it really is nice to finish bowling and know the only funk to wash away is the dirt from the lanes.  The stench from cigarette smoke is absolutely sickening.

I don't think I've ever come home reaking of smoke, and I can't remember that smell on my dad in over 15 years.  We've never bowled in a non smoking house.  Maybe the answer is better air purifiers/ventilation systems.  

I don't have a problem if a proprieter CHOOSES to ban smoking, but it should be up to him how he wants to run his business.  A suburb up here recently tried to ban smoking everywhere except bars and Cigar shops.  Well, there is a bar a few doors down from the cigar shop (one of the largest in the state) but since they sell food, he would have to ban smoking.  WEll a huge amount of his business comes from that cigar shop.  He took them to court and he won.  

Why shouldn't a business owner be concerned with their bottom line?  If you operate in the red long enough you go out of business and then no one can use your services.  By forcing a ban like this, you take away any competive advantage you can gain by either allowing, or not allowing smoking.  It's differentiation and it's good for all business.