First, if you bowl the 11:30PM D/S Squad, the parking booth for the lot directly across from the Convention Center entrance is closed at about 8:30PM.  My doubles partner and I entered the lot about 9:30PM, no problems push the buttob and get the ticket, the gate opens.  

A couple of our group members went to the gate a little later and some guy told them it would cost $10.  It just didn't sound right since the night before, 5PM entry with the booth open, the cost was $7.  They backed out and parked in the parking structure across 2nd St.

I bowled the BTM the next day and had to return to the Convention Center to ship my equipment with Bowling Ball Express.  When I entered the parking lot, I did inform the guard about what had happened.  They have security cameras and will be trying to catch the scammer.  I told him most people bowling that squad would not be back since D/S is the last event for the bowlers, so it may not have been the first time.

2nd - If you are using Bowling Ball Express, don't ship just one ball.  I shipped 4 from the Los Angeles area and the cost was $49.  I took one ball with me on the plane.  I decided I would ship all 5 back and the cost would have been $75.  I questioned the cost and was told the single balls are more costly to ship, $29.  I cancelled the single ball and took it home on the plane, the 4 balls shipped back to my home was only $47.

Just wanted to share the lessons I learned off the lanes - on the lanes, no comment
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USBC Bronze Coach

"I cannot change the direction of the wind but I can adjust my sails to reach my destination." Jimmy Dean
Quaker 10/93 - 4/07
Quaker

This is the kind of info that only an online forum could provide, thanks for the heads up on the parking lot scammers as well as the locker prices.  We'll be driving, so the ball shipping was lost on me, but I'm sure others will find it extremely helpful.

From what the guard told me when I left, he had already alerted his manager and they were going to try and catch whoever it was.  If they catch this person, there is nothing to prevent some one else from trying the same thing.  The only way to completely prevent it is to have the booth manned until 11, but then that would mean having to pay the $7 for the late D/S squad.

Alo if you are going to just check things out and not bowling, let the guard know.  When I went to pick up my shipped equipment he gave me the hourly rate, $2.  Same thing when I went to ship it back.
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USBC Bronze Coach

"I cannot change the direction of the wind but I can adjust my sails to reach my destination." Jimmy Dean
Quaker 10/93 - 4/07
Quaker

Most hotels have shuttles going to the convention center, but where we stayed the shuttle stops running at 11:30 PM, even though they tell you that they run til midnight ( They lied on that one). They will drop you right off at the front door. And since the bowling is on the ground floor it makes it good.


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Dale Williams
Columbia 300 Utah Amateur Staff

There is an area for loading and unloading right in front of the Convention Center.  So as long as you travel with some one else, you can drop off equipment and then park.

As for lockers, the $5 ones are big enough, you might be able to buddy up to cut down the costs.  I managed to find available $2 ones after both Team and D/S.

Our hotel did not run a shuttle to the Convention Center, only to and from the airport.
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USBC Bronze Coach

"I cannot change the direction of the wind but I can adjust my sails to reach my destination." Jimmy Dean
Quaker 10/93 - 4/07
Quaker

There are some $5 lockers that are HUGE. We fit 2 Vise 3 ball rollers, 4 double totes and another tote-sized bag in one and still had some space.

The silver lockers were $2 and were large also. There was a separate area of them to the right of the check-in. Lots were available there almost any time.
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PIZZAGUY

Making the world safe for tweeners

Edited on 3/22/2008 7:50 AM