Check out N.J.'s biggest bowling alley after makeover

Former Brunswick Zone Carolier undergoes a multi-million makeover.

NORTH BRUNSWICK -- When you enter the futuristic Bowlero in North Brunswick, formerly known as Brunswick Zone Carolier, you're greeted by a mint-conditioned, vintage 1969 fire engine-red Ford Mustang convertible with a black interior.

The classic automobile sets the tone for a memorable experience of bowling, dining, drinking and fun that has sparked a marriage between the old-school sport of bowling and the 21st century that is reinventing the art of throwing strikes and picking up spares.

"No matter what generation you're from this car is sexy and cool, which is the atmosphere we're trying to create," said Ron Lichtenberger, area manager for New Jersey AMF Bowling Company, which also manages Bowlmor in Green Brook, which has a similar theme to that of Bowlero, but on a smaller scale.

"We want to attract people who have never gone bowling before. We want to make it so people have so much fun that they want to come back. We want to revolutionize the industry and make bowling cool again."

Bowlero will hold its Grand Opening on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with Olympic Gold Medalist gymnast Laurie Hernandez as a special guest. There will be free bowling, food and giveaways.

The ultramodern multi-million makeover of the 84-lane central Jersey bowling mecca, built in the 1960s, includes a showpiece, 24-seat boomerang-style bar with five 65-inch plasma screen televisions.

There are 48 neon-glow lanes with cushioned nightclub-style seating, touch-screen menus and 24 television projectors over the lanes with 16-foot screens that show sporting events, music videos and quirky movies.

Bowling enters 21st century in Green Brook

All of the bowling balls are neon-colored and the menu features a five-pound burger called the Behemoth Burger, a two-foot long hot dog named the Coney Mega Dog, chicken wings in a variety of flavors, pizza, and a more upscale menu for catered events.

Furthermore, Bowlero includes an interactive arcade that includes a six-foot high Pac-man game screen, a Kung-Fu Panda Dojo Mojo game, a Jurassic Park Thrill Ride and a state-of-the-art 3,000-foot laser tag arena dubbed "Urban Mission."

The laser tag arena can accommodate 30 players divided into two teams and features obstacles and wall barriers with names of local streets. It's the biggest laser tag arena in the state, said Lichtenberger.

"This is a place where people of all ages can have fun," said Lichtenberger. "Adults can come here and become kids again. The kids love it because they're kids."

The facility, which has granite-filled restrooms and a coat check, is so trendy that it hosts bridal showers and bachelor parties, bar mitzvahs, birthday parties and corporate outings.

Bowlmor AMF founder and CEO Tom Shannon purchased 85 Brunswick Bowling and Billiards throughout the country in 2014 and his company is the largest ten-pin bowling center operator in the world, with 304 centers the United States, eight centers in Mexico, and three centers in Canada.

The North Brunswick location, whose 82 lanes - two lanes were taken out during the renovation - is the biggest bowling center in the state, said Lichtenberger. It is the first Bowlero in New Jersey. As of June 2015, there were only four other Bowlero centers in the country, according to its website.

Traditional bowlers haven't been forgotten. Thirty-four lanes have been left in tact for league bowlers at all levels, including seniors and women. Bowlero will still hold league tournaments and in April, it'll host the 2017 NCAA Women's Finals.

"We want to protect our league bowlers and keep their home," said Sal Izzo, general manager of Bowlero. "That's very important to us."

Even so, the sport of bowling has entered the new millennium. Gone are the traditional hard, horseshoe seating, high-intensity lighting and black bowling balls.

"This is an entertainment venue," said Lichtenberger. "We're not just about bowling. We want people to come and have a good time, even if you don't bowl."