Ray Baty still doing new 32-lane bowling complex, just not in west Wichita as planned

Ray Baty’s new 32-lane bowling complex was supposed to be open by now at Estancia Plaza developer Marv Schellenberg’s new entertainment district just southeast of K-96 and Ridge Road.

“It was a fabulous place for us, but some things just wouldn’t come together,” Baty said.

He said his son, Matt Baty, who is one of six developers in the new Champtown development in Park City, then approached him.

“Matt called me and said, ‘Dad, how do you feel about moving bowling to Champtown?’ ”

Matt Baty wondered if his father would be able to build a weekday league structure in Park City.

His father, who spent 42 years with Joma Bowling Co., said he could build one anywhere.

Still, Ray Baty was reluctant to leave Schellenberg’s development.

“It was a great location for a business to go in.”

He hadn’t signed a contract to be there.

“We were still trying to raise money,” Baty said. “And there were some hiccups along the way.”

He didn’t elaborate.

“You know, sometimes you just run into things, and it just isn’t coming together. . . . When the Champtown opportunity kept coming up, it just made sense.”

In Park City, Baty said, “The pieces came together for us.”

Now, he said, he’s waiting on the infrastructure to be built.

There will be a boardwalk, with a Ferris wheel out front, connecting a number of attractions.

“We will have a prominent position on the boardwalk, which will be next to the aquarium going in,” Baty said.

The aquarium will be to the south of the bowling center, and a butterfly house will be to the north.

Baty said league bowlers will have special parking and their own entrance.

There will be access to the boardwalk through the bowling center’s sports bar, which is still planned from the original concept in west Wichita.

“We’re hoping to be able to roll a bowling ball probably in late fall of next year,” Baty said. “That would be our hope before winter settles in.”

Baty said he expects to draw the same clientele he’d already planned plus some others.

“We’re about seven minutes away from the previous location.”

Baty said he also expects to draw from smaller towns north of Park City.

He said he thinks there’s room for more bowling in the market, which has four bowling centers, not including Derby.

“There’s enough to go around. Our city’s definitely not saturated.”

Baty hasn’t minded the delay in getting the center going in some ways. He said he has had more time for his 10 grandkids and coaching baseball.

However, considering the center was supposed to be open by now, it’s been a bit of a wait.

“This has been a long venture,” Baty said. “We’re ready to go.”