Bowling complex coming to Highway 192

A new bowling alley plus a video arcade are coming to the 192.

Thanks to Screamscape (and the following article), we learn that the location of this new entertainment complex may be the old WATER MANIA water park, that closed some years ago and never reopened.

Here's the news from the Orlando Business Journal:

Bowling alley/arcade planned near Arabian Nights on 192

- Facility to replace former Water Mania attraction -

A local firm is moving forward with the redevelopment of a former water park along Osceola County’s struggling tourist corridor, U.S. Highway 192. Plans call for building up to 75,000 square feet of entertainment and office space on 6 acres at the Shoppes of Celebration mixed-use development near Celebration Avenue.

Celebration Mania Investors LLC, an entity related to retail development firm Intram Investments LLC, originally planned to build a 294-room hotel/condo hotel on the site, but last month got approval from the county to change that to an entertainment/office complex. Intram Investments Vice President Randy Hodge said a local investment group he declined to name has the 6.3-acre entertainment/office site under contract for purchase for an undisclosed price and plans to build a $3 million bowling alley and arcade.

The work resurgence is welcome news for the county and surrounding businesses, especially as that particular site has been quiet since Orlando-based Intram Investments bought it for $19.5 million in 2005, tore down the former Water Mania water park and motel, began redevelopment and then sold off portions of it to various developers.

The economy’s decline and ensuing real estate slowdown hurt many businesses during the last few years. For example, the Kissimmee/St. Cloud submarket posted a nearly 9.8 percent retail vacancy rate in the second quarter, compared with 9.6 percent for the year-ago period. The average asking lease rate was $18.46 per square foot in the second quarter versus $19.40 in the year-earlier quarter.

END OF THE ARTICLE.

In the article there is also a map showing the project:

As you can see, it won't be enormous, and one of the things that make me wonder is this: How will they deal with the brand new 100-lane bowling arcade that will be build nearby (ESPN Wide World of Complex) around 2012-2013?

Anyway, as I always say, any new "attraction" is more than welcome!