PORTLAND, Maine — The Professional Bowlers Association announced Thursday that Maine will be home to its annual PBA League championship competition for the first time in league history on March 27-29 at Bayside Bowl.
“We are very pleased with the interest of Maine businesses and the bowling industry to share our commitment to bringing the PBA to this market,” PBA Commissioner Tom Clark said in a news release.
“Maine is a very attractive destination to showcase the best bowlers in the world to a growing and vibrant bowling fan community,” he added.
The PBA is partnering with ESPN, which will broadcast the event from Bayside Bowl.
The event is expected to draw an estimated $1.5 million to the local economy, according to Lynn Tollitson, the CEO of the Portland Convention and Visitors Bureau.
“March is a very slow season for us, so this comes at a time when thousands of hotel rooms would sit empty,” she said in the release. “This PBA event is going to be a great shot in the arm to our retail shops and restaurants at the right time.”
The PBA League has eight teams which will compete in the playoffs for a projected $250,000 in prize money. The PBA League draft will determine the team rosters for the 2015 season and will take place on Oct. 31 in Las Vegas.
With its 4,300 members across 13 countries, the PBA is known as the major league of bowling in the world.