A Polaris bowling alley is now home to what it says is the second-largest LED screen in Columbus, behind only the scoreboard at Ohio Stadium.
Star Lanes Polaris, located at 8655 Lyra Drive near Polaris Fashion Place, recently installed an 83-foot-wide, 13-foot-high interactive multimedia screen and integrated entertainment system called Neoverse to make the bowling experience more immersive. In addition to the massive screen spanning the venue's 14 main bowling lanes, there's a second Neoverse screen in the venue's "VIP Lounge," which measures 36 feet by 10 feet across its six lanes.
Second only to the main scoreboard at Ohio Stadium's south end, which was installed in 2012 and measures 125 feet by 42 feet, Star Lanes Polaris' new interactive
screen is one of the largest in Columbus. Nationwide Arena's scoreboard, also installed in 2012, is 25 feet by 15.5 feet on each of its four sides, according to Sports Business Journal.
“Bowling has been a crowd favorite for generations, and with the addition of the Neoverse LED wall, we continue the Star Lanes tradition of constant innovation and modernization,” Doug Mechling, the owner of Star Lanes Polaris, said in a company press release. “Neoverse gives our guests a new way to enjoy an old favorite, which is what Columbus has come to expect from Star Lanes Polaris.”
Star Lanes Polaris is a 35,000-square-foot entertainment destination that opened in 2013, offering bowling, dozens of arcade games, darts, billiards, virtual reality, a simulator ride and more. The company is preparing to invest more than $7 million to open a second Columbus location near Ohio State University's campus in the third quarter of 2027, according to spokesperson Kevin Loughery.
The venue's new multimedia screen is but an extension of its existing technology-driven approach to bowling. Through a system called HyperBowling, Star Lanes offers LED-lit bumpers, moving targets and video-game-style challenges. Neoverse will work with that technology to connect the screens to what's happening on the lanes, incorporating scoring and other interactive elements.
“Neoverse gives us so much flexibility to personalize for our guests," Mechling said in the release. “We use it to enhance the bowling experience and make everyone the star of the show. We also have virtually unlimited customization capabilities for corporate team building and holiday parties from a branding perspective, and the game play keeps everything competitive. This is something most people have never seen before they walk through our doors.”
Star Lanes' announcement comes as numerous other entertainment-concept investments are being made in the Polaris corridor. A 16-acre, multi-story indoor go-karting complex broke ground in September, situated just across Interstate 71 from Topgolf and Puttshack, which opened in May.
Reporter Emma Wozniak can be reached at ewozniak@dispatch.com or @emma_wozniak_ on X.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Polaris bowling alley installs central Ohio's second largest screen
