In a little over a month, the curtain will rise on the 2006 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships (formerly the American Bowling Congress Championships Tournament), which returns to Corpus Christi, Texas, for the first time since 1992.

But before the more than 60,000 bowlers can begin flooding into the American Bank Center Convention Center, the venue must be transformed into a 48-lane state-of-the-art bowling stadium.

The month-long construction starts today, as more than 30 locally hired carpenters, electricians and laborers begin to install bowling lanes, office space and vendor areas for the Open Championships, which begins its 143-day run Feb. 11.

USBC officials will supervise construction of the bowling arena which also features the USBC's own custom-built automatic scoring screens. The screens are mounted above each pair of lanes for easy viewing.

"We've been looking forward to this for a long time, and we're excited that the construction process is finally underway," Open Championships Tournament Director Brian Lewis said. "Corpus Christi is a great place and has really welcomed us, and we can't wait to share that hospitality with the bowlers."

Approximately 30 semi-trailer trucks began delivering materials to Corpus Christi in late December, and the installation should be completed by Feb. 1. A typical Open Championships installation requires enough plywood to construct five three-bedroom homes.

In addition to the construction of the bowling lanes, workers are installing nearly six miles of electrical and telephone wire. The tournament setup also will include construction of temporary offices as well as exhibition space for bowling manufacturers and other concessions.

Once the facility has been completed, it will take 50 to 75 workers, also hired locally, to keep the event running through its July 3 closing date.

When the Open Championships concludes, it will take workers just five days to tear down the installation and return the American Bank Center to its original state.

The USBC Open Championships is open to any USBC adult member, and serves as bowling's premier showcase event. It features both Regular and Classified Divisions, giving bowlers of all skill levels an opportunity to compete on bowling's largest stage. This year's field will compete for a prize fund expected to approach $5 million.

In addition, the tournament office is now open for anyone interested in employment opportunities for the 2006 event. Interested parties can call (361) 884-BOWL (2695).

For entry information please visit USBCopen.com or call the registration department at (877) 539-7930.

By Matt Cannizzaro USBC Communications