Success comes with knowing where to start and where you want to end Up. A thorough business plan, developed a year or two before the anticipated grand opening of your bowling center, will help assure that you reach your goal. AMF experts are ready to help you conduct research and evaluate market potential, develop organizational and marketing plans, and create a start-to-finish plan of action for constructing and equipping your center.

Dreams are built on vision, planning, hard work, perseverance-and sound thinking about money. Start-up budgets, operating budgets, financial forecasts, financing, capitalization, cashflow-the issues are the same with any business investment, but the answers may be a little different wit owing. AM can help you develop the all-important financial plan that turns your paper plans for a new bowling center into an income generating investment.

To know your potential, know your market. The optimal size and potential profitability of your bowling center depends on your area's overall population and demographic composition, especially within a 5- to 20-mile radius.

You will also want to study the entertainment and recreational competition in your area- not only competing bowling centers, but sports parks, golf and miniature golf centers and other potential rivals for your customers' leisure interests.

The bowling industry has professionals who conduct comprehensive demographic studies on a regular basis. AMF can refer you to these professionals for current data that will help you with your investment planning.