Hallein bowling casino

Bowling club and landlady were spontaneously bowled out

The Halleiner Kegelcasino is now closed.(Bild: Tröster Andreas)

Landlady Ramona Hemetsberger and KSK chairman Adrian Wedam have had the rug pulled out from under their feet.(Bild: Tröster Andreas)

Hallein's bowling casino is closed. There is a crisis between the owner, clubs and operator. The main point of contention appears to be the lease agreement.

The bowlers of Hallein's KSK Kegelcasino team were faced with closed doors on Thursday evening. The owner of the building had called on Wednesday evening to inform them that he was closing the building. Adrian Wedam, chairman of KSK Hallein, is desperate: "We play in the national league and have two other teams. There are also two other clubs. We don't know where to go."

"At first, it pulled the rug out from under my feet," says Ramona Hemetsberger. She has been running the bowling alley since the beginning of the year and was informed of the closure by email and had received bookings from the Chamber of Labor and the Hallein HTL had registered. Hemetsberger now has to cancel at short notice.

He has assured us that he will be able to play the season this year. We have registered and are now without training and playing facilities. I don't believe Mr. Franzmair anymore.

KSK-Obmann Adrian Wedam

Owner cites legal reasons 
The reason for the spontaneous closure? Klaus Franzmair, owner of the establishment, describes the situation: "My tax advisor advised me to close the business immediately for legal reasons. It's far from profitable, I'm paying for it and it can't go on."

According to the landlady, the main point of contention seems to be the lease agreement. More precisely, the general conditions of the lease, because "the lease alone is not the problem. There are conditions in the contract that my lawyers have strongly advised against accepting".

Differing views on the operating concept
Franzmair: "We have negotiated several times and put forward new proposals." In order to run the business economically, it is important to offer sports bowling as well as health bowling, senior bowling and, above all, public bowling. "You have to be innovative to reconcile all of that."

The landlady's concept is not to blame, as she emphasizes: "He has always said that he would like my ideas. That's why I was so surprised by the email."

Future uncertain for bowling clubs
In sporting terms, KSK Hallein is now at a crossroads. It has one national league team and two regional league teams. In addition, KC Rif and SC Wüstenrot train in Hallein with four regional league teams.

A complete interior renovation of the almost 60-year-old building had been planned for some time. Nothing has happened since 2017. When asked whether the bowling club would continue with a new tenant, Wedam only says: "He has assured us that we can play the season this year. We have registered and are now without training and playing lanes. I don't believe Mr. Franzmair anymore. He has already announced so much and nothing has happened."