Texas-based Main Event glad it chose Casio

Main Event Entertainment™, a leading family entertainment center based in Plano, Texas sought out SAVE Electronics - a leading solutions provider of presentation, entertainment and communications systems components and support for business and home systems based in Dallas – to help find a less expensive and low maintenance projector for wall-to-wall entertainment . Keeping Main Event’s needs in mind, owner Tim Boyd, recommended using Casio’s LampFreeTM LASER & LED Hybrid projectors. Shortly thereafter, SAVE Electronics installed and tested Casio’s Signature XJ-M250 projectors at the end of all bowling lanes, right above the pins, from floor to ceiling inside Main Event's new San Antonio location over the course of one year. The results were nothing short of spectacular.

“After Main Event saw what Casio’s projectors could do, they said 'you've got to do this for all of our locations,'” Boyd said.

More than 100 units later, new centers in San Antonio and Houston opened their doors with Casio’s LampFree™ projectors installed, while existing locations were retro-fitted as part of an overall makeover.

“For us it offers a great visual experience socially for our guests, especially during football season,” said Main Event Director of Marketing Amy Johnson. “All of our locations right now are in Texas so both college and professional football are a pretty big deal for us along with all the other sports. If there's something else going on like American Idol or any top-rated show, guests can pretty much have any in-home experience at Main Event. We want Main Event to be an extension of their home environment.”

Each projection screen measures 12 x 10 feet and covers two lanes; they also connect with other screens to run the length of the bowling lanes. An additional two or three projection screens are installed in the bar/billiards area. From the entire bowling, bar and billiards area guests are able to view some sort of big screen video experience typically tuned to sports. Previously, Main Event locations had no screens above the lanes so Johnson said Casio’s projectors truly elevated the entertainment experience. The equipment change also helped spur Main Event into additional renovations such as new floors and seats and enhanced bar/billiard areas.

Boyd said the biggest benefit of using Casio LampFreeTM projectors is the longevity of the units: each projector features a LASER & LED Hybrid light source with an estimated life of up to 20,000 hours. This means users do not have to replace lamps every 2-3 months, which typically costs almost as much as the original projector cost over one year. With the projectors having an estimated lifespan of 20,000 hours, Main Event can now provide on-going visual footage, since the projectors typically run 14-16 hours a day. Another great feature for Main Event is that all of the projectors in all of its locations can be monitored and managed remotely from its support center located in Plano, Texas using the projectors’ built in network (LAN) connection.

“Before there were some inconsistencies in what people were seeing across the board, so for us to manage it from our corporate office was key to creating the [best] experience for our guests,” Johnson said. “And we also integrated it with Bowling Music Network so we can play videos during certain times of the day. During our peak times on the weekends, we'll put videos on that coincide with the music you hear. It's a fun environment.”

Each location does have some customizing capability available. Screens can be tailored to customer desires including company logos during corporate events. When a location hosts a tournament, individual team logos can be displayed.

“It has been great for us, especially at the bar,” continued Johnson. “It's really elevated the brand for us.”