Dozens of bowling alley owners plan to file lawsuit against governor's office after not being allowed to reopen during Phase 2

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- A lawsuit towards Governor Cooper is expected Monday as bowling alleys across North Carolina remain closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Friday, they were denied the ability to open after a 17-point, detailed plan was sent to Governor Cooper's desk this week.

"We don't understand where the line in the sand was drawn," said Nancy Schenk, owner of B&B Lanes in Fayetteville. "At this point, some businesses are allowed to open and others are not and we feel like we were on the wrong side of that."

Schenk showed ABC11 the upgrades she's made since the pandemic started including the ways they are thoroughly washing shoes and balls. In fact, if you show up to the bowling alley without a ball, you'll have to have staff get one for you.

She also wanted to open at half capacity meaning every other lane would be occupied. She also installed plexiglass dividers all over the alley and taken out extra seats.

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"It's disheartening to not be able to do what we love and run the business we opened back on August 10, 1959," Schenk said.

Her mother and father opened the center on Fort Bragg Road back then and she still has framed pictures of them in the alley.

They were supposed to be celebrating her father's 86th birthday this week.

"Bowling has served our communities for a long time and at the end of the day, you don't go bowling with strangers," said Schenk, who's also a past president of the Bowling Proprietors Association of America. "You're coming to go bowling with your family."

Nancy qualified for the Paycheck Protection Program and used it initially to pay her employees and do upgrades to the facility. She said she had to let everyone go once phase two hit.