Jeanette Lee Opens Black Widow Billiards Centers
The Carolina Crossroads entertainment center is the first of several planned Black Widow Billiards locations. Lee’s hometown of Indianapolis, Indiana; Dallas, Texas and further locations are being explored.
Lee's vision to help pool beginners build their game fits hand in glove (pun intended re: the always pool glove-wearing Lee) for the new center. “The site is perfect, the location is perfect, and Carolina Crossroads and I have the same vision,” said the Black Widow. “We’re looking for a place where people can have fun, connect with one another in a fun environment, and walk away having learned more about pool.”
Lee began shooting pool at age 18, turned pro at 21, and was ranked #1 worldwide by age 23. A fan favorite, she is arguably the Women’s Professional Billiard Association's most recognizable player.
The two-story, 31,000 square ft. facility will house 20 pool tables, a full service pro shop, restaurant, VIP rooms, and conference center. The center will branch out from pool as well, and will include a 500-seat entertainment center to provide a venue for the Comedy Club circuit and special events.
“My aim is to also have women of the WPBA at Black Widow Billiards weekly to give lessons and to allow the opportunity for patrons to interact and sharpen their own game,” said Tony Davis, General Manager. “We also envision the conference center as a place for sports fans to watch major televised sporting events on one of the East Coast’s largest screens.”
The $5M center, slated to open in 2008, will be "Pool on TV ready" for upcoming major events, and will feature numerous dining and themed entertainment options in the adjacent Carolina Crossroads center.
Comments
Roanoke Rapids is in North Carolina not Virginia.
Scottsdale Arizona is a major hotspot destination these days, but has not had a REAL pool hall for nearly twenty years. Why is that? Yes, Scottsdale is a club, bar, entertainment haven with some establishments with a few “bar box 3×6′ tables, but nothing better for years. A quality place (not to pricey to prevent the better players, but good enough yet keep the “rif raf” at bay) is something Scottsdale has been lacking for years. The last places here were “video Roundup”, nice full Gold Crowns, but strictly appealed to an underage crowd (no alchohol). “Star Dust Billiards” had a run in the 1980’s closing shop in the early 1990’s (small room with an owner who lost alot of money in Las Vegas. He opened another room in West Phoenix that failed in a couple of years). And lastly, perhaps the best room to have ever existed in Scottsdale was called “The House of Carom”. Legends abounded there in the 1970’s and 1960’s. This room was a true billiards icon that invokes images of the fictional “Fast Eddie Felson” in an age that looks far different in Scottsdale’s “Old Town”. That building still exists today, but is a tourist shop (I remember being in there with my dad as a kid and watching “Bakersfield Bob” play like “Fast Eddie” in the “Hustler” in an age when playing Straight Pool did not conotate playing bar-room eightball.) With all the clubs in “Beverly Hills” style Scottsdale today, there is not one true pool hall. This could be a very lucrative place for a good room. The problem might lie with the city council. But with enough marketing and solid determination, Scottsdale could host a worldclass room and attract more out-of-town visitors . A name like Jeanette Lee could be a valued asset to this bulging tourist city that is so in need of a well managed, professional poolroom.
Carolina Crossroads is tanking. The city has taken over control of the “Randy Parton” theater and renamed it the “Roanoke Rapids Theater”. Ticket sales are far below what they were expected to be. I wonder if this billiards center will ever happen.
the parton theater is having trouble not the crossroads itself.people have a negative look because of randy parton and the stupid deal the city put together with him.there are people who have been handling the outdoor part of the crossroads who have put on great concerts and events and they shouldn’t suffer for what randy and the mayor of roanoke rapids have done to this area.they should be criminally liable for what went on and it should be investigated by the state.
i live in rr and the rumors going around are that she isn’t building here but, in myrtle beach.if that is the case she should put out a press release saying she changed her mind about rr.i think that if someone judges rr because of the parton deal then nothing will ever become of this area.the people of rr shouldn’t have been expected to be the only support of these ventures.