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Landmark Lanes gave Kathleen and Cass Hermacinski far more than a place to bowl.

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It gave them a life together.

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It’s where they met. It’s where they celebrated some of life’s biggest milestones. It’s where friendships were formed and where a shared passion for bowling became the foundation of their relationship.

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For nearly half a century, Landmark did the same for thousands of others throughout Central Illinois.

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There were leagues and tournaments for adults, seniors, and youth bowlers. Families celebrated birthdays and special occasions there. Professional Bowlers Association stars provided some historic moments for a national TV audience there. Generations of bowlers walked through its doors and considered it more than just a bowling center.

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It was a gathering place.

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So, when Landmark Lanes closed in September 2025, many wondered if the familiar sounds of bowling would ever return.

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The Hermacinskis weren’t ready to let that happen.

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Working alongside the new owner of the complex and a group of supporters, they are helping lead an effort to reopen the facility, as the Landmark Community Center. The project has already required a major financial commitment, with the group nearing its goal of raising approximately $800,000 in startup costs. As of a few days ago, they were still short of their goal but are working with an anonymous investor to hit their number.

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The hope is that bowlers will once again be filling the approaches within the next few weeks.

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But the goal is not simply to bring back what Landmark was. It is to create what Landmark can become.

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The conversation that started it all

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The effort to save Landmark began with a conversation — not a business plan.

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A few months ago, the owner of the complex approached Illinois Wesleyan University men’s bowling coach Bob Baker about possibly using Landmark for collegiate competition.

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Because of Kathleen Hermacinski’s extensive knowledge of the bowling industry and her involvement in the local bowling community, Baker invited her to join the discussion. She is currently the Associate Vice President of Human Resources at Illinois Wesleyan, which also came into play.

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What started as a conversation about college bowling quickly became something much larger.

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“We left that initial meeting with getting the owner excited about and understanding bowling,” Hermacinski said.

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After that meeting, she began working behind the scenes to help position the facility for a possible reopening. She assisted with the administrative details needed to maintain USBC certification and helped navigate the transition of the center’s records.

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“I worked behind the scenes after that to make sure they were still certified and to help them get moved from Landmark Recreation Center to the Connected Events Center with USBC,” Hermacinski said. “I was doing some back-end things that any association director volunteer would typically do.”

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As discussions continued, the vision expanded to a facility that could serve college teams, youth programs, league bowlers, and the community.

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That idea eventually became the Landmark Community Center.

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Building a foundation for the future

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The new owner has made a significant investment in upgrading the facility.

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Improvements include a new roof, approximately 20 new air-conditioning units, a new dehumidification system, new flooring, and plans for improved security measures designed to create a safer environment for customers. All 50 lanes are operational. The scoring system has been updated, and work continues on addressing the foul-light system.

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The upgrades are designed to honor Landmark’s past — paying homage to original owner G. Raymond Becker with the new name — while creating a facility capable of serving the community well into the future.

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The reopening also requires a significant financial commitment beyond construction and renovations.

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“We have a lot of labor that we’re going to be putting into this with our employees,” Cass Hermacinski said. “We have commercial liability insurance that we’re going to have to obtain. We have filing fees, taxes, a lot of maintenance.”

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The center also needs funding to restore some of the features longtime customers remember.

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“Gaming machines are expensive, and we want to bring the gaming machines back because we know bowlers love them,” Cass said. “And that’s actually a really good revenue stream for businesses. We know that was a very good revenue stream for Landmark. We also need money to finance inventory for the bar and snack bar.”

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The owner also plans to add pickleball courts to the complex, where the former multi-screen theater used to be.

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“He wants to make it exclusive, involving a membership, with pickleball available 24/7, with 24-hour security,” Kathleen said.

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But that’s probably about a year away.

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The center also will have arcade games and a pro shop.

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“Landmark has been known for great pro shop operators over the years,” she said. “But it’s about brand reputation. Troy wants his brand to be very upscale and high end. And we will be customer-service focused.”

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Kathleen added that the center would be geared toward all tournaments, but the group wants to target mid-average bowlers.  

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“We’ll have a more inclusive entry fee for them, which helps pull people over and get them back into the building,” she said.

 

The right people for the challenge

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The Hermacinskis bring a unique combination of bowling knowledge and business experience to the project.

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Cass spent 10 years working at Landmark, learning every aspect of the operation. He started as a porter before eventually becoming complex manager and being the accountant for the center for the last few years that he worked there.

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“I have a minor in accounting and human resources, and an MBA in leadership,” he said.

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Cass’s operational background is complemented by Kathleen’s experience in human resources and community leadership. Both are on the Peoria River City Bowling Association Board of Directors, with Kathleen serving as vice president.

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While the opening of the center will be well into league season, Kathleen said there are plans to have a few short-season leagues and other events in the near future.

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“We've identified a very reputable, well-known tournament director that will bring tournaments with him,” she said. “Certain ones are already signed for this year, so like there's nothing that you can do about that. But we spoke to him recently, and we're working on like a monthly series.

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“We have bids out for the 2028 Women's State and the Open State. We've also got conversations with a couple of other well-known tournaments. And we've been in talks with the PWBA, like trying to get back onto their schedule. Last year on August 23rd, the PWBA was ready to sign for another regional.”

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There has been no official date for the reopening of the center, but Kathleen has already hinted about one through a post on Facebook. The last official tournament at Landmark, the Farewell Doubles Classic, was held just before it closed last year. The post states that, “If you bowled on September 20, 2025, block off your calendar for September 19, 2026.”

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But no official date has been set because no contracts have been signed.

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A passionate project

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When the center does reopen, it will be an emotional day for Kathleen. A native Texan, she moved to Peoria from the Dallas-Fort Worth area on a bowling scholarship to attend Robert Morris University. She never expected that decision would eventually lead her to the place where she would meet her husband and build a life.

For her, Landmark has never been just a business. It has been the backdrop for her life.

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“Bowling has been the only consistent thing in my entire life,” Kathleen said. “I love this sport. It’s given me everything.”

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She lists those gifts one by one: “It gave me my husband. It gave me an adopted grandma (Anita Oberle). It gave me a college scholarship. It gave me some of my best friends that I’ve ever had. I have met more unique people than I would have ever thought possible because of the sport.”

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Landmark has been part of many of her family’s most important moments.

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“We did our pre-wedding video at Landmark,” she said. “My baby shower was held there. Cass’s MBA party was held there. We’ve had celebrations of life, birthday parties.”

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Not every memory is happy. In 2013, Kathleen was struck by a truck while crossing the street outside Landmark.

Yet even that experience didn’t change how she felt about the place. “I still want to reopen it,” she said with a laugh.

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That may be the best explanation for why Landmark is coming back.

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It isn’t simply about restoring a building. It is about preserving a place that gave people memories — and creating a place where future generations can make their own.

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