Centered Court Former Sports Page Reopens With A New Look, Menu And Emphasis On Families

After a $2 million face lift, Players and Spectators looks a little like Planet Hollywood.

Of course, all the stars here are local.

The “Walk of Fame” features names of Spokane athletes engraved on gold stars. Walls are covered by framed memorabilia. Spotlights illuminate letter jackets behind glass cases.

“The people who come in here are blown away,” said John Bockmier, a manager at Players and Spectators. “Business has consistently grown since we opened the doors.”

Previously known as the Sports Page, the site reopened May 28 after a multimillion dollar, 16-month remodeling project.

About 30,000 square feet of the complex at 12828 E. Sprague were gutted and renovated. A single entrance was constructed to help control traffic. New carpet was installed throughout the complex and 16 of 40 bowling lanes were removed. The restaurant and menu were overhauled, and occupancy was increased from 200 to more than 1,000 people.

“The biggest change is the way we operate,” said H.T. Higgins, president of the family-owned business. “We are really pushing family entertainment.”

For years, the business was considered a hangout for delinquent teens and plagued by an image problem. Spokane County sheriff’s deputies arrested several teens on assault and robbery charges. Drug arrests were common.

Two robberies and a stabbing during a six-month stretch in 1995 culminated in a shooting over a six-pack of beer that left a 21-year-old man paralyzed.

In another incident, six bullets were fired in the parking lot, but no one was injured.

But now, things are different.

“At this point over the last year, it’s changed 180 degrees,” said Sheriff’s Deputy Dick Badicke.

The business is changing its look - and betting that public perception follows.

Higgins knew it was time to remodel the business after his father, Hank Higgins, who died nearly two years ago. The Sports Page had been in the family for almost 20 years.

“My father believed in this, but at that time in his life he wasn’t ready to take the plunge,” said Higgins. “We’ve taken it to the next level.”

To target families and an older crowd, Players has enforced strict new rules. Higgins hopes that the policies will discourage delinquent minors from coming back.

Nightly, green-coated “captains” watch the doors, checking dress codes and age limits. Off-duty sheriff’s deputies provide on-site security on Friday and Saturday nights from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.

So far, the changes seem to be working.

“We don’t have problems. We don’t have kids loitering. Now, it’s just security and visible presence and deterrence in the lot,” said Badicke, who rotates with four other deputies to provide weekend security for the business.

Players’ next-door neighbor, Tidyman’s, has also seen a drop in youth crime in recent months, said Patty Kilcup, Tidyman’s director of consumer affairs.

“The problems are absolutely going down to zero,” said Kilcup. “There haven’t been any problems at night.” Security guards at the grocery store are no longer routinely needed, she said.

The customers have changed dramatically, said Becky Messing, lead bartender at Players.

“I’ve seen the changes go through, and it’s a totally different atmosphere,” said Messing. “There used to be gangs that would come in here, but now we have a family oriented environment.”

To promote that environment, a basketball court is the focus of the new restaurant. Before, the bar was the center attraction. The bar was moved to the side, and the restaurant and billiards area line the perimeter. The casino was also remodeled.

To improve customer service, Higgins hired 85 new employees and spent three weeks retraining the entire staff of 140. He even sent some of his managers to the Disney Institute in Orlando, Fla.

“I took my family to Disney World and the way they operate is phenomenal,” said Higgins, who modeled Players after the Disney philosophy of creating happy guests. “We want people to be happy. It’s OK for them to have fun.”

Food service also needed an overhaul. For that, Higgins consulted Dave and Buster’s, a Chicago-based restaurant chain with stores in Portland and Seattle. He also traveled to meet other restaurant managers.

“Our whole intent is to serve food,” said Higgins. “We wanted to be able to serve food at maximum occupancy and do it with real consistency.”

The Scrapbook, a restaurant inside the old Sports Page, and its 100-item menu were literally scrapped. The result is a new menu that features about 60 items, with a focus on simplicity. Signature entrees include prime rib and split roasted chicken, cooked in apple wood-fired ovens.

Higgins also courted Starbucks Coffee, which Players now serves.

It’s the first restaurant in the Valley to feature Starbucks, said Tom Weldon, an account executive for the coffee company.

Most of all, Higgins just wants to make Players the best place in the Valley. “There’s no place like this,” said Higgins. “I believe in the concept and in the vision. I have a lot of people who believe in it and want to be part of something special.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 3 Photos (2 Color)