By Fran Piraino

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The wait is almost over. The USBC Women's Championships, the world's largest participatory sporting event for women, is set to begin at Syracuse's Oncenter Convention Center on Thursday.

For 88 days, the thud of bowling balls followed by the crash of pins will dominate the Oncenter as nearly 6,000 five-player teams make their way to Salt City for the 2011 tournament. This is the third time in the 92-year history of the Women's Championships that Syracuse has hosted this event. It previously was held there in 1940 and 1954.

Since Feb. 21, the arena's main exhibit level has been transformed into a cutting-edge, 48-lane bowling center. It features the world's largest mobile scoreboard with 4.4 trillion colors and streaming video capabilities as well as shiny new lanes, and it is joined by a USBC merchandise store, vendor and concessions area, pro shop, squad room, locker room and office space.

This year marks the second consecutive time the tournament is being held in a convention-center setting, similar to the one used for the USBC Open Championships, which was held in Syracuse in 1999. The 2010 Women's Championships was held in El Paso, Texas, as the event entered a new era with a special setting and an all-handicap, three-division format.

With the exception of the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nev., where the tournament has been held every third year since 1997, the Women's Championships previously was held in traditional bowling centers.

The Oncenter doors officially open at 3 p.m. on Thursday as bowlers begin flowing in for the opening squad. The official opening ceremony, hosted by Women's Championships Tournament Manager Eric Pierson, will start at approximately 6 p.m.

The ceremony will feature several local guests and dignitaries to help usher in the event. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will accompany speeches by Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney and USBC President Darlene Baker. The all-female acapella group, The Mandarins, also is scheduled to provide entertainment.

Onondaga County legislator Kathy Rapp will roll the ceremonial first ball, followed by the traditional Mass Ball Shot, where one bowler on each lane throws a ball at the same time.

Following the opening ceremonies, bowling's return to Syracuse will be official as the 2011 event gets underway with the first team squad.

The influx of more than 30,000 bowlers, plus family and friends, during the 88 days is expected to provide an estimated $40 million boost to the local community.

The Oncenter also will host the USBC Queens and USBC Senior Queens from April 22-27. The Queens, with defending champion Kelly Kulick of Union, N.J., will showcase more than 300 of the world's finest women bowlers in a double-elimination match-play format. The resulting stepladder finals will be televised live by ESPN2 on April 27.

The Senior Queens, first held in 2000, uses a similar format and is open to women age 50 and older.

Sponsors for the 2011 USBC Women's Championships sponsors include Turning Stone Resort and Casino, official brackets sponsor, Humana, official registration sponsor, Miller Lite and Molson Canadian, official beer sponsors. Supporting sponsors include Storm Bowling Products, Nationwide Insurance, The Oncenter, Syracuse Convention and Visitors Bureau, Caz Limo & Tours, Kegel, official lane maintenance provider, US Steltronic, official scoring system, and Brunswick, official lane provider.