After more than a year of anticipation, the new Jamestown Center is open for business in the county seat, according to the owner of the facility, George Alford.

“It has been a long ride,” Alford said. “The town needs something to do, it really does.”

The large building on US 127 in northern Jamestown, which opened earlier this month, now features a staged dance hall and live concert area, a game room featuring an arcade, a soon-to-be bingo room, a pool room, multi-purpose entertainment and party rooms, a pizzeria and restaurant with a dine-in area and an art studio and gallery ran by George’s wife, Gail. She has been giving art lesson two days a week for several months already.

Renee Dix, the general manager of the fun center, said she was excited to get to work after a year-long process of renovating and adding features to the building. Hinton Builders Inc. and owner Mike Hinton renovated the building, which is the former Carpet Center.

She said the live music on Saturday nights, which begin at 8 p.m. and last until midnight, have brought out the most crowds thus far.

By fire code, the limit for the live concert area is 300 people, Dix said.

“The local bands have bigger crowds than the bands that come in from off places,” Dix said. So far, the Jamestown Center has hosted five live bands.

“Local talent bands we do book again,” she said.

A new feature then begins on Sunday, Sept. 6 when the center invites all bikers to come and enjoy an afternoon of live music and a pig roast at noon until 5 p.m.

“We’re starting corn hole and horseshoe tournaments on September 10th,” Dix said. “Bingo is coming in probably two more months, we’re just waiting on permits.”

Dix said several groups and individuals have already expressed interest in utilizing the facility for meetings, birthday parties and the like.

Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. is Double Token Night at the center where you get $2 worth of tokens for $1 to go toward the arcade and game room, according to Dix.

Alford said the restaurant features made-to-order pizza, deli sandwiches, hot dogs, chili dogs, corn dogs, chicken wings, hot wings, hamburgers, fries and chips among other selections.

“Our fryers are greaseless,” he said, noting that adds to the health value of the center’s food. “Of course we’ve got soft serve ice cream, shakes, banana splits and stuff like that.”

Alford said the restaurant would keep adding menu items as the business grows and will cater items as well.

“It is a tough time with the economy,” Alford said of starting a business. “

Going into fall and winter will help us a lot because right now there is too much to do outside and I understand that.”

The Jamestown Family Fun Center can be reached by phone at 270-343-8556 or visited on the Internet at www.jamestowncenter.com

The center is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, 11 a.m. to midnight on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday.