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World Report 3-Cushion World's most beautiful billiard center Dream comes true for Lee and Kang After Broadway, Times Square, the Empire State Building and the S[atue of Liberty the city of New York soon will have another place of interest for the billiard aficionado. In this month in Flushing, one of the outskirts of the 'Big Apple', a brandnew billiard center will be opened. An accommo- dation unequalled for billiard standards and according to Sang Chun Lee, who has setup the place together with business partner and associate play- er Mike Kang, 'the most beautiful billiard center of the world'. Both 3-cus- hionplayers had to exercise some patience though - on December 20 of last year the first actions were taken and nearly 9 months later birth can take place. What has happened over the years with Sang Chun Lee? Earlier in Elmhurst (along subway #7) he ran his own center. He sold his business in order to open a new place in Chicago. Pro- blems with licenses drove Lee, 45 years now, back to New Yorlc where he still res- ides. Not that far Erom his own house he discovered an huge factory building, this time where subway #7 ends, amongst a (ew billiard cen- ters. A Eew minutes from a busy shopping street (Main Street) and many people li- ving not far away. The plant was renovated completely. The face of the building a shuttered wall, was torn down -pedestrians passing now are able to look inside the place which is opened 24 hours a day all year long, like nor- mal New York standards. "If you would have seen the precious joint and compare it to the place now - it's an huge difference", emphasizes Lee. In [he enormous 'arena' of 60 x 42 meters no less than 45 tables will be erected. The place is divided in 2 parts -the non-smoking area will be the largest section -ten Verhoecen 3- cushion tables, three Wilhehnina snookertables, 16 Golden Cro~~ n 9- Eeet pooltables and four Holhwood Korean billiardtables. Six pool- and six Korean billiardtables wtll be rut in the smoking area. Ten-[old North American 3-cushion champion Lee is very proud of the ten new tables forwarded Crom Belgium. "They are more or less sank down - spectators have a nice view at the ta- bles. Special lighting built in the cei- lingdoesn't give any shadow at the ta- bleswhich enables the audience to ha- ve an even better view. No Less than 400 spectators, sitting or standing, are able to watch the game". The duo Kan~tee has seriously con- sidered things. When entering the room there is a place where cues and other billiard aceessoires can be obtai- ned. Right onto it is the counter whe- re one may hire a cable. Next to it is the coEEeeshop with a large selection of cakes. A bar and a seperate Sushi-bar Qapanese delicacies) makes it almost complete. Numerous seating units, in- cludingeight computers with intemet connection makes the center a novel- ty Eor the billiard aficionados. Kang: "Internet has been such a huge success we have introduced a cybercaf@ espe- cially for the billiard fans. I have high expectations". A small gameroom Eor amusement completes the cemer. Underneath the building, where goods can be stored and enormous tanks and cooling are placed, the management has its offices plus there is a seperate room for the Carom Comer organization. This group propagates the 3-cushion disci- pline in the United States and at- tempts to organize a major tourna- ment each month. Billiards is very popular in New York, any discipline. Twenty-four hours open a day may sound a bit odd for foreigners, not so here. Don't be surprised iE no table is available around 01.00 o'clock in the morning. You will have to wait to be able to play .. . Sang Lee's Billiard Center 3402 Linden Place New York (Flushing) Where subway #7 ends Mistakes are made everywhere .. . In the pre- vious issue of World Report 3-Cushion (# 73) we acci- dently publis- hed aphoto- ~,Fi graph of Ni- kos Tremoulis instead oEYorgos Sakkas, who at the time resig- ned as president of the national Federation and also became the new Greek 3-cushion cham- pior. .... ' pica Page 39 play