Miley Cyrus Surges Past Justin Bieber to Top of Standings for 2011 Celebrity Bowling Hall of Fame Nomination

ARLINGTON, Texas, Aug. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- In a stunning turn of events, 2011 Celebrity Bowling Hall of Fame nominee Miley Cyrus has taken the lead over fellow pop icon and 2010 runner-up Justin Bieber for the 2011 nomination. The Bowling Proprietors' Association of America (BPAA), reported today that, fueled by a surge of fan votes, Cyrus has overtaken Bieber and the rest of the celebrity field by nine percent with less than three days remaining in the competition to name the next celebrity inductee into the Celebrity Bowling Hall of Fame. The shake-up in the standings occurred after Cyrus' fans learned she was behind by 17 percent on July 28, resulting in an outpouring of internet/social media support and supporting votes on www.gobowling.com.  

Cyrus and Bieber are competing against eight other celebrity nominees, including Lil Wayne, Lady Gaga, Nick and Joe Jonas, Jeff Bridges, Michael Jordan, Bill Murray, Kim Kardashian, and Jimmy Fallon, for the chance to forever be enshrined in bowling history in the Celebrity Wing of the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame as the 2011 inductee.  Each of the celebrity candidates are bowling fans, enthusiasts or have helped to publicly support the sport of bowling.

"Although the race appears to have come down to Miley Cyrus and Justin Bieber for the 2011 nomination, the voting remains close enough that any of the other celebrity nominees could make a comeback by fans casting votes at GoBowling.com," said Steve Johnson.  "Last year we saw a flurry of votes take place in the final few days with fans rallying behind eventual inductee Taylor Swift to overtake Bieber.  We anticipate a down-to-the-wire race once again."

The competition will come to a close on August 6 at 11:59 PM CT, the conclusion of National Bowling Week, which celebrates the nation's number one participatory sport. Fans are invited to visit www.GoBowling.com to cast a vote for their favorite celebrity - and receive a coupon for a free game of bowling that can be used at one of more than 4,000 participating bowling centers across the United States.

The Bowling Proprietors Association of America (BPAA) announced today the official vote percentages among the 10 Hall of Fame nominees (as of 9 AM ET August 3rd):

For more information on the Celebrity Bowling Hall of Fame induction process or to cast a vote for today, visit www.gobowling.com/CelebrityContest/.

About BPAA

The Bowling Proprietors' Association of America (BPAA), founded in 1932, serves as the voice of the bowling industry.  Headquartered in Arlington, TX at the International Bowling Campus, the BPAA provides its more than 4,000 member centers with group purchasing programs, business and educational seminars, legislative representation and proactively promotes the association and bowling industry.  The BPAA's mission is to enhance the profitability of its member centers and raise the profile of Bowling, America's top-ranked participatory sport.  For additional information please visit www.bpaa.com or call 1-800-343-1329.

About International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame

Located at the International Bowling Campus in Arlington, TX, the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame collects, preserves and researches bowling's history, provides a suitable home for bowling's major halls of fame, and makes the museum's information and collection available to interested parties globally for education, promotion and entertainment.

SOURCE Bowling Proprietors' Association of America