Taieri Bowling Club will host the national open championships for 13 days from December 28.
Club manager Rob Gibson said about 1000 bowlers from across New Zealand would compete.
The club is organising a grandstand to seat the 800 spectators expected on the two days of finals, January 4 and 9.
The first national championships were held in Dunedin in 1913 and the club is planning a centennial breakfast, hosted by former Sport Otago chief executive Paul Allison, on the first day of finals.
He would interview ''living legends'' of bowls at the breakfast.
The 215-member Taieri club had been the nationals headquarters six times - the last time in 2010-11, Mr Gibson said.
''We have a very large clubrooms and the facilities are conducive to holding large groups of people, and as we are the largest club in the greater Dunedin area, we have a huge volunteer base,'' Mr Gibson said.
The other ''big selling point'' was the club's two outdoor greens, he said.
''The greens are great and running really good.''
If it rained the tournament would move to the Westpac Indoor Stadium in Dunedin.
The club was helping players and spectators secure accommodation for the event.
''It's unlikely that motels will be booked out because people find it easier, and cheaper, to try and find accommodation through friends, or have come to the club and asked us to find a house for them.''
Members of the public were welcome to watch the tournament for free.
Mr Gibson was looking forward to watching New Zealand's Black Jacks women's player Jo Edwards - ''probably the greatest woman bowler in the world''.
