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The National Automatic Merchandising Assn. (NAMA) said it would look into the next steps that should be taken to protect the industry after a federal appeals court ruled that the U.S. discriminates against blind people by printing paper money that makes it impossible for them to distinguish the bills' value. The ruling upholds a decision by a lower court in 2006, and would force the Treasury Department to redesign money.
"This decision would impose a tremendous financial hardship on our members who would be forced to spend hundreds of dollars on each machine so the new currency could be accepted," said NAMA CEO Richard Geerdes. "It is sure to translate into higher prices for everyone as the costs associated with re-fitting and even manufacturing completely new machines are eventually passed along to consumers, who will be forced to spend more money for the same products."
NAMA initially responded to this issue when the first lawsuit was filed against the U.S. Treasury by the American Council of the Blind in Washington. The suit claimed U.S. currency should be redesigned to help blind and visually impaired people distinguish denominations. NAMA filed a brief during the trial, noting that a decision to change currency would cost the vending industry substantial amounts. NAMA was the only industry group that filed a brief opposing the change, although a host of other industries would be affected including the amusement game trade. AMOA leaders discussed the matter during their Washington conference last year, but AAMA and AMOA have taken no formal action on the matter.
The Treasury Department has said it will appeal the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court, according to CNN, meaning that the matter won't likely be resolved for some time.
According to NAMA, there are 7 million food and beverage machines in the U.S., and 1.5 million accept both $1 and $5 bills. Industry experts estimate that it would cost $200 to $300 to retrofit each unit. The National Federation of the Blind has also criticized the proposal, pointing out that blind people have developed ways to identify denominations by folding bills in different ways..
Videogame maker Incredible Technologies has sold more than 25,000 Silver Strike Bowling games, the factory recently reported. The announcement came as the factory was wrapping up a recent online qualifying tournament and getting ready for a $100,000 Las Vegas championship last month at the Palms Hotel and Casino. First prize was $10,000 awarded to the winner's I.T. player account.
The finals are designed to drive additional play and accentuate the monthly sweepstakes held by I.T. for online players. Prizes have included $10,000 retail gift cards, a Jeep and several Harley-Davidson motorcycles.
I.T. marketing manager Dan Schrementi told operators at the factory's May Operator Summit that Silver Strike Bowling attracts women as well as a crucial demographic of younger players (21 to 25) that other bar-centered videos might miss capturing.
During that same meeting, I.T. previewed the latest version of Golden Tee Live, including a new online tournament version of their popular Closest to the Pin feature, plus a new miniature golf-themed videogame tentatively titled Mini Golf Master. Get the full story starting on pg. 45.
Brunswick Bowling & Billiards and Pinnacle Entertainment Advisors have entered into a strategic partnership. Pinnacle, a division of Redemption Plus, will assist Brunswick in creating state-of-the-art gamerooms and other family entertainment attractions for bowling centers that are being developed or upgraded.
"The Brunswick Business Alliance program provides our customers with a full range of expertise necessary to succeed in today's marketplace," said Kurt Harz, Brunswick VP of capital equipment sales for North America. "Arcades and family entertainment attractions are key parts of the FEC bowling center model, as well as in the newly emerging hybrid bowling business models. Pinnacle fits the bill for the high caliber FEC, game and redemption expertise we want to team up with to assist both our existing centers upgrading their facility as well as newly developed centers."
"We are delighted to formalize our relationship with Brunswick," said George McAuliffe, president of Pinnacle (right). "Bowling centers are reinventing themselves as 'FECs with bowling,' while FECs are adding the bowling component. By working with Kurt and his team, we are able to leverage our 30 years of game and FEC experience on behalf of Brunswick and their customers."
Brunswick Bowling & Billiards is one of the largest operators of
full-service bowling and family recreation centers in North America. For
more information, visit their website at www.brunswickbowling.com.
Pinnacle provides consulting services for the FEC industry, assisting with
budgeting, design, layout, game and attraction mix, marketing and operations.
They can be found online at www.grouppinnacle.com.
Operators in the state of Maryland have formally launched a new state association known as the Maryland Amusement and Music Operators Association. Officers include president Larry Bershtein of Capitol Amusements, VP Steve Holniker of Advent and secretary/treasurer Larry Wilner of Betson.
The group's first goal is to define various categories of membership. Holniker will oversee that effort so the group can finalize its bylaws. Going forward, the association is also planning several events to create momentum, including a September social for operators, an annual membership meeting in December and a meet-and-greet session with Maryland lawmakers to educate them on the amusement industry.
Operators are encouraged to contact Bershtein (larry@capitolamusements.com) with issues of importance from zoning to taxes to licenses in different jurisdictions. "We need to put together an agenda for the meet-and-greet and any lobbying we do with the legislature," said Wilner. "It's the central mission of the association."
The group's next planning meeting will be held on August 6 at 5 p.m. at Betson's Baltimore office. The group is starting out with 15 paid members, and hopes to double that number quickly.
Pace-O-Matic, the Georgia-based game maker, says officials with the New York State Liquor Authority have, in a rare move, approved their new Moxie Mania game as a true test of skill. Under New York law, the game can allow cash prize payouts as long as it's deemed a game of skill, according to the factory. "This is incredible news," said Ron Carrara, the firm's sales topper. "There's nothing 'gaming' about the machine. It's kind of like Sudoku. It's a grid with numbers, and if a player is really good, of which there are a very few, he will never lose."
The factory will be represented by Betson Enterprises in New York and held meetings last month in Syracuse, Albany and Carlstadt, N.J., to introduce the game to operators. Pace-O-Matic is also working with a New York consulting firm, Park Strategies founded by former U.S. Senator Alfonse D'Amato, to roll the games out across the state.
To learn more, contact Betson at www. betson.com.
Jukebox maker Rock-Ola recently honored its top distributors for the previous year. Recognition for Most Increased Sales Performance went to Game Doc, RMV Sales and WK Distributing.
The David C. Rock-Ola Century Club Award for Outstanding Sales Performance was given to Viking Vending, Mountain Coin and American Vending Sales. Rock-Ola U.K. distributor, GC Leisure, was also presented with the Rock-Ola Century Club Award earlier this year at the ATEI show in London.
This spring also saw Rock-Ola debut two new models, the Slimline SL-2 - a sleek, satin black floor model with mega sound and micro footprint - and the Rock-Star 3 - the latest in the Rock-Star line updated with more power and cost-saving features.
The SL-2 follows the same lines as the original Slimline introduced in 2007. The SL-2 comes with a standard Peavey 900 power amp and is equipped for an optional second Peavey series amp. The SL-2, like its predecessor, is still the only commercial model that takes up just 20" x 30" of floor space.
The Rock-Star 3 has been redesigned from the inside out with new power and cooling features, $1 to $20 bill acceptor, credit card reader, Mojo core with SAW touchscreen and hot new graphics. As if that weren't enough, the Rock-Star 3 has a lower price.
The American Amusement Machine Association has announced that this year's EXIME (International Exposition for Amusement Machines) Show has been cancelled.
Mike Rudowicz, AAMA president, explained that the association was unfortunately forced to cancel the show due to a number of logistical problems. "Due to a conflict with Expo Guadalajara, and lack of available dates in our desired timeframe, it was necessary to cancel this year's show," said Rudowicz. The EXIME Show was scheduled to be held July 30-31 at Expo Guadalajara in Guadalajara, Mexico.
No show this year means that plans are already underway for the 2009 EXIME Show, which will be held in June at the World Trade Center in Mexico City, Mexico. Dates, travel information and exhibition/attendee rates will be released as soon as they become available.
An alternative London show has been announced for January 2009. InterGame Expo will take place from Monday, January 26 to Wednesday, January 28 at the Ibis Hotel, which is situated on Lillie Road within a 10-minute walk of Earls Court, home of the ATEI show.
This new show, sponsored by the U.K.-based trade publication of the same name, is positioning itself to compete against the venerable ATEI, which will be held January 27-29. ATEI, owned by show conglomerate Clarion Events, has a media partnership with Coinslot International, a rival U.K. trade magazine.
InterGame Expo is designed as a "no frills" exhibition responding to exhibitor demands for a modestly priced event, according to its backers. InterGame's David Snook (pictured) said: "We have been asked by a number of companies to prepare an alternative show that will meet their demands: the end of January, all on one level, reasonably priced and marketed globally. That is what we have done."
InterGame Magazine says it has one of the largest international databases of amusement machine operators in the world; this will be used to access a global audience, along with the magazine. Space will be limited at the hotel-based show. For more information, visit www.intergameonline.com/expo.p
The proposal by InterGame to launch a coin-op exhibition to run during the same week as ATEI drew a sharp response from show organizers Clarion Gaming. Chief executive Peter Rusbridge (right) said the move is unwarranted and potentially divisive.
He explained: "Although the purpose of commercial organizations is to pursue profits, some observers have identified a whiff of opportunism surrounding this announcement. The view is that it is a divisive move, which comes at a time when the industry should be working together to readjust to the challenges presented by the current trading environment.
"ATEI has unique heritage; for more than 60 years, it has provided the coin-op industry with a vital platform for the launch and demonstration of product," Rusbridge continued. "Our duty is to protect and develop that platform, and it is a role that we take very seriously. Every member of my team understands their responsibil- ity, and we will compete vigorously."
In other ATEI news, Clarion Gaming has launched a marketing program to target a representative sample of ATEI exhibitors. The responses from this phase will go towards formulating a visitor communications campaign for the 2009 exhibition.
Charlotte Skinner (below), the marketing manager responsible for ATEI, explained: "Our main objectives are to confirm the key territories that we are addressing through marketing and to establish our exhibitors' preferred choice of media for both PR and advertising. Our strategy is to dovetail our communications activities with those of our exhibitors, including those that are new to ATEI, in order that we maximize the volume and fine-tune the content of our messages. The end game is to work smarter and harder to bring the right caliber of buyers from all of the right territories to ATEI in January.""
Silver screen superstar Leonardo DiCaprio has signed on to play arcade game legend and Atari founder Nolan Bushnell (see photos) in an upcoming biopic tentatively titled Atari, according to a report in the Hollywood Reporter. The story was penned by screenwriters Brian Hecker and Craig Sherman. Some members of the trade may remember Hecker, who visited AMOA Expo several years ago to promote another screenplay he wrote set in a 1980s arcade.
DiCaprio's production company will produce the movie, which is being
described in news reports as a cross between Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
and Tucker. Today, Bushnell heads up Uwink, a company that began making
online touchscreens in 2000 for the amusement industry and has evolved into
operating game-driven bistros in the Los Angeles area.
American Amusement Arcades, the operating division of Lieberman Companies, has acquired all Minnesota amusement locations of Superior Vending. "We are committed to continuing our growth in the industry, and the Superior route was an excellent fit," said Hal Lieberman, president.
Superior's former owner Andrew Schmitz will now focus on his ATM routes, amusement operation in Wisconsin as well as two bar/restaurants, Biff's and Heartbreaker's. Schmitz will also stay involved in the route as a consultant for the transition period.
"This was a win-win for both parties," said Schmitz. "Lieberman expanded its amusement footprint, and Superior can redeploy capital and personnel in other business segments."
American Arcades' general manager Tim Zahn declared: "Our goal is to build on the relationships Superior has in place, enhancing revenue via local promotions, as well as nationally through Club Lucky."
Lieberman Companies operates amusement and vending equipment distribution offices in the Minneapolis and Milwaukee market territories as well as the AAA route in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area.
Global VR started shipping its Need for Speed Carbon upgrade kit in mid-June. "This new driver will transform all previous versions of Need for Speed games," the factory said. "Picking up where Need for Speed Underground left off, Carbon engages players in the graphically stunning world of urban street and drift racing, all with varying degrees of difficulty."
Players will be able to select their cars from many models and types available including tuners, American muscle and exotics. Each car is customizable, making every driving experience unique. Players will also be able to build a personal career where mastering all car types means earning specialty cars and the ability to add up to 40 additional vehicles that can be used in any game mode and stored in a personal garage.
"In these challenging financial times, we are pleased to offer distributors and operators an opportunity to upgrade graphics and software in locations and enjoy increased revenue without having to invest in new game cabinets," said GVR's Jim DeRose.
Namco America issued an advisory to operators about a potential issue with Flamin' Finger ticket, merchandiser and tournament edition games. "We have determined that under certain conditions involving physical abuse to the playfield, the PCB may become damaged and the resulting short can result in a possible fire hazard," the factory announced.
Namco America has developed a safety fuse adaptor harness to address this issue. This potential problem can be resolved with the addition of this harness in 10 minutes. "If you are currently operating any Flamin' Finger games, we strongly suggest you take a moment to contact Namco America or your local authorized Namco America distributor to obtain the full-service bulletin and fuse adaptor harness at no charge," the factory added.
For further information, contact Namco America at 630/238-2248 or email arcadeinfo@namcoarcade.com.
Debit card system maker Coin Tech has been granted ISO 9001 certification by Bureau Veritas Certification, one of the world's most influential audit and verification firms, the supplier reported.
This milestone confirms Coin Tech's commitment to achieving compliance and continuous improvement in service, software and hardware development for its product, Game System, according to Coin Tech.
"This certification means one more step in our effort to differentiate through quality," said Daniel Fabrizi, director. "Our products are designed to work with state-of-the-art technology; also, we count on a staff with the knowledge and experience needed to do so. Proof of this was that our team worked hard and got through the ISO certification with ease.""
TouchTunes has partnered with U.S. Air Guitar for the second consecutive year as the official jukebox sponsor of the 2008 U.S. Air Guitar Championship. TouchTunes will promote the USAG regional competitions on its digital jukeboxes in each of the cities where the competitions are being held and will feature a special air guitar playlist.
TouchTunes will also be showcasing its digital jukeboxes and promoting and signing up members to myTouchTunes.com at the regional competitions and at the finals. As part of its myTouchTunes promotion, the company is holding a sweepstakes to win a pair of tickets for the National USAG Finals and a free trip for two to San Francisco. The winner will be randomly chosen in mid-July. TouchTunes is running a similar sweepstakes for its operator partners as well.
"TouchTunes is all about terrific music, having a great time and providing the best in entertainment," said Ron Greenberg, CMO. "There are thousands of fans out there who love U.S. Air Guitar competitors and the music they play. This year, all of the contestants will create their own playlists on myTouchTunes, so anyone in one of the thousands of myTouchTunes locations nationwide can see what's hot and play these great songs, whether they're at the event or not. Plus, myTouchTunes members get a chance to win a trip to the finals in San Francisco."
In its sixth year, U.S. Air Guitar will feature even more cities on its roster and is leveraging TouchTunes to build buzz. For more information on locations, dates, and times, visit www.usairguitar.com.
The AAMA returned to join the crowds at the 89th Annual National Restaurant, Hotel & Motel Show. The premier tradeshow event for the foodservice industry ran May 17-20.
More than 2,200 exhibitors in hundreds of product categories occupied over 621,000 sq. ft. of the North and South Halls of Chicago's McCormick Place Convention Center, an increase over the 2007 show. This year's 71,500 attendees traveled from over 115 countries to walk the seemingly endless show floor. There was also a lot of excitement over the addition of the International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event, focused exclusively on growing restaurant and hospitality bar programs.
This year's education program included 72 sessions, 18 culinary demonstrations and a keynote address from Jim Skinner, VP and CEO of McDonald's Corp. In addition, presidential candidate U.S. Sen. John McCain made a special address to attendees and brought with him Sen. Joseph Lieberman.
The AAMA pavilion enjoyed a return to the South Hall near the Direct TV booth, which did not fail to generate a steady stream of interest in coin-op products and leads. AAMA members in the coin-op pavilion included Brady Distributing, Kalkomat, Merit and Ecast. Several other AAMA member companies that exhibited on their own included Betson, Fun Express, Marshall Productions and TouchTunes Music. The NRA show in 2009 will be held May 16-19 at the same site. The 2009 International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event will be held May 18-19.
Association members can receive a copy of more than 90 leads acquired by the AAMA. Contact Christy Maes toll free at 866/372-5190 or via email at cmaes@coin-op.org.
Congressman Rham Emanuel (5th District-IL), one of the highest-ranking members in the House of Representatives, paid a friendly visit recently to the Stern Pinball factory. Emanuel, who represents Chicago and its outlying areas, brought his family to see how pinball machines are made.
Factory topper Gary Stern and Ray Tanzer, director of mechanical engineering, gave the Emanuel family a tour of Stern's 40,000-sq.-ft. factory. Along the way, Ray showed the Emanuel children how various pinball playfield mechanisms work by giving them a pinball to strike against bumpers and drop targets. The children were ecstatic.
"We are honored to have Congressman Emanuel stop by and visit our factory," said Stern. "We appreciate his interest in pinball and the success of our business."
At the beginning of his second term, Emanuel received an assignment to
serve on the House Ways and Means Committee, which oversees taxes, trade,
Social Security and Medicare issues. Additionally, Emanuel was appointed
by then House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi to serve as chairman of the Democratic
Congressional Campaign Committee. In January of 2007, the new majority elected
Emanuel to serve as Democratic caucus chair, the fourth highest-ranking
member of the House Democratic Leadership.
A proposed measure to help pull California out of billions in debt would tax gross receipts of amusement operators. For the time being, state operators have little recourse than to adopt a wait-and-see attitude as the plan from the California Board of Equalization is considered, according to Rick Caviglia (right), president of the California Amusement Device Operators.
In a letter from the board chairperson to lawmakers in Sacramento, the amusement, gambling and adult entertainment industries are on the table for inclusion in a broader tax revenue plan on services. As this issue went to press, there was no timeframe set for a decision on the legislative committee level. Nevertheless, Caviglia and the AMOA have been proactive in spreading the word about the threat.
"I suggested that our defense would be that anybody but us offering a service or labor, which is non-taxable now, could add a line item on their invoice," Caviglia stressed to RePlay. "It's a matter of programming the cash register. We're one of the only industries that is not set up to pass that charge on to the end user. It would have to come out of our gross earnings, and that would deplete us. Stores can change service tax, but we can't without increasing our prices, destroying play."
Caviglia confirmed that he had been working on the issue with AMOA EVP Jack Kelleher, who has also conferred with NAMA. The bulk vending industry has used the position Caviglia detailed to successfully defeat similar efforts. Reps from both associations, however, advised California operators to monitor developments but not march on the capitol in case the proposal blows over, especially in the face of mounting criticism.
"An awful lot of industries with lobbyists and money are screaming bloody murder over this," said Caviglia. "They're saying jobs are going, we're in a recession and you're not going to help anything by taking more money."
The issue has brought to mind another concern for California coin-op: the dormant state of its association. Almost a decade ago when the group formed, only a handful of bar-route operators took up the battle against a videogame violence bill, which did not expressly affect their business. The association has not met since largely due to apathy, Caviglia explained. Caviglia is president of the California Amusement Group in San Leandro, Calif., and may be reached at 510/483-8820.
Dart Summit 2008 is fast approaching. Sponsored by the National Dart Association, the conference will be held from July 24-26 at the DoubleTree Hotel and Suites.
The event connects operators, league coordinators and company owners with leaders in the industry who will show how to turn challenges into opportunities through one-on-one and group interactions. Special sessions of interest include diversifying your business, branding and marketing, practical technology solutions, legislative issues affecting the industry and training and motivating employees.
The keynote session "Think, Plan, Win" will be delivered by Amusement Consultants' Michael Getlan. The engaging presentation will cover the rules of business and the art of management while sharing unique, sensible advice on service, leadership, creative thinking and strategic planning.
The event is free to NDA members and $275 for AMOA members. Register
online at www.ndadarts.com. Make
hotel reservations by calling 800/222-8733.
LAI Games has extended its 0% financing package through Vend Lease, a coin-op equipment financing company. This program covers LAI's entire line of amusement products.
LAI's national sales manager Debbie Gonzalez said: "We are receiving excellent results from this financing program and feel it's important to continue to offer this package during the summer season."
Among the games included in the financing program are Stacker and Time Buster, all LAI's novelty and ticket games including Little Masterpiece and Feeding Time and the Enchanting Kiddie Carousel.
The promotion will be extended through September 30. LAI customers will receive terms of 0% APR for 12 months with no down payment required. A minimum of three games must be purchased to qualify for financing. The first payment will be due 30 days after the contract has been funded. Customers will be responsible for a $275 filing fee and applicable sales tax.
This finance program is only offered in the U.S. through authorized LAI distributors and in conjunction with Vend Lease. To learn more, call LAI at 888/211-6370. For finance information, contact Gary Lentz at Vend Lease, 888/363-5327 ext. 141; email glentz@vendlease.net or visit www.vendlease.net. This promotion cannot be combined with any other LAI offers or discounts.
Law enforcement officials in Texas fanned out across the state in late May to close down a statewide business known as Aces Wired. The company claims that its system is within the law, offering gift cards for merchandise in an amusement-for-prize redemption format. However, local police acting on behalf of Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott shut down six game centers across the state.
"We believe the actions taken today are completely without merit and have no legal basis," Aces Wired president Kenneth Griffith said in a statement published in the Austin American-Statesman.
A number of Aces Wired games placed on location in bingo halls were not seized in the round up. State officials are divided over the legality of Aces Wired, a publicly traded company that advertises its games and has even signed sponsorship deals with professional sports teams. The attorney general has said the games are not legal, but other state agencies have disagreed.
Merit Entertainment recently let their latest Sneak Peek title hit the streets. Chainz 2: Puzzler, a sequel to Chainz 2, puts a new spin on an already popular game and is automatically downloaded to all MegaNet-connected Megatouch Force and ION machines. Chainz 2: Puzzler requires hi-resolution to be enabled on Force machines.
Chainz 2: Puzzler, a multi-level game, contains 10 stages offering a total of 50 perplexing puzzles. The player must clear the entire board by connecting three or more of the same color links to create a chain and unlock the puzzle to advance to the next level. This challenge drives the player to solve a specific sequence unique to each puzzle.
Sneak Peek Games are free to all MegaNet-connected Force and ION machines, including the Aurora. Merit also reminds operators that MegaNet itself is free for any broadband-connected Megatouch linked to an AMI jukebox.
"Connected operators see powerful earnings boosts from Merit's Sneak Peek games," said Colin Higbie, Merit's director of marketing. "Operators know that new games and software attract players. MegaNet operators get the newest games throughout the year, can install all the software updates without the cost of an expensive site visit and make money on the Sneak Peek games months before the competition."
Andamiro USA is now shipping its newest redemption game that offers family-oriented play and a twist on traditional mechanical hammer games. Hammer2 features a large, horizontally-mounted, touch-sensitive monitor that players hit with soft plastic mallets to complete a variety of simple and intuitive challenges.
The game is designed for one or two players and equally appeals to males and females. It offers eight stages for all modes including single-play, two cooperative play options and six games specifically for competitive play, making it a versatile piece that encourages adults to join their children. Each stage lasts 40 seconds, and if a player successfully completes the challenge he is awarded another play and a bonus game after that.
Single-player stages include Monster Hunt and a classic whacking challenge. Options for two players range from hockey- to galactic-themed games. The quick and simple play style will encourage steady earnings, the company noted.
Hammer2 is equipped to dispense tickets with several operator-adjustable settings for this mode. The 42" plasma display panel provides high-resolution graphics and is housed in a colorful cabinet accented by lighted corners and an attention-getting overhead marquee.
The cabinet measures 43.7" wide x 53.5" deep x 73.5" high and weighs 330 lbs. For more information, call call Andamiro at 310/767-5800 or visit www.andamirousa.com.
Weymouth Distributing of L.A. and Firestone Financial have teamed up to offer two finance options, both with 0% APR and no money down. The first is 12 months with payments delayed for 120 days followed by nine equal payments. The second is for 24 months with the first payment due in 30 days.
Lisa Burke of Santa Clarita Concessions remarked, "We weren't planning on buying any new equipment in the near future with the increase in gas prices and product. But with no payments for 120 days and 0% interest, how can we pass this up?"
Bill Watson, Weymouth GM, said: "With all the economic challenges facing our customers, we felt we needed to do something to help make the summer season a little easier. With the delayed payments operators can collect for 16 weeks before having to make a single payment and 0% interest, we feel we have a winner of a program."
A filing fee of $200, all taxes and freight are due at the time of purchase. The 12-month program has a minimum purchase of two machines or at least $7,000 and the 24-month program has a minimum purchase of two machines or at least $10,000. Both programs run through July 31.
For details, contact Weymouth Distributing at 213/748-5181 or check out www.weymouthdist.com.
Betson Advance Distributing's Advance Expo 2008, held April 11-12 at the Turning Stone Casino in Verona, N.Y., drew more than 137 companies and over 400 guests, the dealership reported.
Operators from the Upstate New York area came to see the latest titles and visit with amusement and vending manufacturers as well as product suppliers who were displaying the latest equipment, redemption prizes, plush and vendible food products.
The two-day event was full of interesting seminars and round-table discussions. Dan Sleeth of the Syracuse vending department held a service seminar on MEI and AMS vending equipment, and Jim Chapman from Family Fun Companies spoke about redemption operations. In closing, a presentation was given by David Katz from Bonita Marie International on the Tickets to Prizes unit from Benchmark Games.
"The show was an extreme success. We are already planning the Betson Advance Expo 2009, which will be the 10th anniversary, and we will be adding more educational seminars and workshops," said Dave Lerner, Betson Advance branch manager.
For more information on Betson products and financing, visit www.betson.com, email info@betson.com or call 800/524-2343.
VirtuPlay has released another title for the Intevo platform, Baker's 11. Players attempt to fill their donut box to clear off the board and prepare more tasty treats. The goal is to see how many boxes can be filled in a given time.
Players clear the board for points and can touch the Take Score button when their time is almost up or if they run out of moves. Baker's 11 is available as a stand-alone game or part of the Intevo Players Club; the game allows players to compete for points and prizes.
"VirtuPlay is committed to providing operators with the tools to keep their routes operating efficiently and profitably with our free upgrades and remote maintenance," stated Mario Flagiello, CEO. "We have made industry breakthroughs with our products, which are increasing revenues and placement opportunities for operators."
VirtuPlay is scheduled to release four new titles this summer, which
will be automatically available to all Intevo machines. For more information,
call 905/265-7529 ext. 21 or email sales@virtuplay.ca
and visit www.virtuplay.ca.
AMI Entertainment pre-released the album Evil Urges by the acclaimed band My Morning Jacket on May 27, two weeks before the album hit stores on June 10. Their fifth studio album was featured onscreen on more than 10,000 jukeboxes across the U.S. in bar and nightlife establishments. The pre-release came amidst national hype for the record, according to AMI, including an appearance by the band on Saturday Night Live, a sold out Radio City Music Hall show, a slot on Conan O'Brien and the cover of Spin Magazine.
"Evil Urges is a strong showing for the band, boasting their take on soul and strengthening their southern rock ties," said AMI's Brian Hoekstra. "Jim James' patented feedback-laden vocals are pushed farther than we have ever heard, and the band pulls off some pretty amazing atmospheric tricks. These are the things that have made the band an easy choice for the summer festival circuit. This summer, the band plays Coachella and Bonnaroo in the U.S. and T in the Park in the U.K."
My Morning Jacket also debuted their upcoming album on the Ecast network of digital jukeboxes found in more than 10,000 bars and nightclubs nationwide. Evil Urges went live on their network one week before its release on ATO Records. To drive music plays, Evil Urges appeared in established Ecast promotional features including the Just Added playlist, an artist-dedicated interactive video loop and the New Releases video loop, which are seen by half a million music enthusiasts each week.
"Ecast's jukeboxes are fun and easy to use with the widest variety and selection of music available. Making ATO's music available on the Ecast
network with the pre-release of the My Morning Jacket album only helps us capitalize further and compound word of mouth and excitement about Evil Urges," said John Biondolillo, general manager, ATO Records.
TouchTunes recently offered an exclusive digital jukebox pre-release from R&B artist Usher called Love in This Club Part II, featuring Beyonce and Lil Wayne. The song was available on the TouchTunes network more than a week before the official on-sale date of May 27 for Usher's new album Here I Stand.
Usher fans were able to enter their email addresses at any of the 10,000 participating jukeboxes to receive an email from TouchTunes with a special link to pre-order Here I Stand with three bonus tracks from iTunes. Additionally, iTunes will provide the Love in This Club music video and an immediate download of Love in This Club Part II.
"TouchTunes is a fantastic platform to round out the music buying experience," said Josh Fein, BMG Label Group, director of digital sales. "The TouchTunes jukebox offers much more than just music discovery for Usher fans; they are able to move from hearing a great new song to purchasing it, creating the positive experience many music retailers strive for."
Coastal Amusements, working in conjunction with Firestone
Financial, is now offering an attractive financing offer on their
unique Sea Wolf video redemption game, a modern remake of a classic. The
game is available for only 4.99% APR financing with no payments for 180
days. The offer is good on orders booked by August 31, 2008. The term of
the deal is 24 months, and there is no minimum order required. All applicable
tax and freight and a $200 filing fee are due up front. For finance information,
contact the Firestone sales department at 800/851-1001. This is a 180-day
payment deferral, not an interest-free 180-day term.
· · ·
AMOA is offering a special incentive for operators who attend the
Sept. 10-12 International Expo in Las Vegas. The first 50 operators who
sign up to attend a special seminar on the group's newest member benefit
- an association hosted website - will get the $50 development fee waived.
The only cost will be the annual renewal and maintenance fee of $100, which
comes due a year after the site goes live. AMOA past president and web guru
Jim Pietrangelo is hosting the seminar on Wednesday, Sept. 10, from 2 -
3:15 p.m.. To sign up for the session or learn more about the benefit available
today, email jackamoa@aol.com or call
800/937-2662.
· · ·
Coinstar, the parent company of national amusement operator Sugarloaf,
says its stockholders voted to re-elect Deborah Bevier, David Eskenazy and
Robert Sznewajs to the company's board. The elections came just days after
Coinstar ended a proxy fight with Shamrock Activist Value Fund, an investment
group headed up by Roy Disney that currently owns 13% of Coinstar's outstanding
shares. Shamrock had been seeking to name three new hand-picked directors
to Coinstar's board.
Under the terms of the agreement, the board appointed Arik Ahitov, one of
the three director candidates previously nominated by Shamrock, as a Coinstar
director whose term expires in 2010. Shamrock, in turn, agreed to terminate
its proxy contest and not nominate any additional board candidates. With
the addition of the Shamrock designee, Coinstar's board expanded to eight
directors. In addition, Coinstar has agreed to add an additional independent
director to its board by March 1, 2009. The new director will be selected
from a group of candidates submitted by Coinstar's major stockholders, including
Shamrock.
· · ·
Ecast, the broadband music network for jukeboxes, has reportedly
secured more than $12 million in venture capital financing as part of a
fourth round of funding that will total more than $18.5 million. The story
was reported by the website PEHub.com. The investors include Focus Ventures,
Mobius Venture Capital, Crosslink Capital, DCM and El Dorado Ventures, most
of which have participated in previous rounds of funding for the company,
which provides music to digital jukeboxes from NSM, Rock-Ola and Wurlitzer.
· · ·
The corporate and game websites of Incredible Technologies have all
been given a complete overhaul for the benefit of operators and players.
Last month, www.itsgames.com, which hundreds of operators visit on a daily
basis, went live with a new look and functionality. It was the last of the
company's websites to be updated.
"We started this process a year ago," said Scott Schoenberg, director
of server technology. "Now all our sites have a fresh, distinctive
look and feel. We gave Operator Services a sleek new look and removed a
lot of stuff that cluttered up the old site. Operators can login using just
their user ID and password now. A special security code is no longer needed."
For players of the company's games, new websites were created for Golden
Tee Golf (www.goldentee.com), Silver
Strike Bowling (www.silver
strikebowling.com) and Target Toss Pro: BAGS (www.target
tosspro.com).
· · ·
Redemption Plus was named one of the Top 10 Small Businesses by the
Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber has been recognizing
the importance of small business for 22 years in what has now become the
largest celebration of its kind in the U.S. Candidates must be for-profit
businesses headquartered in the Greater Kansas City area that have no more
than 250 full-time equivalent employees; they also must have grown and/or
sustained their number of employees and sales over the past three years.
More importantly, each company is judged based on the philosophies of Ewing
Marion Kauffman, the award's namesake and one of Kansas City's most well-known
and admired entrepreneurs. His principles focus on a commitment to virtuous
business practices, excellent employee relations and community service.
Redemption Plus was selected from a record 151 candidates and more than
1,400 nominations.
· · ·
Sega Amusements, working in conjunction with Firestone Financial,
is offering impressive 0% financing on its new deluxe shooting game Primeval
Hunt. Players hunt over 10 different dinosaurs, including T. Rex, Triceratops
and Velociraptors using touchscreen technology that allow them to navigate
through the jungle to track down the biggest dinosaurs. The 12-month financing
deal requires a first payment in 30 days, as well as an upfront filing fee
of $200 plus tax and freight. For finance information, contact the Firestone
sales department at 800/851-1001.
· · ·
Modern Marvels, the popular cable show on The History Channel, recently
visited Stern Pinball to film a segment for a show on coin-operated
games.
The piece, expected to last about eight minutes, was filmed on the factory
floor. Ray Tanzer, director of mechanical engineering, narrated the tour
of the factory, offering insight into every step of the manufacturing process.
Gary Stern was also interviewed. He spoke of the history of pinball, as
well as the state of the pinball industry today. "We appreciate Modern
Marvels coming to see our factory and showing our manufacturing process.
This shows the interest that the public has in pinball and its success,"
said Gary. The show featuring Stern Pinball is set to air July 25 at 8 p.m.
and then at midnight. It will air again sometime the following week and
then up to two dozen more times over the next 18 months. Modern Marvels
tells the fascinating stories of the doers, dreamers and sometime-schemers
who create everyday items, technological breakthroughs and man-made wonders.
· · ·
TouchTunes held an official launch party on June 24 for the new PlayPorTT,
a revolutionary wireless gaming and music device for bars and restaurants.
The unveiling took place at Bar None in San Francisco. In addition to showing
off PlayPorTT, the evening also included feature performances by the air
guitarists who were competing in the U.S. Air Guitar regional competition
to win a spot at the national championships. TouchTunes featured a head-to-head
PlayPorTT gaming tournament for all attendees, which included the chance
to win tickets to the USAG competition the following evening.
· · ·
For the second year in a row, The Entrepreneurs Edge, a non-profit organization
committed to supporting middle-market companies, presented WRG Services
with an award recognizing them as a value-driven company operating in the
Northeast Ohio region. The Entrepreneurs Edge reviewed over 1,000 companies
in Northeast Ohio and honored 101 of them. "Northeast Ohio is a dynamic
market with leading organizations in healthcare, manufacturing, finance
and so many diverse areas of business. Continually receiving recognition
as one of the most successful companies speaks volumes about the talented
people we employ and WRG's commitment to innovation and growth," stated
CEO Mike Stevenson. WRG is a full-service ATM partner, offering sales and
service, transaction processing, technical support, customized financing
and leasing, and customer training.
· · ·
KIC Products, a leader in the manufacturing of cleaning cards, has
joined forces with Clean Team Co., an original developer and manufacturer
of technical cleaning products, to become one united front as KICTeam, effective
immediately. "Both companies have a solid reputation and excellent
track record across the industries they serve," said Peter Klein, president
and CEO, KIC Products. "We saw this as a natural fit designed to raise
the profile of the importance of cleaning cards." The merger makes
KICTeam the world's market leader providing more than 400 technical cleaning
product solutions and servicing over 1,300 customers worldwide. KICTeam
will continue to work from Auburn, Maine, and San Diego, Calif., with Auburn
serving as its headquarters. For more information, visit www.kicteam.com,
www.kicproducts.com and www.cleanteam.com.
· · ·
The 10th International Exhibition of Amusement Rides and Entertainments
or RAAPA 2008 took place in Moscow, Russia, April 9-11, at Pavilion
69 of the All Russian Exhibition Centre (VVTs). The exhibition was organized
by the Russian Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions and supported
by the Interregional Connections and National Policy Committee of Moscow
and the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions. IAAPA
chairman Robert Masterson and president and executive director Charlie Bray
took part in the opening ceremony. The tradeshow hosted more than 170 exhibitors
from 20 countries, including 45 foreign companies, and close to 6,000 attendees.
Booth space was also greatly expanded by the show's exhibitors. The next
RAAPA will take place September 17-19, 2008, in Moscow, VVTs, Pavilion 70.
To learn more, go to www.raapa.ru.
Videogame maker Global VR has made two key appointments to fill the positions of president and chairman of the board vacated by former company head Jim DeRose. Company veteran Ken Bayer is the new company president, while continuing his current role as EVP of operations. Additionally, Patrick Imeson, managing director of Global VR's financial backer, Black Diamond Financial Group, will take on the responsibility of chairman.
Ken began his career with Global VR in 1999 as VP of operations after having spent 15 years in high-technology management. Since that time, he has overseen the engineering and manufacturing of almost 30 products. "Being a part of Global VR for over eight years has given me both experience and insight," he said. "Global VR is committed to the coin-op industry and to the people who have invested confidence in our organization."
Patrick Imeson has been a part of Global VR's board of directors for many years. "Global VR has assembled a world-class organization capable of producing some of the most innovative and exciting products in the out-of-home entertainment industry," Imeson said. "We are confident that the company will continue to deliver on its promise of high quality games and that it is uniquely poised to leverage its talent and relationships to further the company's business interests."
Jim DeRose, former company president, CEO and board chairman, announced his resignation on May 30 for personal reasons. "In my three years at Global VR, I believe that we have established a management team, business infrastructure, product pipeline and overall presence that have positioned the company as an industry leader," he said. "We have improved our quality and service while bringing innovation to the industry with games like EA Sports NASCAR Racing and, most recently, Blazing Angels.""
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