September 2010
I.T. Named Best & Brightest in Chicago
For the third consecutive year, game creator Incredible Technologies was named one of Chicago’s 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For by the National Association for Business Resources.
I.T. earned the award based on a range of criteria that includes diversity, work-life balance, compensation and benefits, employee education, retention and community initiative. Best and Brightest winners are selected by an independent market research company and an independent panel of judges.
The game maker employs 140 people. According to Cory Christensen, I.T.’s director of human resources, winning the award for three years straight reflects the company’s core philosophy: namely, that an employee-friendly atmosphere fosters success in every facet of business. “A productive, satisfied, invested employee is the best kind to have,” she said. “Our three-peat indicates that our owners have been successful in making sure every employee knows the value that both their job and person bring to our company.”
I.T. recently celebrated its 25th anniversary with a gala party held at Arlington International Racecourse. The employees surprised owners Elaine Hodgson and Richard Ditton (pictured above) with individual mementoes, as well as a 25th anniversary poster signed by all the employees. After receiving their gifts, Elaine and Richard thanked their employees for their hard work, creativity and dedication.
A Georgia Assembly bill that increases skill and redemption game fees for operators and locations based on a new classification, while revising previously ambiguous definitions, went into effect July 1. Though not entirely ideal for small business interests, the Georgia Amusement and Music Operators Assn., which has lobbied for reform since the early 2000s, is hailing the Senate Bill 454’s amendments to existing law as far-reaching measures to protect legitimate coin-op amusement business practices.
“As I understand it, this is one of the most comprehensive pieces of legislation in the country for games,” Paradise Amusement’s Butch Foshee, GAMOA president, told RePlay. “Other states have said they wished they had what we now have. It’s by no means perfect, but it has gone a long way in clarifying certain legal issues that were out there.”
In the new law, a single play, successful player and slot machine are clearly defined, making a distinction between what’s lawful and illegal activity for enforcement authorities and thereby protecting non-cash redemption equipment on location, according to Les Schneider, GAMOA council from the office of Wimberly, Lawson, Steckel, Schneider & Stine.
“We know that redemption is key to the survival of our business,” Schneider said. “Operators with non-cash redemption and merchandising have been very successful in both kiddie and adult locations, and are not looking to compete with the state lottery.”
The bill further set standards on the maximum income derived from machines on location versus other goods and put forth penalties for violations with the law. Schneider declared, “We were there to toughen any penalties for those operating incorrectly so that those who are doing it legally can do so on a level playing field and not be hassled.”
The bill’s passage of equipment and location license fee hikes based on an erroneous categorization of games — an issue of consternation among some of the state’s operators — actually nullified a more punitive piece of legislation, House Bill 1055, that would have financially devastated more amusement companies and locations in the state’s aggressive reach for more revenues, noted Schneider and Foshee. The GAMOA plans to address the unfair classification for fee structures in the next legislative calendar year with lawmakers who are aware of the unfair lumping together of kiddie and adult redemption games.
“What happened during the legislative process is that one of the governmental agencies wanted to make a delineation for enforcement purposes very simplistic,” Schneider explained. “So if you play a game for fun and don’t win anything, it’s Class A. If you win something or get a ticket or voucher, the game goes into Class B.”
For a Class A master license, operators must now pay $500 for up to five machines, $2,000 for six to 60, and $3,500 if they have more than 61. Those increased from $250, $1,500 and $2500, respectively. The sticker fee for each Class A game is $25. For a Class B master license, the fee is $5,000, regardless of game number, with a $125 fee per machine. Previously, there was no Class B license.
Moreover, locations must now pay their license fees based on the number and types of games in the business. Type A games are $25 each; Type B games are $125. Pending further revision, the GAMOA looks forward to legislation that’s fully in operators’ best interests. About 100 members strong, the association held a session to explain the changes in June and, at press time, was planning to schedule a meeting later this year.
A federal grand jury in San Francisco has indicted Samuel “Mouli” Cohen on 19 counts of wire fraud and 13 counts of money laundering, United States Attorney Joseph P. Russoniello announced last month. According to court documents, Cohen is accused of defrauding more than 55 victims out of more than $30 million as a result of his scheme. Cohen founded digital music provider Ecast but has since left the company; he was also involved in the now defunct online game effort, Aristo.
Federal agents arrested Cohen, previously of Belvedere, Calif., on Aug. 5. He made his initial appearance in federal court on Aug. 6 in Los Angeles. The grand jury returned the indictment against Cohen on July 15, 2010. The indictment was unsealed the day of Cohen’s arrest.
Current Ecast CEO John Taylor stressed that Cohen has no official connection to the management or operations of Ecast. “Mouli Cohen has not been involved with the company since 2002, and the charges on which the federal grand jury indicted him are solely against him and do not directly affect the company,” Taylor told RePlay. “Ecast’s business has not been affected by the ongoing legal matter against Mouli Cohen, and the company continues to operate as a going concern. The current management team has no previous history or direct contact with Mouli Cohen and as such had no involvement with his activities.”
According to the indictment, in late 2002, Cohen advised Hari Dillon, president of Vanguard Public Foundation, that Microsoft was going to acquire Cohen’s company, the digital jukebox music provider Ecast. Vanguard is a San Francisco-based non-profit organization dedicated to civil rights and social justice; the organization was founded by actors Danny Glover and Harry Belafonte.
“In order to obtain money from investors and lenders, Cohen represented that upon completion of the acquisition, Cohen’s Ecast shares would be exchanged on a 1-for-1 basis for Microsoft shares of stock, which were valued at several times the value of Ecast shares,” the U.S. Attorney’s office in San Francisco reported in its official statement to the media. “Cohen further represented that Microsoft’s acquisition of Ecast would be finalized within months of late 2002 and offered to sell his Ecast shares to Dillon and other investors associated with Vanguard at prices ranging from $2 to $3.50 per share. Cohen advised Dillon and other investors that Microsoft’s acquisition of Ecast required approval of governmental regulatory entities in the United States and the European Union.
“Cohen told Dillon and other investors that they needed to pay Cohen millions of dollars in order to cover costs associated with the government approval of Microsoft’s acquisition of Ecast, and that if Cohen did not receive the money from the investors to cover the costs, they would lose their investments,” the U.S. Attorney’s statement continued. According to the indictment, Cohen’s scheme began in 2002 and lasted through 2008.
The maximum statutory penalty for each count of wire fraud is 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 and restitution. The maximum statutory penalty for each count of money laundering is 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The allegations have also been the subject of a civil lawsuit, detailed last year in an article by The Contra Costa Times, at www.contracostatimes.com/ci_12756377.
National Automatic Merchandising Association (NAMA) chairman Craig Hesch of A.H. Entertainers in Rolling Meadows, Ill., told members of Congress recently that any changes to coin or currency could cost the industry more than $530 million.
The remarks were made before the U.S. House of Representatives Financial Services Committee, Subcommittee on Domestic Monetary Policy and Technology, and addressed the state of U.S. coins and currency.
“With approximately 5.3 million food and beverage vending machines in use today, any changes which would require replacement, modification or reprogramming will harm the industry,” Hesch said. “These costs could result in job reductions and price increases, thereby creating an unfair disadvantage for our industry versus other retail channels.
“But an estimate of the cost may be much more complicated. For example, one NAMA member estimated that it would cost the entire vending industry billions. First, companies would have to spend millions of dollars on design and development to even identify equipment that is capable of handling the changes. The more drastic the changes, the greater the cost of engineering,” he added.
Hesch also thanked the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing and Mint for a solid partnership but warned of job losses if there were dramatic changes to the size or designs of currency. “Dramatic changes to the physical design such as size changes, notches, punches or cuts could result in increased costs to replace equipment and could result in more bills being refused, resulting in lost sales,” he said.
NAMA is the national trade association of the food and refreshment vending, coffee service and foodservice management industries, including onsite, commissary, catering and mobile. Hesch’s firm operates both amusement and vending machines, and the Hesch family enjoys a long legacy of leadership in both NAMA and AMOA.
A conservative taxpayer watchdog group, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW), is encouraging the U.S. Treasury to aggressively increase the circulation of $1 coins. The coins have not enjoyed widespread circulation because of a turf war within the U.S. Treasury, CAGW asserted. Thirteen years ago, Congress passed the U.S. $1 Coin Act of 1997, giving the U.S. Treasury the authority to get $1 coins into circulation.
“The advantages of using a $1 coin are substantial,” CAGW argued in its recent press release. “According to an April 7, 2000 Government Accountability Office report, replacing the $1 bill with a coin would save taxpayers $522.2 million per year. The savings would likely be even higher today.”
Most of the cost savings associated with coins comes from their comparative durability. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing produces approximately 3.4 billion $1 bills each year, each of which costs 4.2 cents to manufacture. Each bill has a life-span of approximately 21 months. By comparison, the $1 coin costs slightly more to produce, 12 to 20 cents, but has a life-span of 30 years or more. The group says the $1 coin saves money because it is cheaper to handle and process. Mass transit agencies have found that processing $1 coins costs 83% less than processing $1 bills. In addition, vending machine operators have determined that $1 coins save their industry $1 billion a year.
Other benefits include savings on the processing of money by banks and businesses. Coins cost 30 cents per thousand pieces to process at Federal Reserve Banks compared to 75 cents per thousand for $1 notes. Large-scale private-sector users reap even more savings. Processing bills costs them more than 500% above processing coins. Coins are also much more difficult to counterfeit, they advise.
The Federal Reserve and the U.S. Mint are required by law to remove barriers to the $1 coin’s circulation. However, the Federal Reserve issues the United States’ paper currency and doesn’t like the competition from the $1 coin, which is issued by the Mint the group claims, adding that the Fed’s leaders have instituted regulations and red tape that restrict access to $1 coins for banks, businesses and individuals.
“The nation is facing a $1.4 trillion deficit and struggling to find ways to save money,” said CAGW president Tom Schatz. “The $1 coin saves the federal government considerable sums of money because $1 coins are more durable and cost significantly less to produce over their life-span than $1 bills. Taxpayers deserve to realize the savings associated with these coins. It is time for Treasury Secretary Geithner to remove bureaucratic barriers and aggressively promote the circulation of $1 coins.”
CAGW is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse and mismanagement in government.
The National Automatic Merchandising Association (NAMA) says it has negotiated a deal with Bank of America Merchant Services that will help its members who accept credit cards can enjoy lower costs and increased sales and profits.
“Thanks to the new NAMA and BAMS partnership, NAMA members can offer their customers the convenience of cashless payments at a competitive cost across small and large average transaction pricing in a variety of industry segments,” said NAMA VP Dean Gilland.
NAMA’s preferred processor has a broad knowledge of card brand rules and regulations and has leveraged that knowledge to customize a program to provide vending association members access to exclusively negotiated rates across various industry segments (vending, coffee service and foodservice).
The NAMA Cashless Solution program is a networked end-to-end solution that is hardware neutral, works with qualified communication suppliers and card associations for payment reconciliation and account management.
To learn more, visit NAMA by logging on to www.vending.org.
AAMA and AMOA have signed a two-year contract with the show management firm of William T. Glasgow to continue overseeing and staging the spring Amusement Expo. The decision was made in August when members from both organizations met for a planning and brainstorming session about the upcoming show.
Glasgow has a long and productive history with both organizations, managing their respective shows. Glasgow also managed this spring’s first consolidated spring Amusement Expo. Glasgow hosts a range of tradeshows for various industries. To learn more about the company, log on to www.wtglasgow.com.
IAAPA will debut Rookies and Newcomers as part of its comprehensive education program, which takes place during IAAPA Attractions Expo 2010 in Orlando, Nov. 15-19. The day-and-a-half seminar, which was traditionally held in conjunction with the defunct Fun Expo, begins Sunday, Nov. 14, at the Orange County Convention Center. The program is designed to provide new FEC owners and operators the skills and know-how to run a successful business. More experienced FEC professionals will also benefit from the broad review of best industry practices offered in the comprehensive program.
Rookies and Newcomers will cover numerous topics, including how to open an FEC, how to market and manage an FEC and ways to maintain a successful operation. Led by industry experts, the program will provide the information, tools and skill set needed to turn a fun concept into a business reality. The November session will be co-moderated by Dorothy Lewis, president of Maxx Fun Entertainment and chairwoman of the IAAPA Family Entertainment Center Committee, and Richard Sanfilippo, president of Sam’s Fun City.
Registration is required for Rookies and Newcomers. The cost is $325 for IAAPA members and $429 for non-members and includes IAAPA Attractions Expo registration, course tuition and materials, lunch Sunday and Monday, and a reception Sunday evening. Registration information and details about the program are available at www.iaapa.org/iaapaattractionsexpo.
The Amusement & Music Operators Association will hold its 2011 Council of Affiliated States meeting in Tampa on Feb. 10-12, 2011, at the Westin Tampa Bay. The annual meeting serves as a forum for state associations to compare notes on initiatives to lobby for promoting and defending coin-op amusement and small business interests.
Considering the popular Sunbelt city destination that time of year, AMOA has secured a very favorable, low rate at the headquarters hotel: $129 for single/double rooms, plus taxes, the association reported in its Off The Top e-newsletter. A complimentary shuttle from the Tampa International Airport and the Westin will provide transport. For more details, contact AMOA deputy director Lori Schneider at llschneider@prodigy.net or at 800/937-2662.
The International Assn. of Amusement Parks and Attractions says it will host its IAAPA Attractions Expo at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) in Orlando, Fla., for the next 10 years. The agreement means the expo will not take place in Las Vegas in 2011 as originally planned.
Prior to signing the new agreement, IAAPA Attractions Expo was scheduled to take place in Orlando in 2010, Las Vegas in 2011 and Orlando in 2012, 2013, 2016 and 2019. Now the expo will take place in Orlando from 2010 to 2019, adding five years to the original agreements with the OCCC.
The decision to move the expo to Orlando through 2019 was driven by six important factors, including attendee preference, the OCCC having “ideal” facilities, proximity to many major theme parks and attractions, lowering costs by committing to a 10-year agreement and affordable worldwide travel access for attendees.
“We had a good experience in Las Vegas in 2009. Attendance was strong. Our members enjoyed being there. And we greatly appreciate all the city did for our show,” said IAAPA president and CEO Charles Bray. “Moving the show to Orlando for the next 10 years provides a tremendous opportunity for us. The city is known for imagination, creativity and innovation — the foundations of the attractions industry — and that, combined with the city’s world-class facilities, makes Orlando the best long-term location for our Attractions Expo.”
IAAPA Attractions Expo 2010 will take place in Orlando, Nov. 15-19. More than 75% of the available exhibit space has already been sold. Find out more at www.iaapa.org/iaapaattractionsexpo.
Asian Attractions Expo 2010, a four-day conference and tradeshow, broke records for the total number of participants and buyers, the size of the tradeshow floor and the attendance at the conference programs. The Expo 2010 took place at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre in Malaysia, July 13-16.
Preliminary estimates indicate a record 4,750 people, including 3,250 buyers from 40 countries, participated. This figure represents a 34% increase in the total number of buying companies and an 11% increase in total number of buyers when compared to Asian Attractions Expo 2009.
The number of senior-level directors, vice presidents and owners increased 64%; the number of buyers from theme parks, waterparks, family entertainment centers, resorts and investors increased significantly as well.
The number of companies exhibiting at Asian Attractions Expo 2010 increased almost 50% over 2009. A record 212 companies from 30 countries promoted a variety of products and services on 4,081 net square meters of space on the tradeshow floor.
Coin Tech has installed its debit card system at Coney Park in Lima, Peru.
The FEC covers 27,000 sq. ft. with a great variety of rides, redemption and videogames, a playground, a candy store and birthday party facilities. Coney Park plans FECs in 23 locations across Peru, including five more in 2010.
Every Coney Park location will be equipped with Coin Tech’s latest Xperience card reader and Ticket Jackpot. Furthermore, the park will also make use of the firm’s POS system, which allows the operator to have a full control over their games. To learn more, please visit www.coneyparkperu.com and www.game-system.com.
LAI Games, has teamed up with the digital imaging experts at Imaging Spectrum to offer low-cost paper to the operators of their line of photobooths.
Imaging Spectrum created SnapshotPaper.com, an e-commerce webpage where operators can purchase paper for their photobooths for $95 per 600 vend roll and have it shipped free of charge to anywhere in the continental U.S. They say this works out to less than $0.16 per print.
“We want to support our operators any way we can,” said LAI. “We sought out a partner in the imaging industry who could supply our photobooth operators with high quality paper at an affordable price and that led us to Imaging Spectrum. They worked with us to achieve a very low cost per print, and our customers appreciate the service and value Imaging Spectrum provides.”
The media pack available at SnapshotPaper.com contains 600 sheets of 4” x 6” glossy photo paper. It is compatible with LAI’s complete photobooth line, including the compact Snapshot and Mini Star Blitz and the full-size Star Blitz Deluxe. LAI’s award winning Mini Little Masterpiece children’s touchscreen coloring game also uses this paper.
AMI Entertainment recently signed with The Orchard, bringing “tons” of new music content to its network with thousands of titles from U.S. indie labels, Middle Eastern and Arabic providers, punk rock legends, hip-hop artists and a huge selection of classic Latin music.
Over the course of three weeks, more than 4,000 albums and 46,000 songs will be added to the AMI Network.
The digital juke company also recently announced the Pin It to Win It Sweepstakes for jukebox operators. “We are offering our biggest sweepstakes prize to date with a chance to win an entertainment package valued at over $15,000,” said AMI.
To learn more about the prizes and how to win, please visit www.amientertainment.com/music/promo.
Stern Pinball’s Avatar, their next pinball based on last fall’s mega blockbuster, started production in mid-August. To kindle the movie’s excitement, the backglass will be 3D, and speech and sound effects will be supplied by actor Stephen Lang who played Colonel Quaritch. The first production runs will be dedicated to overseas markets to coincide with their buying season, with domestic shipments to follow in early September.
AMI Entertainment technical representative David Kibbe and sales pro Bill Hampton recently visited Memphis, Tenn., to inform operators about AMI’s product line, including AMI’s new Rock-Star Lx jukebox and Megatouch Rx countertop.
The one-day technical school, held at the Memphis branch of Brady Distributing, was attended by over 30 AMI operators. Topics up for discussion ranged from Internet connectivity for AMI digital jukeboxes and Megatouch countertops to parts compatibility among AMI’s jukebox product lines and software configurations for different hardware setups.
Questions from operators were fielded throughout the day as AMI representatives answered with helpful tips on the ins and outs of the digital jukebox world and widescreen countertop games. Operators left the AMI technical school satisfied and more knowledgeable about AMI’s product line.
“We would like to offer more AMI technical seminars at other Brady Distributing branches,” said Randy Cesco, sales manager at Brady Distributing. “These educational discussions benefit everyone who is participating.”
Speedy’s One Stop Repair Service has been selected by The Pelican Group to provide support service for all Pelican amusement partners.
Pelican executives Richard Scherer (president/CEO), Sean Hanna (EVP operations) and Steve Walton (VP business development) visited Speedy’s recently, and that sealed the deal.
Said Walton, “As operators, we posed many unique situations and hard to resolve problems. Speedy’s was able to resolve them all. We were amazed at the test fixtures and workstations that repair everything from gun harnesses to sophisticated board systems that many of the factories tell you cannot be repaired or will have to be sent out of the country. In addition, many of the parts SOS uses come directly from the part manufacturers or are reproduced in house.”
“Like anyone evaluating a new provider, they wanted to see our abilities and the resources we have to offer. We are excited by this opportunity and look forward to supporting their operators,” said David Bishop, senior VP of Namco Cybertainment, Speedy’s parent company.
Speedy’s provides service for the entire amusement industry and welcomes all inquiries. To learn more, log on to www.sosrepairservice.com.
In other Pelican Group news, company employees recently gathered for their fourth annual Summer Summit in Danville, California. Staff flew in from across the country to discuss new and existing business initiatives.
Pelican was joined by guest speakers Jeff Pallacio of Family Dollar, as well as Ed Tuhkanen and James Sura of TouchTunes. Pelican also held its first Pelican Group Corporate Citizenship Day by teaming up with Habitat for Humanity to help build houses for low-income families in the Oakland, Calif., area. It was a wonderful team building experience for Pelican as well as being a great opportunity to give back to the local community.
“This is a very exciting time for Pelican,” said company president Richard Scherer. “Pelican has experienced a great deal of growth in the past couple of years, and we continue to strive to grow the business each day. The purpose of the summit was to get everyone together to brainstorm ideas on how to improve aspects of our business that will benefit us as well as our clients and operating partners.”
On the heels of signing a law banning video sweepstakes machines, North Carolina governor Bev Perdue said she is open to state regulated video gaming, according to a report by NewsOberver.com, which serves the research triangle area of the state.
“I think if you have video sweepstakes, whether it is video poker or video machines in general, we really do need to have some kind of concerted, organized, unified system of regulation where they are under a standard set of rules and regulations where we can be sure that nobody is profiteering from it,” Perdue was quoted as saying.
A spokesperson for the governor later said she wasn’t planning to actively push for such a measure. Proponents of video gaming in North Carolina say it could generate $500 million a year in tax revenue. Bills have been introduced in the state legislature, but they have not received a final vote.
The New Jersey Amusement Association met in late July with state legislators regarding a bill that would blend statues regarding bingos, raffles and amusement games.
Currently assigned to the Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism and Historic Preservation Committee, the legislation is the result of changes recommended by the New Jersey Law Revision Commission after studying games of chance laws. In a letter to association members, Edward McGlynn explained that the NJAA aims to remove all references to amusement games.
“We are scheduled to meet with Senator Whalen to discuss major changes which would remove any reference to the amusement games law,” McGlynn wrote. “I am hopeful we will be successful in the senate and if not will attempt to get Governor Christie to veto.”
Similar pieces of legislation were assigned to committee in 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008, all of which were successfully stopped, noted McGlynn.
QubicaAMF Worldwide debuted a new tech support customer portal. The portal is a dedicated area of the QubicaAMF website devoted to supporting customers’ technical needs. The site is designed to provide customers access to technical information relating to scoring and management systems, pinspotters, front end products, amusement and after-market products.
A self-help area for customers, the customer portal contains training modules, troubleshooting guides, how-to videos, manuals and parts catalogs. In addition, customers can submit comments or questions directly to tech support, request new content to be uploaded on the site or provide a suggestion about how QubicaAMF can better serve them. Customers can also sign up to receive tech updates to advise them electronically when new content has been added to the site.
To register, log on to www.customer portal.qubicaamf.com.
Namco America has released a Tank! Tank! Tank! software upgrade to provide players with new enemies to battle, more NamCam photo frames for additional customization and increased audio and visual instructions for better game play.
“With enemies that alternate every month, players will benefit from having a completely new experience when they play the cooperative game mode,” said Sam Ven, product coordinator of Namco America.
Additional NamCam picture frames give players more options when customizing their player photos. A cowboy hat, black samurai helmet, prisoner uniform and a tiger mask are the newest frames. Meanwhile, the default game mode has been changed to free-for-all in the game selection screen.
New shipments of Tank! Tank! Tank! will have the latest software. Customers can receive this free upgrade through Namco’s advance replacement program by calling 847/264-5612 or emailing parts@namcoamerica.com.
Coast to Coast Entertainment is offering some spooky good deals on Halloween prizes this year.
“We are going out the door at .99 cents,” said the factory’s Gary Balaban. “All items are in stock and ready for shipping.” Halloween pre-packs include free shipping with no minimum order. Pre-packs are available in both regular and jumbo sizes.
To learn more, call 800/224-1717 or log on to www.cranemachines.com.
On their most recent visit to the Florida panhandle, the First Family played a round of miniature golf at a Panama City Beach family entertainment center, Pirate’s Island. “They came in just like regular customers. We tried to let them play for free and he insisted on paying,” location assistant manager Karen Dalton told the local TV news broadcast News Channel 7. “Sasha got a hole in one on the very first hole, so the game got off to a good start.” Sources told News 7 that Sasha won the game. Check out video of this story at www.wjhg.com/home/headlines/100732134.html.
Sacoa Playcard recently installed its true-wireless system in the mega-arcade Saturn 5, located in the De Soto Square mall in Bradenton, Fla.
The location uses Sacoa’s brand new Color Shot display/readers for the operation of over 85 playing positions, including an 18-hole mini golf and a large-scale inflatable. Redemption games work on e-tickets, to reduce their operational costs.
The Sacoa system also runs the redemption center, the automated kiosks and the manned POS stations taking care of a snack bar and all card-related operations.
Sebastian Mochkovsky, director of Sacoa, said, “We are proud to be a part of this new place located in the best shopping mall area. We will do our best helping John Russo in every marketing aspect to increase sales.”
Debit card system supplier Embed and Playsafe Monitoring, a provider of gaming machine management and monitoring systems in the U.K. and Europe, have reached agreement to merge the two businesses. Under the deal, Embed will conduct all of its U.K. and European business through Playsafe, which will become part of the Embed International Group and be rebranded as Embed Playsafe.
Playsafe Monitoring boasts a large installed base of systems and a reputation in the market for quality products and services. The company’s team is headed up by Playsafe founder David Stenning.
Under the deal with Embed, Stenning will remain as a key shareholder and managing director and will be joined by Embed’s chairman Adam Steinberg in leading the business. This new firm will offer the existing Playsafe product range together with Embed’s systems for redemption management, debit card cashless, point of sale and event scheduling.
Debit card provider Embed recently installed its system at The Charlie Horse in West Bridgewater, Mass. The impressive game room at The Charlie Horse is operated by Tricorp Amusements, a national amusement route firm.
The Charlie Horse is a multi-venue entertainment complex that features a full restaurant and bar with catering and banquet facilities, billiards and a gameroom with a full service redemption counter.
Tricorp Amusements, which operates several Embed systems in other locations, introduced the system into the facility as a way to enhance revenues and reduce operating costs.
“Just as we have experienced with other Embed installations, The Charlie Horse application should result in increased amusement revenues through the system’s marketing capabilities, ease of use and positive customer experience, resulting in increased visitations,” said Tricorp topper Chuck Peitz.
The Charlie Horse utilizes the Embed System to manage the cashless operation of their games as well as their extensive redemption counter.
For additional information on The Charlie Horse, visit them on the web at www.thecharliehorse.com.
The International Video Game Hall of Fame recently honored Masaya Nakamura, the Japanese businessman who founded Namco in 1955. He was inducted on Saturday, Aug. 7, 2010, at the Bridge View Center in Ottumwa, Iowa. In the same ceremonies, Pac-Man was enshrined in the IVGHOF as the only game included in the Class of 2010.
Nakamura, recognized as an historic industry pioneer, was born in Tokyo in 1925. He is considered one of the founding fathers of the videogame industry.
Namco began in Tokyo in 1955 as Nakamura Mfg. Ltd. named for its founder. It began by producing mechanical rocking horses and similar children’s rides, which were installed in a number of department stores in Yokohama and Nihonbashi. The company continued this line of production through the 1960s and expanded with the addition of rides modeled after Walt Disney characters in 1966.
The company’s brand name was changed to Namco in 1971, and three years later it acquired the Japanese division of Atari, which brought Namco into the coin-op videogame market. Namco Enterprises Asia Ltd. was established in Hong Kong, soon followed by Namco America Inc. in California.
In 1993, Namco merged its U.S. arcade operation Namco Operations with the newly acquired Aladdin’s Castle chain of arcades to form Namco Cybertainment, bringing the company to the forefront as the largest arcade company in the world.
In 2005, Namco was acquired by Bandai, a leading Japanese toy maker, and the two companies were known as Namco Bandai Holdings, the third largest videogame entity in Japan. Namco is now a part of the Namco Bandai Group.
Even though Pac-Man is Namco’s most famous creation, Mr. Nakamura’s legacy includes landmark games like Galaxian, Dig Dug, Galaga, Ms. Pac-Man, Xevious, Pac-Man Jr. and more.
Video Gaming Technologies and Grand Products have reached a preliminary, non-exclusive agreement to distribute VGT’s gaming terminals to Illinois operators for placement at licensed bars, taverns, restaurants, truck stops and other licensed venues that allow alcohol consumption. Grand Products will also provide warehousing and service facilities, including a showroom that will allow prospective customers to familiarize themselves with VGT’s machines.
Jon Yarbrough, CEO for VGT, said, “This agreement with Grand Products supports our commitment by forging an alliance with a successful Illinois-based company that brings decades of experience serving both the amusement gaming and regulated gaming markets.
“This opportunity to further VGT’s successful entry into the Illinois video gaming market through the sale, distribution and service of their industry-leading video gaming terminals is an exciting opportunity for Grand Products to strengthen its business in its home market of Illinois,” said David Marofske, Jr., president of Grand Products.
In related news, VGT announced the opening of its Illinois office in Rolling Meadows, as well as the hiring of James Macahon as sales account manager along with Vanessa Cabrera as executive assistant.
For more information, visit www.vgt.net or www.grandproductsinc.com.
California is taking nine companies that make bounce houses to court, claiming their products contains too much lead. Vinyl used in the bounce houses contained lead levels that violate state and federal rules, according to the action filed by state attorney general Jerry Brown.
“The Center for Environmental Health contacted Brown’s office earlier this year after conducting tests on the bounce houses,” reported the Sacramento Bee. “The tests found that some were contaminated with levels of lead ranging from 5,000 to 29,000 parts per million… Federal regulations on lead in children’s products are 90 parts per million for painted surfaces and 300 parts per million for all other parts.”
The lawsuit is aimed at forcing the companies to stop using the vinyl in question and to warn consumers about the possible dangers by requiring full disclosure by rental companies.
A&A Global’s newest division for plush toys and merchandise can now be found at www.parkwaytoys.com. The interactive and inviting site is designed to be an operator’s one-stop source for plush-pre-packs and other toys for cranes.
From the homepage, navigation is easy. Beanie, small, medium, jumbo and seasonal plush categories are all represented and up-to-date. The website also includes an about page, contact information, free freight program, order and pricing and FAQs that address most questions, according to the company.
As the division continues to develop so will the site with more pre-packs and toys, video tutorials, fun animations and more. Parkway Toys is based in Whittier, Calif., with 375,000 sq. ft. of space and two shipping facilities. Call 800/638-6000 for more info.
AMI Entertainment Network has partnered with Circone + Associates to launch Musicati, the world’s first do-it-yourself jukebox promotional program. Musicati was created to assist unsigned independent artists in their quest to be heard. Bands can come to the website to build a profile, upload their music and utilize promotional tools to enhance their presence to fans and to the music industry.
“AMI and Circone + Associates’ Musicati partnership strengthens the AMI music catalog, brings new bands to the network and attracts new fans to the jukebox to seek out and listen to the music they love,” AMI noted in its announcement. Check it out at www.musicati.com.
Rocco “Roy Beltier” Bellettieri, 79, of Bayside, N.Y., owner and principal of Bayside Vending, passed away July 23 after a long battle with cancer. Before starting Bayside Vending, for many years he was associated with the late Tilford Gross, Madison Amusements (also in Bayside, N.Y.). He worked his entire life in the amusement and music industry doing all sorts of work, fulfilling all roles.
Said Ken Goldberg (PLK Vending), president of the Amusement and Music Owners Association of New York: “Roy was an exemplary and loyal member of AMOA-NY. He was always the first person to step forward and lend a hand for the good, welfare and benefit of his fellow operators. Roy was always optimistic. He was respected among his business relationships because of his fairness and the credibility of giving his word. He was an operator’s operator.”
Roy Beltier’s funeral was held at Lloyd’s Funeral Home on Tuesday, July 27. The burial service took place at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church in Bayside with interment following at Calvary Cemetery.
n lieu of flowers, contributions should be made to The Jimmy V Foundation, an organization committed to fighting lung cancer, www.jimmyv.org.
Roy Beltier is survived by his wife, Gloria, his daughter, Teresa, and son-in-law, John Alimo. May he rest in God’s peace.
People on the Move
TouchTunes Interactive Networks has appointed Patrick Barry as senior VP and CFO of the company and will report directly to Charles Goldstuck, president and CEO. Barry will be responsible for spearheading new initiatives and continuing the company’s influence in top markets across the country.
“Patrick is joining our company at a time when we are seeing unprecedented growth and opportunity in the markets in which we are active,” Goldstuck said. “He brings years of experience and is the perfect executive for what we need to harness this growth.”
Barry has over 25 years of experience with leading companies in the digital media, online retail, publishing and restaurant industries. Prior to joining TouchTunes, Barry was CFO of Oberon- Media.com, a casual games solutions company, and DSR Holdings, a restaurant holdings company.
• • •
Redemption Plus has hired Mark Hollywood to serve as VP of product solutions. Mark will be responsible for managing the complete line of merchandise required to fulfill the needs of Redemption Plus’ multiple distribution channels.
His first objective is to expand the company’s existing sourcing and manufacturing presence in Asia, in turn offering more new and unique products. The addition of new supply partners will also assist in reacting even quicker to hot trends and manage inventory more effectively and efficiently. Secondly, he will help develop new brands and products to bring increased value to customers and clients. Finally, he will build on the assortment of specialty and customized items available.
Mark previously served as president of Toy Network, a division of Manley Toys, where he was responsible for all U.S. and Hong Kong operations. Mark was also a founding partner of Global Amusement Consulting, specializing in operational and consulting for amusement and entertainment-based facilities. He co-founded Emerald Toy, serving as both director of merchandise and product development, and VP.
“Mark brings a wealth of industry experience to this position,” said Ron Hill, president of Redemption Plus. “We are excited to have him join our team.”
• • •
Vanessa Cabrera, AAMA’s longtime marketing and promotions specialist, has accepted the sales and marketing coordinator position with Video Gaming Technologies for the emerging Illinois video gaming marketplace. “Having worked within the association for over 10 years has afforded me to meet and work with many incredible people, and I hope to somehow continue our working relationship,” Cabrera noted. She can be contacted by calling 847/253-2380.
• • •
Shaffer Services of Columbus, Ohio, recently announced the promotion of two team members. Bob Davis (above left) has been promoted to general manager. Bob has been in the business for over 32 years and brings with him an abundance of arcade, bar/tavern and family entertainment center cultivation and development in the Midwest.
Richard Melton (right) has been promoted to special projects director. Richard has managed Shaffer’s largest account, an FEC, onsite for over four years. He will now focus on developing and fostering new business relationships throughout central Ohio.
• • •
Mike Vinz has been given expanded sales duties at cabinet and game supplier Fun Co., which is based in New Lisbon, Wis. Mike started at Fun Co. in January of 2010 as an inside sales executive. Now he will also be traveling to customers and tradeshows.
“Mike has been working directly with the route operators and distributors selling our proprietary products, and he enjoys the laid back and fun attitude of this industry,” noted Fun Co.’s Don Teske. “Mike is a great addition to our sales team with a can-do attitude. He is very willing to do what it takes for the customers.”
Since starting at Fun Co., Vinz has been busy learning the industry, attending Amusement Expo, WAMO’s 2010 conference and tradeshow, and the M-PACT 2010 show in Indiana. He can be reached at 800/808-5554 or at mvinz@funcomfg.com.
• • •
David Shimell has joined the Timezone FEC Group as director for international franchise and business development. He is based in Perth, Australia. David joined Kall Kwik U.K. (U.K. master licensee to Kwik Kopy Corp. of America) in 1982, when the franchise business was in its nascent stages. Six years later, David invested in a franchise and was later elected to serve on Kall Kwik’s franchise advisory group and was secretary to its Independent Franchise Owners Association.
He migrated to Australia in 1997, becoming national franchise manager for Fast Eddy’s Café and, later, national franchise manager at Worldwide Online Printing Aust/NZ.
Sonaal Chopra, Group CEO of Timezone, said: “I am excited to have David on board. He has broad experience to get us to where we would want to be and is already in love with our industry. Over the next few months, he will be traveling to most of our current businesses.”
[Back to Item Index]
___________________________________________
To send email to RePlay Magazine, it's editor@replaymag.com
Write or call RePlay Magazine at:
P.O. Box 572829, Tarzana, CA 91357;
(shipping address is 18757 Burbank Blvd., Suite 105, Tarzana, CA 91356)
Phone: 818/776-2880 Fax: 818-776-2888
(c) All contents of this page and the entire RePlay Magazine website at http://www.replaymag.com and http://replaymagazine.com. Copyright 2009 RePlay Magazine. All rights reserved.