Legislative Summary: Video Gaming Act

E-Blast - June 22, 2009

Overview:

            Under the legislation, the Illinois Gaming Board would oversee the introduction of video poker or video slot machines in bars, restaurants, social clubs and truck stops in Illinois. According to the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability, the poker systems could gather anywhere from $345 million and $641 million annually. Presumably, profits would help finance a $29 billion statewide construction plan.

Licensing:

            Each applicant must demonstrate his suitability for licensure to the Illinois Gaming Board. Each video gaming terminal manufacturer, distributor, supplier, operator, and licensed establishment  shall be licensed by the Illinois Gaming Board. Every video gaming terminal offered for play shall first be tested and approved pursuant to the rules of the Board, and each video gaming terminal offered in this State play shall conform to an approved model.

            - Residential Requirement:

            Each licensed distributor and terminal operator must be an Illinois resident. However, if an out of state distributor or terminal operator has performed its respective business within Illinois for at least 48 months prior to the effective date of this Act, the out of state person may be eligible for licensing under this Act, upon application to and approval of the Illinois Gaming Board.

            - Licensing Fees:

            A non-refundable application fee shall be paid at the time an application, and the Board shall establish an annual fee for all parties involved.

            - Restriction of Licenses:

                        - Manufactures: A manufacturer may only sell video gaming terminals for use in Illinois to persons having a valid distributor's license.

                        - Distribution: A distributor may only sell video gaming terminals for use in Illinois to persons having a valid distributor's or terminal operator's license.

                        - Terminal operator: A person may not own, maintain, or place a video gaming terminal unless he has a valid terminal operator's license issued under this Act. Of the after-tax profits from a video gaming terminal, 50% shall be paid to the terminal operator and 50% shall be paid to the licensed establishment.

          - Licensed technician: A person may not service, maintain, or repair a video gaming terminal in this State unless he or she (1) has a valid technician's license issued under this Act, (2) is a terminal operator, or (3) is employed by a terminal operator, distributor, or manufacturer.

Locations:

            A licensed establishment  located within 1,000 feet of a facility operated by an organizational licensee, an intertrack wagering licensee, or an intertrack wagering location licensee licensed under the Illinois Horse Racing Act of 1975, the home dock of a riverboat licensed under the Riverboat Gambling Act, a school, or a place of worship under the Religious Corporation Act is ineligible to operate a video gaming terminal.

            - Licensed Establishments:

                        - Licensed retail establishments: A licensed retail establishment where alcoholic liquor is drawn, poured, mixed, or otherwise served for consumption on the premises.

                        - Licensed fraternal establishments: A location where a qualified fraternal                                           organization that derives its charter from a national fraternal organization regularly meets.

                       - Licensed veterans establishments: A location where a qualified veterans organization that derives its charter from a national veterans organization regularly meets.

                        - Licensed truck stops: A facility that is at least a 3-acre facility with a convenience store and with separate diesel islands for fueling commercial motor vehicles and parking spaces for commercial motor vehicles.

Additional Regulations:

            - No terminal operator may own or have a substantial interest in more than 5% of the video gaming terminals licensed in this State.

            - The Machines will only be able to dispense receipt tickets. The player shall turn in this ticket to the appropriate person at the licensed establishment, licensed truck stop establishment, licensed fraternal establishment, or licensed veterans establishment to receive the cash award.

GET INVOLVED – JOIN AN AAMA COMMITTEE

AAMA's E-Newsletter: Loose Change - June '09

The AAMA would like to invite you to join us for the upcoming Annual Meeting and Distributor Gala.  Become more involved in the decision making process for your industry by joining an AAMA committee today!

We are seeking individuals to work on key issues, such as Industry Promotion, Membership, Government Relations, Foreign Business Development, Education, etc.  The ideal candidates would possess a dedication to the coin-operated industry and a desire to be involved in making decisions for the association and the industry.  Interested parties should complete the Committee Sign Up Form and return it to the AAMA office, no later than Friday, July 3rd, to participate in the respective committee meeting(s) during the 2009 Annual Meeting.  

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the AAMA office at 847.290.9088.

Click here to download a committee sign up form

AAMA Personnel Changes

Press Release

Schultz is director of new business development and international sales at Apple Industries, a supplier of photobooths. Prior to his joining Apple earlier this year, he served as president Rock-Ola Manufacturing Corp. between 1998 and 2008. At AAMA, he has served on several committees and is currently vice-chairman of the executive committee. He will relocate from California to Illinois, where the association is based. He can be reached via email at jjukeman@aol.com.

New for 2009: Special Redemption Seminar for all distributor sales reps!

E-Blast - May 5, 2009

 

Rich Oltmann and Jim Chapman have offered to put on one of their Redemption Seminars at Enchanted Castle on Friday, July 24th. The seminar will teach the ins and outs of all aspects of running a Family Fun Center. It is designed to share with your sales team the vital information they need to help them sell redemption to their customers.
 
The topics that will be covered will include: the Magic Potion, how a redemption counter should look, how to layout a game room, the proper prize mix, how to successfully market your Family Fun Park, various promotions that bring in customers will be discussed in detail, and how to sell games to your operators. No topic is off limits during this informational seminar. Bring a pen and a notebook as this seminar is full of real information that you can take home and see results with.
 
Education is vital to our growth. You will come away with a new perspective on the value of redemption and how to help your customers get the most out of their locations. This is not just for the FEC's....the information shared here works for all aspects of our industry. You owe it to your team to expose them to this knowledge. They will be much better for it!

Click here to register for this event!

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ASI & International Pizza Expo Cross Promotion - A Huge Success! 

Press Release

Elk Grove Village, IL - March 26, '09 - International Pizza Expo 2009 surprisingly reported yet another record-breaking success and AAMA was there.  The show hosted 400 exhibitors occupying 850 booths. With 5,606 pizzeria operators from around the world in attendance, it just goes to show, that even in a recession attendees came to do serious business.

 

As previously reported, the AAMA negotiated a cross-promotion between this year's Amusement Showcase International and the International Pizza Expo. All aspects of a perfect cross over seem to align. Not only did the IPE have a two-day cross over with ASI, but the Pizza Expo was being held right next door to ASI providing attendees easier access to both shows.

 

With both shows honoring each other's badges, the AAMA launched an aggressive marketing campaign that specifically targeted pizzeria location owners. First, the association produced a mass mailing to 6500 pizzeria location owners informing them that IPE attendees could get into ASI for free. Secondly, we provided them with the pizzeria case study that focused and proved that having coin-op products in a pizzeria would in fact increase revenue for the location. The case study was conducted by the AAMA in conjunction with the association's PR firm, Ruder Finn. The mailing also included show specials AAMA pizza pavilion members were offering to pizza attendees.

 

Next, the AAMA sponsored a coin-op 101 seminar that was included in IPE's seminar line up. Jim Chapman hosted; "How Amusements Can Add to Your Business - Fun, Laughter & Profits!" The seminar was held on Tuesday, March 10, immediately following the close of the Pizza Expo. There were approximately 30 people in attendance who were interested in finding out more about the coin-op industry and how they could benefit from it.

 

Jim Chapman stated, "The interaction with the attendees was great and I think we helped out everyone that was there. They had many specific questions regarding our industry, which told me they were serious about coin-op in their locations. And that's a great thing!"

 

Finally, the AAMA once again played host to a coin-op pavilion within the International Pizza Expo. And for the first time, had an open 600 square foot peninsula for all to take part in, rather then each member having their own individual booth space. Many of the AAMA members seemed to like the new pavilion layout.

 
Bay Tek Game's Marketing Manager, Holly Meidl said, "I think the AAMA's new island pavilion is the right direction for our location trade shows.  The presence is greater and it truly allows the association to promote our industry as a whole.  We can work on the layout and flow of the booth as we master this new concept.  The ASI/Pizza co-promotion was a great idea and wonderful effort was put forth from the AAMA staff.  Being able to attend both shows is a plus for attendees and should increase attendance, it certainly seemed that way during the ASI show!  The flyer that went out with the info on the co-promotion was genius and greatly appreciated by the exhibiting manufacturers.  The price was right for both the booth and the promotion!! Overall, great shows, great idea, great price, and I hope we continue with the island layout!"
 

It seemed ASI exhibitors mirrored Meidl's thoughts in regards to the co-promotion of both shows. Numerous AAMA members highly benefited from pizza attendees walking through the ASI doors ready to do business. Nearly 400 pizza expo attendees came to the Amusement Showcase International, however, the association is figuring the number to be slightly higher since there was a back entrance to both shows that was not monitored.

 

The AAMA has a strong relationship with the IPE and both parties are thrilled with the benefits each show shared in 2009. We hope to work together in the near future to provide such a massive benefit to AAMA members.

 

AAMA members also received another benefit. Earlier this week the association sent out nearly 400 pizza attendee contact leads to its membership. These leads were acquired from those pizza attendees who attended the ASI show, those who inquired about coin-op products at the AAMA pizza pavilion, as well as those who attended Jim Chapman's coin-op 101 seminar. Nearly 400 pizzeria owners, all interested in coin-op!

 

On behalf of the AAMA, we'd like to thank those members who continue to assist the association in promoting the industry by taking part in this year's pizza pavilion. Those who took advantage of AAMA's incredible pizza product placement deal included Andamiro USA, Bay Tek Games, Benchmark Games, Coast to Coast Entertainment, Family Fun Company, Intermatic, LAI Games, Merit Entertainment, Namco America and Rowe International.

 

The Amusement Showcase International will be  held Wednesday, March 10 - Friday, March 12 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The International Pizza Expo will be held Tuesday, March 2 - Thursday, March 4 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. the AAMA pizza pavilion will return for the 2010 show.

 

For more information about ASI or the Pizza Expo contact the AAMA toll-free at 1.866.372.5190. AAMA members only, may email inquiries regarding the association's pizza leads to: information@coin-op.org.

 

Click here for AAMA's Sponsored Pizza Seminar Description

Click here to download AAMA's Pizzeria Coin-Op Case Study

Click here to view pictures of this year's pizza pavilion

 

Click here for a hard copy of this press release

Fun Expo International and Amusement Showcase International Join Together for a Fantastic Show in 2009

Press Release

Rock-Ola’s opportunities and successes continue to grow with our new digital content partner, AMI® Entertainment. We introduced two exciting new consumer jukeboxes to our Music Center line this year, and we look forward to even more development and innovation in 2009. We are especially pleased to announce that upgrade kits for conversion of Rock-Ola digital jukeboxes to the AMI® Entertainment network will be available early in January, 2009. Contact the Rock-Ola Sales department for details.

CPSC Issues Regulations on Phthalate Use - Lawsuits Filed

Posted, Wednesday, December 10, 2008 - 9:40 a.m. CST

The Consumer Product Safety Commission issued interpretive enforcement guidance (attached) related to a central issue for coin-op industry participants with respect to lead and phthalates.  Specifically, the CPSC issued a guidance opinion that items containing phthalates subject to the ban, but produced prior to the February 10, 1009 effective date of the ban, may be held in inventory and sold after the ban takes effect.

The apparent impact of this ruling is that coin-op industry participants with plastic toys in vending machines or in inventory may continue to vend or sell those items after the February 10, 2009 effective date.  On a related point, in the same guidance document the CPSC determined that items with lead content that exceeds the new lead limits may not be sold, even if held in inventory. 

Two consumer action groups, the Natural Resources Defense Council and Public Citizen, jointly filed a lawsuit (attached) on December 4 that seeks to rescind this determination and prevent the sale of any toys containing the banned phthalate after the February 10, 2009 effective date of the ban. 

The determination by the CPSC does not impact state laws that may ban these substances.  Industry members are advised to carefully review their own state's laws to determine whether there are other restrictions on the sale of plastic toys that contain phthalates.  In the coming weeks, there may also be Congressional hearings on the decision by the CPSC, as well as CPSC's implementation of the other aspects of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) with respect to lead in toys.

Download the CPSC Complaint

Download correspondences on the CPSIA

AAMA Launches New Member Benefit Program

Posted, Wednesday, October 8, 2009 - 11:20 a.m.

Marty Bromley Passes

Posted Monday, September 15, 2008 -- 11 a.m. - Instant RePlay

Industry legend Marty Bromley, the savvy tradester who started the Service Games (SEGA) route in Hawaii in the '40s, died September 6 at his home in Zurich at age 88. Bromley, who was recognized with the very first AAMA Lifetime Achievement Award as well as many other industry accolades, is the father of U.S. game manufacturer Lauran Bromley. His input was vital to the creation of some of Bromley Inc.'s earliest hit games.

The route founded by Bromley along with several partners, including Dick Stewart, Ray Lamaire and Scott Dodderer, which began in Hawaii and stretched across the Pacific Islands to Japan, evolved into manufacturing and distributing for that region. It was the seed for what later became Sega Enterprises when another partner, Dave Rosen, joined the business through a merger with his import company Rosen Enterprises.

"Marty Bromley was one of the most successful people in the history of the coin machine business," said RePlay Publisher Ed Adlum. "He was worldwide, and there was a legend that he had three offices around the globe, all decorated exactly the same with matching furniture and decor so he always felt at home. Although he had numerous businesses over the years, like Spain's Segasa pinball plant, at his death he was concentrating principally on only two: his Family Leisure U.K. arcade chain and his Guam Music route down in the South Pacific."

Funeral services were held at Hillside Cemetery in Los Angeles on Sunday, Sept. 14, 10 AM, where fellow tradesters Al Bettlemann (C.A. Robinson) and Mike Kogan (Taito) are also buried. Among the nearly 100 mourners at the Hillside chapel service were a number of industry people, including Gary Stern, Satinder Bhutani, Marty's former and present partners Dave Rosen and Dick Stewart, former Taito U.S. chief Eddie Miller, Malcolm Steinberg, Leah, Ira and Sandy Bettelman, Ken Anderson, Ed Adlum and Frank Ballouz. Among his extended family survivors present were daughters Dale, Bryan and Lauran. More about the late industry icon will appear in the next issue of RePlay.

The AAMA was deeply saddened to hear of Marty's passing. His daughter, Lauran Bromley, has played an intricate part of of the association; participating on several working committees as well as being on AAMA's Board of Director's.

AAMA President, Mike Rudowicz stated "Marty Bromley was truly one of the pioneers of our industry who helped pave the way for this industry to be what it is today. I know he will be missed by many who loved and respected him."

Wow! ASI & FUN to be One Super Show in the Spring

AAMA's E-Newsletter: Loose Change - August, '08

Three Shows Under One Roof

AAMA's E-Newsletter: Loose Change - August, '08

AAMA Hosts the 5th Annual Distributor Cocktail Gala

AAMA's E-Newsletter: Loose Change - August, '08

It's Down to Business at this Year's AAMA Annual Meeting

AAMA's E-Newsletter: Loose Change - August, '08

In early August, AAMA members gathered together outside Chicago for the summer's most anticipated event, the 2008 Annual Meeting and Distributor Gala!  In a change of venue after two years in Itasca at the Eaglewood Resort and Spa, this year's meeting was held at the picturesque Lincolnshire Marriott Resort.  This full service resort, nestled 45 minutes north of Chicago, featured a variety of activities to suit every taste including a spa, beautiful golf course, and a dinner theater.  
 
This four day occasion is an opportunity for association members to gather together for business and for pleasure.  It kicked off on the afternoon of Tuesday, August 5th, with an ASI Show Committee meeting.  The dedicated members of this committee work hard all year long to plan the AAMA's annual trade show, the Amusement Showcase International (ASI show).  This year, AAMA's ASI Show Committee members were joined by representatives from IALEI and AMOA in anticipation of the upcoming co-location between ASI and Fun Expo in 2009. 
 
The work continued bright and early on Wednesday morning, starting off with the Industry Promotion Committee meeting.  Committee members discussed a variety of important topics such as 2009-2010 Location Tradeshow Program schedule and the new look for the coin-op pavilion that will be introduced in 2009.  Currently, each member company reserves their own booth within the larger pavilion.  Starting next year, the pavilion will be designed in an "island" format.  By combining all the smaller booths into one larger arcade format, the new design will also help a location owner picture the many benefits an arcade will bring to his or her location.  In addition, the committee also discussed the next phase of AAMA's ambitious public relations initiative, which includes the publication of two case studies on the benefits coin-op games bring to locations. 
 
The second meeting held that day was that of the Membership Committee, which discussed new members for approval and potential new membership benefit programs.  Government Relations was up next, where members reviewed legislative developments that affect the coin-op industry such as the redesign of the dollar bill, as well as any progress made on the dollar coin movement. 
 
Foreign Business Development continued the afternoon, and there committee members discussed foreign trade shows such as IAAPI, RAAPA, and the AAMA's very own Latin American show, EXIME.  The 2009 EXIME show is scheduled to take place at the World Trade Center in Mexico City, Mexico, on June 24-25th.  The committee also identified countries such as Russia, China, and India as emerging hotspots for coin-op equipment.  The AAMCF Board of Directors' meeting rounded out a full and productive day of work for association members.      
 
After the meetings were complete for the day, the fun began!  Nearly 100 association members gathered at the nearby Philly G's restaurant to enjoy a casual (and delicious) Italian family-style dinner. 
 
On Friday morning the AAMA was back to business as the day began with the AAMA Membership/Board of Directors meeting.  Board members used the time to discuss important topics such as next year's ASI-Fun Expo co-location, membership, and the association's public relations initiative. 
 
Elections for the AAMA and AAMCF Board of Directors also took place during this meeting.  The AAMA would like to congratulate David Cohen of Firestone Financial Corp., and Al Kress of Benchmark Games, Inc., on their re-election to the Board of Directors.  The AAMA is proud to announce that the following individuals were elected to the AAMCF Board of Directors: President: Marty Smith, Brady Distributing Corp.; Vice President: Rich Babich, Game Exchange of Colorado; Secretary: Jim Chapman, Family Fun Companies; Treasurer: David Cohen, Firestone Financial Corp.; Hal Lieberman, Lieberman Companies; David Marofske Jr., Grand Products, Inc.; and Holly Meidl, Bay Tek Games. 
 
The AAMA would like to thank everyone who attended and participated in this year's association meetings.  It is through your participation that we make the best progress.
 

Click here to view 10 pics from the week's events.

Golfers Golfed for Charity while WhirlyBallers....

AAMA's E-Newsletter: Loose Change - August, '08

The American Amusement Machine Charitable Foundation, in conjunction with the American Amusement Machine Association's 2008 Annual Meeting, hosted the August 7th Charity Golf Outing in support of children's charities.  With beautiful weather and high spirits, 48 members of the industry took a break from AAMA meetings to tackle the Crane's Landing Golf Course at the Lincolnshire Marriott. 
 
The AAMCF golfers had a simple goal for this outing, to be the best!  Golfers competed to take the prize for low score gross, which was achieved by Marty Man Smith of Brady Distributing with a 71.  Joining Marty in the winner's circle was Jeff Hudson of Skee-Ball, Inc. with a low score net of 72.  We didn't forget about that most honest golfer (high score).  Mario Flagiello of VirtuPlay walked away with this year's prize. 
 
Crane's Landing proved to be a wonderful venue for this year's outing, as expressed by the golfers, such as AAMCF President, Marty Man Smith, who stated, "It was a great outing and everyone had a wonderful time.  It is great when you can combine having so much fun with helping such a worthwhile cause."
 
Congratulations to all the winners, who were presented with gift cards at the AAMA Distributor Gala on Friday, August 8, 2008.  AAMA would like to thank all who participated in making the outing a success and we appreciate your continued support of the AAMCF.   We look forward to welcoming you all back for next year's event.  
 

While the golfers were tearing up the green, those AAMA members who were looking for something a little different, took on the world of WhirlyBall!  Approximately 15 association members came together to figure out what in the world they had signed up for.

 

What is WhirlyBall you ask? Is it a sport, sports bar, restaurant, entertainment complex or the most unique private event in Chicago? YES!

WhirlyBall is a combination of lacrosse, hockey, and basketball. It simply involves driving bumper cars while using hand-held open scoops to pass and propel wiffle balls at a scoring target, while a referee keeps score. 

 

Needless to say, with this crew, some players were lost, some were out for blood and everyone was out for a good time! We hope you enjoyed AAMA's day event, and there's even chatter on a rematch.

 

AAMA would like to thank all who participated in making both events successes and we hope to see everyone again next year! 

 

Click here to view 20 pictures of the golf outing and the whirlyballers!

AAMA PREPARES FOR PROMOTIONAL PUSH IN 2009

AAMA's E-Newsletter: Loose Change - August, '08

AAMA BOWLS ITS WAY INTO ORLANDO

Press Release

Elk Grove Village, IL – July 9, '08 – The AAMA pavilion made its second June appearance, joining the Bowling Proprietor’s Association of America (BPAA) for the 2008 Bowl Expo.  Orlando, Florida was the home to this year’s BPAA events, which kicked off at the newly built Rosen Shingle Creek Resort, with seminars and networking events and continued at the Orange County Convention Center for the Bowl Expo on June 25-26. 

The BPAA pulled it off again with a series of fantastic opportunities and impressive events, including concerts by Neal McCoy and the Commodores, as well as an appearance by the Teutuls of Orange County Choppers and TLC’s “American Chopper” fame.

Although the floor traffic seemed lighter than in prior years, the AAMA member companies that exhibited, reported to have a wonderful show.  The quality of attendees made this year’s show a success. 

AAMA happily welcomed the following members into this year’s pavilion, Andamiro, BayTek Games, Benchmark Games, Brady Distributing, Coastal Amusements, Firestone Financial, LAI Games, Namco America and Stern Pinball. However, if you had visited the AAMA pavilion, you would have perceived a much larger entity, as Betson Enterprises, ICE, Smart Industries and SkeeBall were able to secure booths directly attached to the pavilion.

Next year’s events will return to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV on June 21-26, 2009, with the trade show taking place on June 25-26. 

The association has scheduled to be a part of the 2009 show by including it on the 2009-10 Location Trade Show Program calendar. Registration forms were recently sent to all AAMA members, so take a moment to register today!  LTS shows sell out fast!  For information on the LTS program or any of the shows on the LTS calendar, please contact an AAMA representative toll free at 866.372.5190.

Click here to enter Expo's photo gallery

SIGN OF THE TIMES

Press Release

Elk Grove Village, IL – June 23, '08 – 2008 marked the 25^th anniversary of the Billiard Congress of America’s International Billiard & Home Recreation Expo, and the AAMA, together with its members was there to mark the occasion.

The event, produced by the BCA, was held at the Charlotte Convention Center in North Carolina, June 12-14. It was apparent that much preparation went into the show from exhibitors to the BCA to show management; fore the show floor itself looked great! However, to no ones surprise the show was smaller and less attended.

According to the BCA, attendee numbers came in at 1,111; down nearly 50% from last year’s 2,156. The number of companies exhibiting was also down. This year there were 178, exhibitors down 56 from last year’s 234.

“While we would have liked to have a larger show with respect to exhibitors and attendees, we are not surprised with the results given the difficult economy our members are currently facing, “said Ivan Lee, co-chair of the Expo and 2007-2008 president of the BCA Board of Directors. “However, we believe those in attendance benefited via the business opportunities and relationships forged on the show floor and by participating in the Business of Billiards seminars and special events. We look forward to a stronger economy next year, as we return to Las Vegas.”

The AAMA pavilion understood Ivan’s comments and knew going into the show that it would be a breezy show. However, some participating pavilion members mirrored this past ASI review. Feelings were that even though floor traffic was exceptionally light, they did meet with key buyers, and had more time to discuss business than they normally would with a show bustling with window shoppers.

Rock-Ola president, John Schultz, stated “Despite the light attendance, the people that came to the show were indeed positive. It was refreshing to speak to individuals who in fact were interested in talking business. We walked away with orders, but it helps when you offer state of the art equipment; I believe this always makes a show better. Even though the show was not held in Vegas, we spoke with locations within that region that we normally wouldn’t have a chance to speak with or see. “

Other participants within AAMA’s pavilion included, Firestone Financial Corporation, Merit Entertainment, Namco America, Rock-Ola Manufacturing, Stern Pinball, Wurlitzer Jukebox & Vending and Valley-Dynamo. Other AAMA members present included Brady Distributing Company. With Brady’s headquarters located in Charlotte, the company itself had quite a presence on the trade show floor with a 20x20 peninsula.

The BCA has secured the Sands Convention Center for the 2009 Expo, which will take place June 25-27 and in 2010 the show will be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center, June 24-26. The Expo will also be held in Las Vegas in 2011 and 2012, with the dates and locations for those years still to be determined.

The association has scheduled for the 26^th International Billiard & Home Recreation Expo to be a part of its 2009 trade show calendar. The AAMA is currently working on the pavilion having a bigger presence within these shows, and has much in store for its members in connection with its Location Trade Show Program. Details on the new program will be announced at a later date.

Click here to enter this year's pavilion photo gallery.

NEW AAMA ON-DEMAND SITE OFFERS MEMBERS REAL-TIME ACCESS

AAMA's Summer Trade Show Tour

AAMA's E-Newsletter: Loose Change - June, '08

AAMA Serves Up the Excitement for Foodservice Professionals at the National Restaurant Show

AAMA's E-Newsletter: Loose Change - June, '08

The American Amusement Machine Association, (AAMA), returned to join the crowds at the 89^th Annual National Restaurant Hotel/Motel Show.  The premier tradeshow event for the foodservice industry, this four day show ran May 17-20, 2008.  More than 2,200 exhibitors in hundreds of different 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 much excitement over the addition of the International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event, the industry's first professional 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, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of McDonald's Corporation.  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 for the association and its members.  AAMA members in the coin-op pavilion included Brady Distributing, Inc., Kalkomat, Merit Entertainment and Team Ecast.  Several other AAMA member companies that exhibited at the show on their own, including Betson, Fun Express, Marshall Productions, and TouchTunes Music Corporation. 

NRA Show 2009 will be held May 16-19, at McCormick Place in Chicago. The 2009 International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event will be held May 18-19.

Association members will receive a copy of the 90+ leads acquired by the AAMA at this year’s National Restaurant Association Show.  To request a copy, please contact Christy Maes toll free at 866.372.5190 or via e-mail at cmaes@coin-op.org.

The 2009-2010 Location Trade Show (LTS) Calendar will be released in July. Keep your eyes open for more details on this valuable member benefit program in the next issue of Loose Change, the AAMA’s monthly e-newsletter, or online at www.coin-op.org. 

On behalf of the AAMA, we would like to thank our member companies for their continued support of the Location Trade Show program and for making the coin-op pavilion a huge success throughout the year! 

Click here to view pictures of the pavilion.

AAMA HEATS UP PIZZA EXPO 2008

Press Release:

Elk Grove Village, IL – April 17, '08 – International Pizza Expo 2008 reported another record-breaking success and AAMA was there.  With nearly 6,000 pizzeria operators from around the world in attendance, this show was the second best attended in the show’s history as reported by show management.  Held in Las Vegas, NV, the sold out trade show floor consisted of 1,000 booths containing everything and anything you might see in a pizzeria, from equipment to food to coin-operated games.  

The AAMA pavilion made its presence known at this ever-popular trade show on behalf of its members and the overall coin-op industry.  As in past years, the Pizza Expo directly followed the Amusement Showcase International, both events being held in the Las Vegas Convention Center.   Those members who braved the move, from the downstairs ASI show floor, upstairs to the pizza pavilion. AAMA pavilion on the Pizza Expo show floor were, Allstar Vending, Bay-Tek Games, LAI Games, Mammoth Glow Machine, and Namco America.  Some additional AAMA members that were present at the show included Benchmark Games, Betson Enterprises, Marshall Productions, Peek-A-Boo Toys, and Smart Industries.

Tom Siemieniec of Namco America boasted, “Great show as always. I can’t wait until next year.  Great buying crowd.” 

“I think we offered enough coin-op options for pizza restaurant owners to start thinking about incorporating amusement games into their locations if they don’t already.  I was impressed with the traffic this show produced the first 2 days.  We received some good leads to follow up with. “, remarked Mark Lenske of BayTek Games.

The Pizza Expo also played host to several exciting events, such as Pizza Festiva, a gourmet pizza recipe competition that crowns one pizza maker every year with the coveted Gourmet Pizza of the Year award, and the 2^nd annual International Pizza Challenge,  allowing entrants to create traditional pizzas, fighting for the title of 2008 World’s Best Traditional Pizza.  The most notable event of the week would have to be the Beer & Bull Idea Exchange, which offered the perfect opportunity for industry peers to converse over a cold one.  The World Pizza Games Finals and Rockin’ Party finished off the week in style.

The International Pizza Expo is owned, produced and managed by Macfadden Protech, LLC. The company publishes Pizza Today and in addition the company serves as the management arm of the National Association of Pizzeria Operators (NAPO). For more information visit them on-line at www.pizzaexpo.com.

The IPE will return to Las Vegas next year in the north hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. The show will be held March 10-12, 2009.

On behalf of the AAMA, we would like to thank all our member companies for their continuing support of the LTS program and for making the AAMA coin-op pavilion a success throughout the year! 

Click here to view this year's pavilion.

Blog All About It

BIGGEST ARCADE EVENT HITS VEGAS AND OPENS DOORS TO PUBLIC, HUNDREDS ATTEND INDUSTRY-FIRST INVITATION

Amusement Showcase International Invites Families, Friends and Gamers-at-Heart to Interact with New and Nostalgic Favorites, and Enjoy Competitive Public and Celebrity Tournaments

Press Release:

Elk Grove Village, IL - April 7, '08 – This year, for the first time in its more than 25-year history, Amusement Showcase International (ASI) invited the public to attend the last day of its three-day, coin-operated trade show, Saturday, March 29 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.  Public attendees were able to preview and experience some of the newest amusement, music and video games before they appear in local entertainment centers.  In addition to the nearly 140 exhibitors on hand, including Namco, SEGA, Valley Dynamo and Stern Pinball, almost 300 people attended Saturday’s event.

“We were thrilled to give the public this first-time opportunity to interact and experience the hundreds of coin-operated games that were being exhibited,” said Mike Rudowicz, president of American Amusement Machine Association (AAMA), the organization that owns and sponsors ASI.  “It provided an affordable and fun way for families, friends and game enthusiasts to connect, compete and interact with each other and the games.  Plus, the consumers’ opinions are integral to the game manufacturers and buyers who attend the show.”

Coin-Op Celebrity and Public Competitions

The day’s activities also included two tournaments, one for the public, the Coin-Op Olympics, which included plush prizes for winners, and one for celebrities.  The celebrity tournament positioned three local Las Vegas stars against each other to compete for their favorite charities for first ($5,000), second ($2,500) and third ($1,000) place.  The competitors for the highest score played on several games, such as Global VR’s EA Sports^™ NASCAR^® and Skee-Ball Classic Alley, and winners included: 

·     First place, Ronn Lucas ventriloquist at the Luxor Hotel, playing for The Variety Club Children’s Charities

·     Second place, Frank Marino, star of An Evening at La Cage, playing for The Q Foundation

·     Charly Kayle, co-host of the TKO Morning Show on Classic Hits 96.3 KKLZ, playing for Best Friends Animal Sanctuary

Industry Professionals Enjoy Evening Big Bar & Happy Hours, and Saturday Raffle

The show brought together 134 exhibitors, occupying 431 booths, and 2,694 industry attendees, including 992 buyers.  In the evenings, industry professionals were able to mix a little business with pleasure at the Big Bar & Happy Hour, sponsored by:

·         AAMA 

·         Betson Imperial Parts and Service

·         Firestone Financial Corp.

·         JVL Corp.

·         Medalist Marketing

·         Namco America Inc.

·         Pace-O-Matic

·         Team ECast

·         TouchTunes Music Corp.

In addition, a raffle, benefiting the American Amusement Machine Charitable Foundation (AAMCF), was held Saturday afternoon, awarding unbelievable prizes, including the iPhone, a Panasonic Wireless Home Theater System and Global VR’s EA Sports^™ NASCAR^® Racing game, to six lucky winners.

Next Year’s Show

In 2009, the show will return to the Las Vegas Convention Center, March 11-13, and for the first time, will be held in conjunction with Fun Expo, which normally occurs in the fall.

About Amusement Showcase International

The American Amusement Machine Association (AAMA) sponsors Amusement Showcase International (ASI), an annual spring trade-show event that attracts more than 4,000 distributors, operators, manufacturers and suppliers of coin-operated amusements, music and video games.

Click here to view 27 pictures from this year's ASI Show.

Click here to view the ASI show highlights.

The Mega-Event

Press Release:

Elk Grove Village, IL - March 13, '08 - Oxford Publishing managed to execute yet another successful Nightclub and Bar show, using Las Vegas as its backdrop.  “The Show”, [held early] in Las Vegas, February 26-27, is the largest beverage and food event in the Western Hemisphere. This time around, the event encompassed four specialized events under one roof and was a mega-event for buyers and sellers to meet and discover new business. Now known as International Hospitality Week, the event included; the International Restaurant Show, Hotel World, the International Las Vegas Coffee & Tea Expo and the Nightclub & Bar Beverage Retailer Convention and Trade Show. Show organizers said the goal was to create a singular source for all aspects of the hospitality industry – beverage, food and lodging.

Events were kicked off the weekend prior to, with pre-conference workshops, a power lunch and awards reception.  The next three days were packed full of incredible programs, with keynote speakers, including Mr. Hamish Dodds, President and CEO, Hard Rock Café Worldwide.

The mega-event would not be complete without some amusement products. The coin-op industry was well represented through the AAMA pavilion and in its surrounding area. Bigger and better than ever, this year’s 1100 square foot pavilion included new member, Glow Machine, Global VR, LAI Games, Namco America, TouchTunes Music Corporation, Valley Dynamo and Wurlitzer. Other AAMA members at “The Show” included, Betson Enterprises, Innovative Concepts in Entertainment and Stern Pinball. Also making their debut was Club Lucky. Club Lucky is a group of “like-minded” amusement entertainment operators with a purpose to create contests and tournaments with huge player rewards.

Nikki Puckett, Assistant Vice President of Marketing for Oxford Publishing informed the AAMA of early numbers on this year’s show. “I can tell you that we had 37,500 in attendance: 30,000 of that being for the Nightclub & Bar show, 5,000 for the Restaurant Show and 2,500 for Hotel World. There were more than 2,000 booths (about 225,000 net square feet) and more than 900 exhibiting companies."

The AAMA will in fact host another pavilion at the 2009 show, with a brand new layout! International Hospitality week will return to Vegas Tuesday, March 3 – Wednesday, March 4. The 2009 ASI show, together with Fun Expo, will be held the following week; Wednesday, March 11 – Friday, March 13.

Click here to enter the 2008 Nightclub & Bar photo gallery

Congratulations to the 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award Winner! 

AAMA's E-Newsletter: Loose Change - Feb, '08

AAMA AND ATEI - QUITE THE PAIR

Press Release:

Elk Grove Village, IL - February 6, '08 - Outline figures covering the first two days for the London Shows moved from 22,237 in 2007 to 22,838 in 2008, an increase of 2.7 per cent.
 
The two-day figure for ATEI was 10,913, compared to 11,587 in 2007; a movement of -5.8 per cent year-on-year.
 
Attendance at ICE increased by 8.9 per cent, with an additional 765 professionals registering for the industry’s most international b2b casino event. The two-day attendance of 9,370 is the biggest on record.
 
The ICEi remote gaming show recorded the largest percentage movement. The opening two-day attendance of 2,555 represented a 24.9 per cent year-on-year increase.
 

Last stop on the 2007-08 AAMA location trade show tour was the ATEI show. ATEI  has been a prominent show for the past 63 years, and the AAMA, along with our member companies, were there celebrating the AAMA pavilion's 9th year at the show. Member companies who joined the association included, Benchmark Games, ESD, Pyramid Technologies and Rock-Ola Manufacturing. Due to demand, the association has reserved an even bigger pavilion for the 2009 show.

Now in its second year of having the amusement sector on the second level, exhibitors and attendees alike are still becoming accustomed to the new layout. From AAMA’s floor view-point, it had seemed that the upper-level amusement section saw more traffic than its downstairs neighbors.

AAMA President, Mike Rudowicz, stated “I am happy to report that the 2008 ATEI and ICE shows turned in positive results for many of AAMA's exhibiting members. As always, ATEI and ICE drew attendees from all over the world; at the shows' conclusion, visitors from over 120 countries had walked the show floor.  The high international presence at the show gave our U.S. manufacturers and distributors an excellent opportunity to acquire some significant orders by meeting with such a diverse crowd of attendees.  The traffic flow was quite steady for ICE, and it slowed down just a bit for the ATEI show, most likely reflecting the slow down in the amusement industry as a result of the consolidation that has been going on recently.  All in all, both shows were truly great successes, and our members are looking forward to attending the show in 2009.”

Besides promoting US coin-op companies on the trade show floor, both AAMA President Mike Rudowicz and Chairman, Dave Courington participated in the World Summit Meeting, where leaders of international associations and affiliated representatives meet to inform their counterparts of developments and key issues within their respected geographic regions.

The major discussions during the meeting pertained to legislative and market developments currently happening in both the amusement and gaming industries.  There were many similarities that have affected the two markets over the last few years and the discussion led to quite an interesting meeting.

The ATEI show will be held Tuesday, January 27th through Thursday, January 29th. On behalf of the AAMA, we’d like to thank all of our member companies who exhibited within the pavilion as well as other distributor and allied members who crossed the pond for the show.

Booths are still available within various location trade shows for the 2008-2009 program. For further information on this program, please contact Vanessa Cabrera at vcabrera@coin-op.org. Cheerio!

Click here to view pictures from the London show

AAMCF/Bill Cravens Memorial Fund to Help Fight Diabetes

Press Release:

Elk Grove Village, IL - January 28, '08 - 1:07PM CST - The Coin-Op industry was saddened at the passing of Bill Cravens last year.  Following the loss, the Cravens family asked that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the American Amusement Machine Charitable Foundation (AAMCF) to help fight diabetes.  The AAMCF set up a memorial fund in Bill’s name, receiving donations from AAMA members, family members and friends. 

We are proud to announce that we have been able to donate nearly $13,000.00 to the Juvenile diabetes Research Foundation International (JDRF).  The JDRF is the leading charitable funder and advocate of type 1 (juvenile) diabetes research worldwide.  The mission of JDRF is to find a cure for diabetes and its complications through the support of research. 

The AAMCF, along with the Cravens family, would like to thank those who made contributions in memory of Bill.  Your generosity will go towards making a difference in the lives of children in need.  For more information on the JDRF, visit their website at www.jdrf.org .   

STERN Pinball Went Live on GMA

Press Release:

Elk Grove Village, IL - January 18, '08 - 4:25PM CST - "Are we on our game or what?", asked Diane Sawyer. At approximately 8:30am CT, coin-op went live on Good Morning America.

The segment went off without a hitch and Stern Pinball's customized Good Morning America pinball machine was a huge hit, both in front of the camera with GMA's news anchors, and even behind the scenes with its' production team.

Noted in other AAMA On-Line News, Stern also featured, Wheel of Fortune, Spiderman, Pirates of the Caribbean, and World Poker Tour.

As Zach and Josh Sharpe, with their 4th and 5th stance in the World Pinball Rankings, showed off their skills, a crowd of high school students filled the back drop of the studio, eagerly awaiting their turn.

For those of you who missed this morning's live broadcast, not to worry, the association has acquired the clip for you.

Launch GMA's Stern Pinball Segment

Coin-Op Mourns the Loss of Steve Kauffman, Long Time Industry Veteran

AAMA's E-Newsletter: Loose Change - Jan, '08

The AAMA was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of industry veteran Steve Kauffman.  The long time industry member unfortunately lost his two year battle with lung cancer on Friday, January 11, 2008. 

During his 35 year career in the coin-op industry, Steve held important positions for a variety of companies including Games of Nevada, Williams, Stern, Konami, and Electronic Arts.  Most recently, he had focused on the import/export business with partner Dominic DeFazio in their joint venture, Sales Corp. International.

Steve is survived by his wife, Shelia, and three children, daughters Stephanie and Amanda, and son David.  The AAMA sends its condolences out to his entire family and to all that knew him.  His time with us, although far too brief, was large in contributions.  He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.       

The arrangements are as follows:
 
Monday, December 14 @ 12:15 p.m.
Shalom Memorial Park (Chapel)
1700 W. Rand @ Route 53
Arlington Heights, IL
773-274-2236
 
Shiva will be Monday and Tuesday at the Kaufman's home at:
 
1934 N. Olympic Drive
Vernon Hills, IL  60061
 
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to either:
 
Evanston Northwestern Hospice
4901 Searle Pkwy.
Suite 130
Skokie, IL  60076
 

-or-
 

The American Lung Association

2008 ASI Coin-Op Olympics

AAMA's E-Newsletter: Loose Change - Jan, '08

Bay Tek Games Mixes Business with Giving

AAMA's E-Newsletter: Loose Change - Jan, '08

London Calling

AAMA's E-Newsletter: Loose Change - Jan, '08

The AAMA location trade show tour is nearing the end of its 2007-2008 program. Next stop, the ATEI Show in London.

The trade show floor was abuzz last year with the news that in 2007 the new show owners, Clarion Events, planned to move much of coin-op to the second level; leaving the main floor to focus primarily on gaming.

As you may have read in many mediums, the coin-op industry was less than thrilled with this decision. However, through much discussion, many agreed to move to the second level of Earl's Court, including the AAMA pavilion.

Now in its second year on the top floor, the AAMA and its exhibiting members are looking forward to a successful event. AAMA will play host to member companies in the pavilion, including; Benchmark Games (booth# 2430D), ESD (booth# 2430C), Pyramid Technologies (booth# 2430F) and Rock-Ola Manufacturing (booth# 2430B).

Besides promoting US coin-op companies on the trade show floor, your association will take part in various other events that ATEI has to offer. The AAMA will participate in the World Summit Meeting, where leaders of international associations and affiliated representatives meet to inform their counterparts of developments and key issues within their respected geographical locations. Both AAMA Chairman, Dave Courington , and President, Mike Rudowicz, will inform summit attendees of issues facing the US market.

The AAMA will also attend the annual Ambassador's Reception. Because the ATEI show is an internationally focused trade show and as a token of their appreciation for our support, each year the show gathers all the associations for a night of networking and fun. This year's event looks to be even more special for both the association and our US members. AAMA's very own Mike Rudowicz, will become the first ever Ambassador to London's ATEI!

The ATEI show will be held Tuesday, January 22nd through Thursday, January 24th. See you on the other side of the pond.

AAMA's 2008 Advertising Program

AAMA's E-Newsletter: Loose Change - Jan, '08

It's back! Your association has once again negotiated a special advertising rate with International Bowling Industry Magazine.

International Bowling Industry Magazine - IBI - is the only monthly publication focused on every facet of the bowling business. With a monthly distribution of 10,400 copies covering every bowling center in the United States, IBI has more circulation, more readerships, more industry credibility and more sales impact than any other bowling business publication. In addition, with substantial bonus circulation, IBI reaches virtually every major bowling center worldwide! It is your strongest marketing partner.

This generous advertising discount structure is only offered to AAMA members. Start taking advantage of your member benefits.

It saves to be a member of the AAMA!

Click here for more detailed information on this incredible member savings program.