AAMA Announces New Programs For Family Entertainment Center Operators And Suppliers

Chris Felix

Established one year ago, the FEC committee is chaired by Joe Camarota of Amusement Entertainment Management LLC (East Brunswick, NJ) and George Smith of Family Entertainment Group (Barrington, IL). They now oversee five subcommittees dedicated to food and beverage; payment systems and technology; merchandise; games, rides and attractions; and marketing. In total, there are some 30 AAMA members serving in these specialized groups.

"The FEC committee has made tremendous progress since it was established a year ago," said AAMA president Chris Felix. "It was initially started to provide an open forum for the FEC community." That community not only includes manufacturers, suppliers and distributors -- AAMA's original constituency -- but now embraces facility and location operators.

The association is developing a comprehensive communications strategy targeting the FEC community. The creation of newsletters covering merchandise trends and technical issues is in the works. AAMA's website -- coin-op.org -- will undergo an expansion to include content and tools for education. Additionally, information on food labeling, equipment safety and maintenance, and government regulations, among other "best practices" topics, will be integrated into the site.

The website will also feature an ecommerce module that would allow members to review products and prices, and make purchases at discounted prices. Felix said the initial plan is to market food, beverages and maintenance supplies, among other frequently purchased products, with the exception of amusement machines.

Most importantly, according to Felix, FEC members will benefit from AAMA's government relations experience. "We can provide a vehicle to the FEC community that will allow them to reach politicians and agencies in Washington," he said. "The FEC community is concerned about the same issues that AAMA has been addressing in recent years, like coinage and taxes. And our political resources can lend a stronger voice to their immediate causes, like food menu regulations and minimum wage laws."

AAMA's chief advisor is Dentons, a multinational law firm and government relations authority. It is considered the world's largest law firm, when measured by the number of lawyers.

For AAMA, the opportunity to represent the site-based amusement sector could position it as a leading advocate for an underserved industry sector. FEC business interests formerly were served by the International Association for the Leisure and Entertainment Industry, which was dissolved in 2009. IALEI's membership at the time consisted of 476 operators and 83 suppliers. It agreed to transfer membership to the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, which has its own FEC committee.

Founded in 1981, AAMA is an international nonprofit trade organization representing manufacturers, distributors and parts suppliers involved in the coin-operated amusement industry. In 2013, AAMA added a Location/Operator member designation, which is defined as a legal business entity that owns or manages any location that employs revenue-generating amusement equipment. Chris Felix of Crane Payment Innovations is serving a two-year term as AAMA's president.