Planning For Amusement Expo Shifts Into High Gear Spotlight Is On Education

WEST DUNDEE, IL -- The Amusement and Music Operators Association and American Amusement Machine Association (Elk Grove Village, IL) are putting the final polish on the educational program for the 2015 Amusement Expo.

The event, cosponsored by AMOA, AAMA and the National Bulk Vendors Association (Phoenix), is welcoming the first Laser Tag Convention at this year's exposition. It's being organized for laser tag facility operators by the Laser Tag Museum (Louisville, KY). | SEE STORY

And registrants for the concurrent International Pizza Expo, also set for the Las Vegas Convention Center, again will be able to tour the Amusement Expo exhibits on Thursday, Mar. 26.

Following the successful redesign of the annual show last year, Amusement Expo 2015 will feature a full day of education, with the exhibits open on the two succeeding days. The three-day program will be preceded by the American Amusement Machine Charitable Foundation's golf tournament, which is set for the Las Vegas Country Club on Monday, Mar. 23, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Mar. 24 is Expo Education Day, with the amusement associations, NBVA and the Laser Tag Convention organizing separate programs for their respective member interests. The Laser Tag convention's curriculum will offer two tracks, one for operators and the other for developers.

AMOA's business session program is themed "Get in the Game." It will be keynoted by Bryan Dodge, Dodge Development (Duncanville, TX), who will address professional and personal development, success habits of the wealthy and leadership principles.

Kara J. McClure, manager of learning and organizational development in Notre Dame University's Office of Human Resources, will speak on "recognizing and responding to the 'ripple effect' of organizational change." McClure has presented at the AMOA Road Scholar program. And Paul Jenson, a partner at Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP (Chicago), will discuss the essential elements of a location agreement.

Rounding out the agenda will be workshops on finding a niche in fundraising and corporate events for family entertainment centers and on the impact of the growing number of "cashless consumers" on the amusement and music business. [see sidebar below]

A special closing session addressing the FEC market will be led by Rick Iceberg, C.J. Barrymores (Clinton Township, MI), Ben Jones, Live Oak Bank (Rochester Hills, MI), and George Smith, Family Entertainment Group (Barrington, IL). Known in their educational presentations as "Three Amigos," they are veteran operators, industry supporters and active volunteers with 95 years' combined experience in family entertainment.

Expo Education Day will culminate in the Industry Gala Reception, which will run from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The educational programs and the reception will be held at the expo's headquarters hotel, the Westgate Resort & Casino. Situated next door to the Las Vegas Convention Center and boasting its own station on the Las Vegas Monorail, the Westgate formerly was the landmark Las Vegas Hilton, at one time the largest hotel in the world. The 30-story structure, now the 28th property of Westgate Resorts, has nearly 3,000 rooms, 300 suites and a 95,000-sq.ft. casino.

SHOW START: MARCH 25

A ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9:45 a.m. on Wednesday, Mar. 25, will mark the formal opening of the exhibits, which will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The show will reopen at 10 a.m. on Thursday and close at 6 p.m. At 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, AMOA will conduct its Wayne E. Hesch Memorial Scholarship Raffle Drawing in the exhibit area.

The AMOA breakfast and annual membership meeting is set for Thursday, Mar. 26, from 8 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. at the Westgate.

Information on the 2015 Amusement Expo may be found at the show's website, amusementexpo.org. The specifics of the Laser Tag Convention's two education tracks may be had at its website, lasertagconvention.com. NBVA will announce the details of its programs and events on its website, nbva.org.

Amusement Expo was launched in 2010 to combine the trade shows previously staged by AMOA and AAMA; it is owned by both associations. NBVA became a cosponsor in 2011.The object has been to provide a one-stop panorama of the ever-widening range of activities conducted by today's on-street and site-based entertainment operators. The plan has worked well so far, with 31 first-time exhibitors taking part in the 2014 event compared with 20 a year earlier, and operator attendance rising from 1,343 in 2013 to 1,402 last year.

EXPO EDUCATION DAY: MARCH 24

Amusement Expo begins on Tuesday, Mar. 24, with a full day of free educational offerings. Complimentary coffee and lunch will be served and the All-Industry Gala will be held at the conclusion of the program.

"Many trade show and conference organizers apply hefty registration fees to attend their educational sessions, but not Amusement Expo," said AMOA's Jack Kelleher. "It's included as part of your admission to the trade show. All AMOA operators and distributor members receive two free badges to the event as part of your annual dues, so it's a 'value-added' membership benefit."

To date, here are details on the topics and speakers for the 2015 Expo Education Day:

» Expo Keynote Address: "How to Beat Your Best Year Ever" by Bryan Dodge, president, Dodge Development Inc.

» "Salesmanship: Shoot and Score!"-- a special industry panel

» "The Cashless Consumer and What it Means for Your Business" by Eugene De Silva, senior vice-president of global, small and medium enterprises at MasterCard

» "Recognizing and Responding to the Ripple Effect of Organizational Change" by Kara McClure, manager of learning and organizational development, University of Notre Dame

» "Knowing -- and Following -- the Rules of the Redemption Road," featuring Michael Zolandz, partner at Dentons LLP, George Smith, Family Entertainment Group, and Rick Kirby, divisional executive vice-president of Betson Enterprises

» "Take Ownership of Leadership in Your Own Life," a special encore luncheon presentation by Bryan Dodge

» "What You Need to Know About in Location Agreements" by Paul Jenson, partner at Taft, Stettiniust & Hollister LLP

» A two-part roundtable session on key topics for operator survival and success. Roundtable topics and table captains, so far, are:

• "Managing Operating Costs" led by Gaines Butler, Metro Distributors (Norcross, GA)

• "Sharing Ideas for Starting/Enhancing Leagues" by Mary Lavine, Bullseye Games (Madison, WI)

• "Building Value with Locations" by Rick LaFleur, I.F. LaFleur & Son (Devils Lake, ND)

• "Rapid-Fire Management Ideas" by Chip O'Hara, Midwest Coin Concepts (Waite Park, MN)

• "The ABCs of Buying and Selling a Route" by Russell J. Mawdsley, Russell-Hall Inc. (Holyoke, MA)

• "Operating Tips for Prize Merchandisers" by Charles H. Rowland II, Games People Play, Richmond, VA

• "Tapping Into Alternative Sources of Revenue" by Sam Westgate, J&J Ventures, Effingham, IL

• "Finding a Niche in Fundraising, Corporate Events in Your FEC" and a special closing session led by the Three Amigos (Rick Iceberg, Ben Jones and George Smith)