(revised Monday, September 15, 2008 -- 11:30 a.m.)

The 2008 AMOA Expo, which ran September 10-12 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, surprised and delighted most attendees looking respectively for customers and good new product. Figures indicated that buyer numbers were only marginally off from the previous year with over 1,700 in attendance versus about 1,880 in 2007. Total attendance spiked to just over 3,000, which compares with a number just under 4,000 at last year's show, meaning that exhibitors brought significantly fewer people to the show. "Most shows are down 20% to 25%," noted Brian Glasgow of tradeshow organizer W. T. Glasgow. "However, the AMOA members have come out in full support during these hard times." IALEI recorded a total, and separate, Fun Expo attendance of 1,155. 

Responding to a rumor that his association and the AAMA manufacturer group had finally reached an agreeement to combine their shows, AMOA's outgoing chief Lloyd Williamson went on the record to say nothing conclusive had been approved during the show but that discussions are continuing. As such, next fall's 2009 AMOA Expo will take place as scheduled, September 24-26 again at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The spring ASI show runs March 11-13 at the same venue.

Despite many predictions to the contrary, the event scored in all departments: new equipment displayed, quality of attendance and (perhaps because it was AMOA’s 60th anniversary) a welcome enthusiasm on and off the show floor. All of the exhibitors RePlay quizzed said they did good business at this year’s outing. “It’s not the population, but the quality of that population, that counts,” said Medalist’s Lee Peppard.  “The show was excellent for us,” added Sondra Doyle of Sureshot Redemption. “Our booth was jam packed with customers the first day and for about half of the second.” Said Valley-Dynamo chief David Tomizuka at noon of Expo's first day, "We've had a good morning and I hope the action continues."

Convergence of music, games and advertising dominated Expo product headlines with a number of major partnership announcements. In fact, a jukebox market that many expected to consolidate has actually seen the emergence of two new hardware suppliers. The most dramatic news from the traditional jukebox sector came from Rock-Ola, which will now connect its digital jukebox line-up to Rowe's AMI broadband music service instead of Ecast's. In another surprise move, touchscreen game maker JVL has jumped into the music fray with their new Encore game machine, which features a 22" HD touchscreen with enhanced sound and visuals. Starting next year, location patrons will be able to choose from a large category of music at the multi-game terminal; that song will in turn be streamed from their central server to the location's in-house sound system.

AMI also announced a deal to work with the on location advertising and content network TAP TV. That followed earlier news that digital juke maker TouchTunes will add the on location advertising and promotion network Barfly to its stable of music, games (PlayPorTT) and advertising. For their part, the music provider at Ecast, which used to serve Rock-Ola units in the field, will continue to work with NSM and Wurlitzer, but they also unveiled their own new interactive jukebox the EQ, which combines music and interactive social networking and advertising capabilities.

Thanks to an intermingling of both AMOA and Fun Expo exhibit booths arranged along wider aisles and adjoining the Gift Show, the visual appearance looked broad and grand. Solid new guns and/or drivers (e.g. at Betson, Global and Sega) joined a smattering of new ticket games, touchscreens and novelties (e.g. new air hockeys from Valley-Dynamo). However, the absence of a handful of major redemption game manufacturers, and the noticeably reduced booth properties of others, remained a hot topic for exhibitors and attendees alike, as well as calls for a one-show co-location with ASI.

At the annual AMOA membership breakfast, the association's 60th anniversary was commemorated and association business conducted, including the naming of the 2011 director class and the introduction of the 2008-2009 president, Russ Mawdsley of Russell Hall. Innovator Awards were also announced. This year's honors went to Ecast for EQ, their latest digital jukebox with greater interactivity; Incredible Technologies, Golden Tee Live 2009; TouchTunes, PlayPorTT, the much-discussed portable entertainment device; and TrioTech Amusement, UFO Stomper, a dance pad attraction.

A slate of seminars from both the AMOA and IALEI-sponsored Fun Academy attracted plenty of interested bodies off the show floor. The strongest turnout was for two past AMOA presidents, Jim Pietrangelo's seminar on website development and Frank Seninsky on redemption, both of which attracted about 90 listeners, while others drew between 30 and 40. On Thursday evening, AMOA held a special dinner for its board and past presidents to celebrate the association's 60th anniversary. The show concludes today. Look for full coverage of the show in the upcoming October issue of RePlay Magazine.

MARTY BROMLEY IS GONE

(posted Monday, September 15, 2008 -- 11 a.m.)

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 89. 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. Altough 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.

JACK SILVEREST DIES AT EXPO

(posted Monday, August 25, 2008 -- 7:30PM)