The Minnesota Operators of Music and Amusements met for their annual summer conference from June 15-17 at Ruttger’s Bay Lake Lodge in the state’s northern Brainerd Lakes Area. The conference was well attended by operators from Minnesota and the Dakotas, and AMOA’s President, Gaines Butler aka “The Waffle King,” attended along with many manufacturer reps. 

Pool and dart league coordinators met up on the 15th to discuss past tournaments and prepare for a January 2017 event at Canterbury Park in Shakopee. Attendees were able to choose from several different recreational activities, including golf, fishing and a lake cruise.

Thursday brought the business end of things back with a board meeting revolving around new officers and statewide pool and dart tournaments. Butler presented important industry news, and the assembled operators were incredibly honored to have John Kriesel, a fellow Minnesotan and Iraq War veteran who lost both of his legs to a roadside bomb, present at the meeting. Organizers said Kriesel gave a powerful motivational speech to the assembled crowd after lunch.

To keep things even more interesting, attendees participated in a medallion hunt in which clues were given every few hours about the location of a hidden prize. Heidi Newman of Midwest Coin Concepts was able to figure the puzzle out first and find the medallion.

Friday morning brought about the end of the conference, and several officers were elected for 2017; Tom Graham Jr. (President), Shawn Dean (V. P.) and Andrew Schmitz (Secretary) were each elected for their second terms, while Terry O’Hara was elected to Treasurer for his first term.