The Long Road Ahead Future Consequences for an Industry in Lockdown by Kevin Williams, International Immersive Technology Special Correspondent The repercussions of the global health crisis across all aspects of the out-of-home entertainment industry have been cataclysmic. But the reality of the entertainment industry is that it will endure, and while the landscape will be irrevocably changed, there will still be a business. At this time, the first week of April, most of the global location-based entertainment industry has been temporarily closed –– along with hospitality, retail and non-essential businesses –– in compliance with governmental restrictions to stop the spread…
Author: RePlay Editor
Prize Powerhouse A&A Global Over 80 Years of Meeting “Today’s” Challenges, Adapting & Growing Back in 1938, Irv Kovens turned his hobby of repairing coin-operated vending machines into his career. The company he founded is now known as A&A Global Industries, and almost 83 years later, it is still family owned and operated by the Kovens family. A&A boasts itself to be “an ever-changing company uniquely equipped to adjust its business model to meet the needs of the industries it serves,” as it has done over those more than eight decades. Today, its business includes redemption, bulk vending and…
While the White House and Congress push for agreement on getting additional support money for small businesses, some operating companies who’s been trying to get their Payroll Protection loans into the works have probably been frustrated at the difficulty of this task. According to some stats we read, only 72% of business owners who’ve tried have been successful. So, as Columbus famously said, try, try again because many have already gotten this financial help.
It was widely reported yesterday, April 20, that Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp introduced what’s been termed “an aggressive reopening plan” for certain businesses. In the initial phase according to the Los Angeles Times, bowling alleys join salons, tattoo parlors, gyms and some other indoor businesses that can reopen as early as this coming Friday as long as they follow social distancing plans. Guidelines are expected this week that might also see restaurants reopen on April 27 (though bars and clubs are not included at this time). Other states such as South Carolina and Tennessee also have announced plans. In South…
Amigo Ben Jones in his latest writing on the COVID-19 pandemic is sparked by the non-compliance movement within his home state of Michigan, reflecting on the interconnectedness of us all. Understanding and sharing the frustrations of having to stay home and seeing similar defiance spreading across the country, Jones remains committed to following the guidelines our government has mandated … and hopes you do, too. Read his full post: “What Is Too Far?” by Ben Jones Michigan –– my state –– is prominent in the news right now, especially with the growing “I WILL NOT COMPLY” movement. In fact, our…
Winning in Today’s Complex World Key Societal Phenomena Have Evolved and Converged To Transform the Culture of Out-of-Home Entertainment By Randy White, CEO/White Hutchison Leisure & Learning Group Three pivotal events and trends from 2006-2007 have evolved and converged to transform the culture of out-of-home entertainment into something a whole lot different than what is was back then, disrupting traditional formulas for location-based entertainment centers and resulting in the need for completely new business models. 2006 might be considered the beginning of the cultural foodie revolution. That was the year when social media began to take off (although we didn’t…
Meet the New Chief Beyer & Brown Owner Greg Trent Takes Over as AMOA President As the owner and president of a historic, nearly 80-year-old company, Greg Trent knows a thing or two about executive leadership. This year, as Trent celebrates his own 30th anniversary in the amusement industry, he also takes the top slot on the AMOA board of directors as its president. Started in 1941 by Charles Beyer and Charles Brown, the amusement service and supplies company Trent runs has undergone various changes over the years, as one might expect. One thing has maintained: it’s always been a…
Immersion: It’s Really About Connection by Howard McAuliffe, Partner, Pinnacle Entertainment Group Increasingly in recent years, there is a lot of sameness in our industry. It is much easier to replicate than innovate, so it is natural that business concepts that work are duplicated throughout the country. This is great when business is growing and thriving quickly, but not once markets reach saturation. When you reach that point, these similar concepts begin to cannibalize each other. We are constantly thinking about ways to help clients improve and differentiate and increasing immersion in the FEC environment is part of how an…
When Life Isn’t a Party… How Do You Survive the Struggle? By Beth Standlee, CEO, TrainerTainment When life is good, complacency may set in. The first quarter for an indoor location is typically a BIG revenue time of year. It can also be a dangerous lull into sales atrophy. Many times, the busyness of the business disrupts the consistent pursuit of new sales. In reality, focus on sales is a full-time activity no matter how good revenue is. Spring Break will be fantastic. There will be high fives all around and then, suddenly, the dip comes. Catching up takes time…
Amusement Products & Arkadia VR Arena Rebranded Inowize Platform Gets the AP Seal of Approval After more than three years of research, Amusement Products found its entry into virtual reality with Inowize’s new Arkadia VR Arena (formerly called VR Quest Arena). The companies struck up a partnership just ahead of IAAPA Expo 2019 that makes Amusement Products Arkadia’s North American distributor. Inowize initially approached Amusement Products at a trade show, reported AP’s president Dutch Magrath. The company was showing a “graphically beautiful maze game,” he said, but the free-roam VR platform was made for just one player in a sizable…