The Amusement & Music Owners of Idaho gathered for their annual association meeting from July 25-26 in Ririe, Idaho. IGPM’s Jim Roe sent in a photo taken by AMI Entertainment’s Ray Atchey and reported that the event allowed operators to talk about their best-earning equipment and what’s new. Also, of course, it was a good opportunity to catch up with old friends. “Idaho has one of the longest running associations in our industry,” Roe said. “I am proud to say I have done business with and been friends with two of these operators for 40 years – Mike Griggs of…

AAMA will be hosting a webinar for members led by their lobbyist John Russell of DGA Group on Aug. 13 at noon Central time. The topic of discussion will be regarding the new tax law passed as part of the Big Beautiful Bill. Russell has more than two decades of experience in politics, including as Chief of Staff for the Speaker of the House of Representatives. He’s been helping AAMA stay connected in Washington for more than a decade. Click here to register for the webinar and visit www.coin-op.org to become an AAMA member and always be in the know…

The 2025 Pop-A-Shot National Championship will be broadcast live today, Aug. 1, on ESPN2 starting at 9 p.m. Eastern time. The best players in the country will be showcased and you can play along with the company’s Pick ‘Em Contest. Operators can participate in the Pop-A-Shot Pick ‘Em Challenge for a chance to win a 50% discount on a Pop-A-Shot Elite game. Pick among the eight competitors and guess their high score to win. Learn more at www.popashot.net/pages/elite-pick-em-contest.

DreamPark VR Seattle opened on July 19, The VR Collective recently reported. The effort is led by Brent Bushnell, who’s also the co-founder of Two Bit Circus, along with Aidan Wolf and Kevin Habich. The idea for the “downloadable mixed reality theme park” first debuted in Santa Monica and is now at the West Canal Yards in Seattle. The mixed reality experience takes up 25,000 sq. ft. of real estate, blending the physical and digital worlds with free-roam games that use the real-life environment and virtual worlds. Click here to read all about it on The VR Collective website.

AREA15, the entertainment destination in Las Vegas, will launch Universal Horror Unleashed on Aug. 14. It’s the first of several new attractions coming to the wider expansion called Zone 2 – The Terminals at AREA15. Through the end of 2025 into 206, AREA15 will continue to debut these new attractions, including a fully installed Boeing 747 that’s been reimagined as a multi-use event and nightlife venue. The 200,000-sq.-ft. “retailtainment” district recently surpassed 15 million visitors since it opened in 2020. The new Midway Bar and Carousel Bar, plus Game Depot and Gateway Plaza Games, adds more bar-restaurant and arcade offerings…

Bowling entertainment center chain Lucky Strike recently acquired the real estate of 58 of its locations, which were previously leased. The deal is worth some $306 million. “By acquiring the real estate underlying these 58 existing locations, we maximize our flexibility to optimize our capital structure and location footprint,” said Bobby Lavan, the company’s chief financial officer. “The purchase price highlights the long-term attractiveness of the stable and growing cash flows of our individual locations.” Spanning 16 states, the 58-property portfolio includes locations in prime spots in California, Illinois, Georgia, Arizona and Colorado. Overall, the company operates more than 360…

Incredivend’s Skittles Remix Digital Kiosk is now available at the famed American Museum of Natural History in New York City, the company recently reported. The company was founded in Walled Lake, Michigan, in 2021 by Howard Rubin. Their kiosks can be found in all sorts of high-traffic venues throughout the United States. Offering easy setup and service, Incredivend boasts that their kiosks drive additional revenue by letting customers customize their candy blend. (The Skittles brand, they boast, is also the top-selling non-chocolate candy in the country.) Visit www.incredivend.com to learn more about getting your own machine.

A pinball bar called Silver Ball Social Club opened its doors July 19 in Vancouver, Washington, reports The Columbian. The space was formerly occupied by Trusty Brewing Co. The bar-restaurant is filled with 42 pinball machines from the 1970s and ’80s, neon-striped carpets, blacklights and art from the era. The bar counter is shaped like a pinball flipper and an all-day unlimited pinball pass is available for $12. The owner of the new pinball bar is Brandon Rush, who already operates Thirsty Sasquatch and 3 Howls Remedy House. Co-owners of the new venture are Chad White and Todd Engblom-Stryker. Go…

Two IAAPA networking meetups are nearing – one at LEGOLAND California on Aug. 12 and another at Universal Epic Universe on Aug. 25. The association offers these behind-the-scenes meetups for members and non-members alike. The cost to attend is $99 for members and $149 for non-members. The LEGOLAND California event, in Carlsbad, is billed as a “fun and memorable way to grow your network in a setting designed to spark creativity. It’ll be held there Aug. 12 from 7-10 p.m. Located in Orlando, Universal Epic Universe offers the same at that city’s newest theme park. It’s set for Aug. 25…

Zero Latency VR has hired JR Huyck as their new director of enterprise expansion. He has decades of operations and sales experience and most recently worked with bowling giant QubicaAMF. Previously, he was the COO of Andy B’s Entertainment and has also worked with foodservice companies like Sysco and US Foods. “Seeing those big smiles at the end of a great experience – that’s what fuels me,” Huyck said. “The opportunity to bring my operational background and passion for entertainment to Zero Latency is incredibly exciting. Zero Latency’s world-class technology, its people, and its global footprint make it a standout…