The latest Amusement 360, hosted by Creative Works from March 22-24 in Indianapolis, was their biggest yet, according to the company. More than 80 in-person attendees showed up to learn, network and socialize; additional attendees participated virtually in the second hybrid Amusement 360 event. The event was focused on helping operators rediscover their purpose and passion. “After two difficult years facing a pandemic, Creative Works wanted to help operators remember why they’re in this industry, why the memories and smiles matter and why their venues hold an important place in their communities,” organizers said. To do that, 18 industry experts…
Author: Matt Harding
Don’t wait to book booth space, say the organizers of Bowl Expo 2022. The June 29-30 trade show, to be held in Las Vegas, is already 88% sold out. (Bowl Expo’s full slate of meetings, education and more runs from June 26-30.) Click here to learn more. The event is expected to attract more than 1,900 qualified buyers – roughly 75% of them who make purchases from the trade show floor. The Bowl Expo exhibitor kit is also live. Click here for that information. It includes all the information an exhibitor needs to know. Learn more at www.bowlexpo.com.
Florida buddies Tony Maniscalco and Paul Jacobs renewed their annual tradition of attending a New York Mets spring training game recently after two years of being shut out due to the pandemic. Maniscalco, executive VP at Elaut Group, is a longtime Mets fan (hence the jersey), while the Milwaukee native and “blissfully retired” Jacobs is sporting the colors of his hometown Brewers.
LAI Games recently completed the sale of The Locker Network to TLN North America, an entity of the VLocker International Group. The transaction was completed on March 15. “LAI Games’ decision to divest its interests in The Locker Network is a result of its post-Covid reorganization and the decision to focus on its strengths in commercial and consumer video game development,” said LAI Games CEO Mark Easte. “We are pleased to be passing the TLN baton onto VLocker, a leading worldwide supplier of lockers to many industries – including the entertainment industry.” Added VLocker CEO Justin Roberts: “VLocker is proud…
Levittown Lanes, a decades-old family-owned bowling alley in Bucks County, Penn., collapsed after a fire tore through the building last week. Smoke could be seen all the way from Philly, more than 25 miles away, according to NBC10 Philadelphia. The fire started in the early morning and the bowling alley was empty at the time. It initially appeared to have started in a shed and storage area in the rear of the building before spreading, reported Falls Township Deputy Fire Chief Drew Zeek. Lane conditioner chemicals possibly fed the raging fire. A pickup truck parked near the bowling alley also…
FEC Connect will be held tomorrow, April 5, from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at the Dave & Buster’s in Hollywood, Fla. Tickets are $50 apiece. The event features multiple roundtable sessions, a facility tour and Q&A and more. Speakers include Dan Coppola (ICE), Trevor Gianaris (Elaut), Vivian Conterio (TrainerTainment), Kevin Lonzo (Lonzo Law), Kevin Loughery (Prospr Communications), Paula Rinker (Elaut), Nader Saweeres (SF Processing), Russ Van Natta (Creative Works) and John Russell (Dentons). Click here to register. Learn more by emailing [email protected].
The newest Main Event opened on Friday, April 1, in Waco, Texas. The facility is in the new Cottonwood Creek Market development and features bowling, laser tag, an arcade, billiards, gravity ropes and more, according to the Waco Tribune-Herald. Main Event will join a 14-screen Cinemark movie theater and a Topgolf in the complex. The first 200 people in line were treated to free laser tag when the doors opened. “I’m very excited about Main Event,” said Austen Baldridge, senior vice president of NewQuest, which put together the 143-acre project that will also have restaurants, retail and housing. Main Event…
Stern Pinball took home a whole bunch of TWIPY Awards from the recent Texas Pinball Festival, where this year’s event took place from March 25-27. The big This Week in Pinball Awards that Stern won were for Game of the Year (Godzilla) and Favorite Accessory (Insider Connected). They also won awards in the following categories: Best Playfield Gameplay and Layout; Best Toys and Gimmicks; Best Animations and Display; Best Lightshow; Best Theme; Best Theme Integration; Best Artwork; the Lyman Sheats Award for Best Rules; Best Callouts; and Best Music and Sound Effects. See the full results at www.twipys.com.
Embed has five free scholarships available for the upcoming Sales & Business Pro Conference from TrainerTainment, which will be held April 26-28 in Dallas. Click here to request a free ticket. The conference promises to “equip you with the skills to increase sales and productivity” with the company’s Sales & Business Pro Systems methodologies. TrainerTainment will also have its Birthday Conference in Dallas from Sept. 27-29 and will host a Time Management Virtual Workshop on Nov. 10. Learn more at www.trainertainment.net and www.embedcard.com.
TA Associates, a global private equity firm, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire TouchTunes from funds advised by Searchlight Capital Partners and Newlight Partners, according to the companies. Partnering together, TouchTunes and TA aim to “accelerate the company’s growth and innovation across existing and new markets,” a release stated. According to TouchTunes’ senior vice president of sales Jamie Sura, operators can rest assured that the company’s sales team will not change. TouchTunes leadership will also remain in place and they will “continue to provide you with the industry-leading products, sales and tech support that you have come to rely…