IAAPA has announced that Chimelong Group has pledged $150,000 over five years (2025-29) to the IAAPA Foundation, “reinforcing its commitment to developing the next generation of talent in the global attractions industry.” The foundation supports industry scholarships and other programs. Through the end of this year, IAAPA will also match scholarship donations made to the IAAPA Foundation dollar for dollar, up to an annual cap of $250,000. “Chimelong Group’s commitment reflects a deep understanding that the future of our industry depends on investing in people,” said Jakob Wahl, President and CEO of IAAPA. “This generous support will help open doors…
Author: Matt Harding
The U.S. Mint ended production for the 1-cent coin in November and Lucky Strike Entertainment just gave it a proper sendoff on Jan. 25, Axios reported. The Lucky Strike brands, including AMF, Bowlero and Boomers locations, had a 1-day “Penny Retirement Party” in which patrons could buy two games of bowling and get the third for just a penny. “The idea is to celebrate this cultural moment with two American staples: spare change and bowling,” the company said. At Boomers, Castle Park and Visalia Adventure Park, guests who purchased an Unlimited Attractions Pass could also buy a 16 oz. ICEE…
Filmmaker Issac Goeckeritz got together with the team at ICE on a production recently published on YouTube called The Story of an Arcade Icon, focused on the company’s classic bubble hockey game Chexx. The documentary goes through the history of Ralph Coppola’s ICE and features interviews with his son and company president, Joe Coppola, as well as grandson and salesman Ryan Coppola. Greg Kania and Brian Reszel are also prominently featured. (RePlay Magazine’s own Barry Zweben and Ingrid Milkes were given special thanks for their contributions to the film, along with a host of other helpful folks. Again, click here…
An entertainment center in Marion, Illinois, called The Oasis Thrillhouse is scheduled to open in February, reported WPSD. The 100,000-sq.-ft. space will have arcade games, go-karting, laser tag and bowling, alongside a two-story restaurant and bar. The company also owns the Oasis Fieldhouse sports complex in town; they hope to have teams visit the Thrillhouse after events. “We had an opportunity here to create a sports and entertainment tourism destination,” said Herby Voss, the director of marketing. Click here to follow them on Facebook or go to www.enjoythrillhouse.com.
Betson Enterprises recently reminded customers that they now get free weekend tech support on Saturdays and Sundays from noon-4 p.m. Eastern time. The new tech support weekend hours are designed to support operators at their busiest times. “When your machines go down, your revenue doesn’t have to,” the company said. Simply call 717-867-9088 to speak to a live technician.
QubicaAMF recently added ARCO/Murray National Construction’s Sports & Entertainment team to the QubicaAMF OneSource partner network, the company said. The network is “designed to help investors, developers and operators bring entertainment concepts to life with trusted expertise – from early planning through opening day.” “Our goal is simple: give our clients a smarter path from vision to venue,” said Jody Pastula, Qubica’s director of new business development. “ARCO/Murray National Construction brings the kind of national scale and specialized experience that helps keep schedules tight and budgets disciplined.” Added Jacobi Timmins, the senior project manager for ARCO/Murray National Construction: “Entertainment venues…
Steve Paris is now Family Entertainment Group’s chief operating officer. He previously served as the company’s senior vice president of strategic operations. Paris has more than 30 years of industry experience, including seven with FEG. “Steve has earned this role through his exceptional leadership in the field, his operational discipline, and the deep trust he’s built with our teams and partners,” said CEO Rex Jackson. “As we expand, maintaining consistent execution across our portfolio is critical. Steve’s experience and operating mindset are exactly what we need for this next phase of growth.” In other news, Mark Nesfeder will transition into a…
LAI Games has appointed Jason Gould as their vice president of global sales and marketing. He succeeds Mike Kane, who moved into a new role – vice president of strategic accounts. Gould has more than 20 years of amusement industry experience, including more than 13 as an operator and seven years in distribution and operations with Player One Amusement Group. “Jason brings a depth of experience that spans operations, distribution and customer engagement,” said CEO Mark Easte. “His leadership will help us build on the strong foundation we’ve established while continuing to expand our sales performance and long-term growth initiatives.”…
After 32 years, Terry Maggiore has retired from AVS Companies. “Terry was a key figure in the AVS-sponsored training seminars held in our facilities during the 1990s and 2000s,” said Jeff Yoder, the AVS vice president and general manager. “He has received high praise from many of our customers for his expertise, patience and willingness to help our customers with any questions they may have.” Added Tom Vogt, the company’s vice president of micro markets and vending: “We’re lucky to have had Terry as a part of the AVS Companies team for over 32 years. Please join us in congratulating…
Angela Abbott was recently chosen as the vice president of music licensing and strategy for TouchTunes. She’ll report to general counsel Amy Tenbrink and work closely with executive leadership to oversee the company’s music strategy, licensing and operations. “Angela brings a rare combination of licensing expertise, operational discipline and deep cultural understanding of how music connects people,” Tenbrink said. “She will play a key role as we continue to evolve our music strategy and deepen our industry partnerships.” Abbott has more than a decade of experience in music licensing and business affairs and previously held senior roles at Pandora, TIDAL…