The amusement industry is mourning the loss of George Haydocy, who recently passed away at age 88. He was in the business for over 40 years starting with Cleveland Coin, and sold for Seeburg, Penn-Ray, NSM and Rock-Ola along the way. His wife, Pat, shared: “George certainly enjoyed traveling the country representing these great companies.” He couldn’t stand the cold weather up north, so upon his retirement, he and Pat moved to Florida to the retirement community known as The Villages. An avid golfer, he played several times a week and even worked part-time on a golf course. Traveling around in his…
Author: Matt Harding
Following a January snowstorm, the bowling alley West County Bowl in Ellisville, Mo., remains closed. KMOV reported that the building needs nearly $700,000 in repairs after a structural beam gave way under the weight of snow and ice accumulating on the roof, causing a partial collapse. The bowling center is a staple of the community and has been open since 1965. Grandparents of the owner, Brentwood Voss, purchased the business in the 1980s and it’s been in the family since. He said business had been booming before the damage came. The city of Ellisville was forced to condemn the building,…
South Whitehall Township, Pa., will soon be home to a Monster Mini Golf location. The franchisee Kelly Zambrano told WFMZ that a late March opening is expected. The new facility will be located next to Aldi in the Dorneyville Shopping Center. Monster Mini Golf will feature its staple glow-in-the-dark mini-golf, as well as bowling, arcade games, a laser maze and virtual reality. Construction began in October on the space, which formerly housed Teppan Hibachi Steak House. The 15,000-sq.-ft. location is the first Pennsylvania venue for Monster Mini Golf, which has more than 30 locations nationwide. Zambrano also operates a…
The Turkish attractions show ATRAX Expo reached a whopping 18,736 visitors at this year’s event, up 73% in national visitors and 27% in international visitors from last year, according to organizers. “By bringing together the latest trends and innovative projects in the industry at ATRAX 2025, we aimed for everyone attending our expo to depart with a fresh vision for the future,” said Nergis Aslan, chairman of Tureks International Exhibition Organization. “With our theme this year, ‘Contributing to a Sustainable Life,’ we integrated improving societal life and sustainability. Throughout the expo, we provided an opportunity for idea exchange not only…
Vertigo Games has reportedly sold the VR arcade platform SpringboardVR, which it acquired in 2021. The buyer is SynthesisVR and the companies announced the purchase took effect on Feb. 1. “With this transition, we are setting a course for the future,” said Vertigo Games CEO Richard Stitselaar. “We can focus on content innovation and creativity while SynthesisVR drives platform development.” Vertigo will continue to develop VR arcade experiences as well as games for the home market. Learn more at www.vertigo-games.com. (Click here for a full press release with further details.)
D&B recently announced that Scott Ross, managing partner of Hill Path Capital, was appointed to the company’s board of directors. “On behalf of the board, we are pleased to welcome Scott to our team,” said Kevin Sheehan, board chair and interim CEO. “Scott has a proven track record of working closely with management teams and boards to help create substantial value for all stakeholders. He brings valuable insights and capabilities given his financial background, his extensive experience investing in and overseeing consumer and entertainment businesses and his perspective as a significant shareholder of Dave & Buster’s.” Ross added: “Dave & Buster’s…
Nelly, the rapper and St. Louis native, has founded Dirty Bowling LLC and is set to renovate the old Olympic Lanes in Florissant, Mo., KTVI reported. The city council recently approved the LLC’s takeover and refurbishment of Olympic Lanes, which originally opened in 1973 and utilizes the same 12 wooden lanes that were used in the 1960 Tokyo Summer Olympics. The renovation aims to bring new life into the historic venue. An opening date has not yet been announced.
Steve Olson, a competitive air hockey player and multi-location gym owner in Raleigh, N.C., is planning to open a retro arcade bar in the city’s downtown this summer, according to The News & Observer. Called Super Rad Retro Lounge, the 2,300-sq.-ft. space is set to open in June with more than 20 classic arcade games, 10 pinball machines, two air hockey tables, a pool table and more. Some of the games that’ll be a part of the arcade include Centipede, Donkey Kong, Defender, Ms. Pac-Man and Dig Dug. On the pinball side, look for Dirty Harry, Maverick, Austin Powers…
Brunswick Bowling, together with Pinnacle Entertainment Group, have partnered with LifeTown to create a three-lane, sensory-friendly bowling environment for individuals with autism and other special needs at their non-profit center in New Jersey. The 53,000-sq.-ft. center, located in Livingston, N.J., held a grand opening ceremony for the three-lane alley on Jan. 22, welcoming community leaders, industry partners and families, along with Hall of Fame bowlers Parker Bohn III and Johnny Petraglia, who joined LifeTown’s adult participants for an exclusive bowling session, reportedly sharing tips and enjoying the lanes with attendees. The collaboration was meant to introduce an inclusive bowling experience…
Having started in 1980, VNEA is now in its 45th anniversary league season, bringing the World Pool Championships to the Westgate in Las Vegas from May 22-31. With more than 300 Valley tables full of billiards action, the tourney welcomes all skill levels to play in 8-ball and 9-ball singles games, team, scotch and open doubles matches. Meanwhile, the VNEA Junior Pool Championships will be held July 17-20 at the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester, Minn. It’s the 35th anniversary of that event. Click here to read the latest VNEA news from 8-ball News & Views Magazine.