The National ATM Council, a leading national trade association representing U.S. independent/retail ATM providers and their suppliers, has announced the appointment board of directors for 2020-2023. Heading the group will be current Chairman George Sarantopoulos (founder and CEO of Access One Solutions), who begins a new, three-year term along with the following: Vice-Chair Patrick Conner (President of ATMPartMart.com), Second Vice-Chair Scot Gardner (President of SJI ATM, Inc.), Secretary Mike Powell (founder and CEO of First Regents Bancservices, LLC) and Treasurer Greg Chiasson (Director of ATM’s of the South/ABSI). Newly appointed Scot Gardner said he was honored to take on the position,…
Author: Matt Harding
Hot on the heels of a successful first deployment at a Florida fair, Elaut Group USA says its Claw Crane Trailer is being readied for production here in the U.S. The trailer, with hitch and removable wheel axles, features multiple configurations of three models of the factory’s E-Claw cranes (the 600, 900 and Cosmic). With it, they say operators can transport the cranes (with optional DBAs and credit card readers) to fairs and other opportunities with relative ease for set up and tear down. As for the backstory, the company says the concept was “wildly successful” on the European carnival…
Through the North Brunswick Soccer Club, Alpha-Omega’s Joseph Camarota has spearheaded a 5K Charity Race, set for April 19 at Community Park in North Brunswick, N.J., in support of mental health awareness. Though not an amusement industry event, per se, sponsors include Alpha-Omega and Alpha-Bet, Bay Tek Entertainment, Sega, Coastal Amusements, Andamiro and Apple Industries. Personal donations also came from industry vets Debbie Gonzales, Jeff Hudson, Brian Duke and Todd Louthian. (This generosity is certainly a testament to our industry’s desire to give back.) To register or make a donation, visit www.mha5k.org. All of the proceeds will go to Minding…
Sherry Howell, brand engagement director for CenterEdge Software, will be speaking during Education Day at this year’s Amusement Expo, which features a lengthy list of informational sessions for attendees. Howell will lead a presentation on “The New Rules of Engagement,” offering to attendees the importance of rewards and membership programs, and how they drive guest loyalty. The session will be held at the New Orleans event on March 9 from 2:45-3:45 p.m. “In today’s consumer economy, engagement is everything – and every entertainment facility is vying for the limited attention of consumers,” Howell said. “Many businesses turn to rewards and…
U.S. Table Soccer Hall of Famer Kathy Brainard, a former RePlay feature editor – and her daughter – comedian and world champion foosball player Kelsey Cook – are both featured in the new documentary Foosballers. According to KING 5, the mother-daughter duo has competed head-to-head too many times to count. “It sucks because if I beat my mom, I’m like, ‘Oh, I just beat my mom. I love my mom,” Cook said. “But if she beats me, it’s ‘God, my mom just beat me,’ you know? There’s nothing good about it.” “Foosball just caught on fire,” said Brainard, who began…
Firestone Financial, a subsidiary of Berkshire Bank, recently announced their 2019 “Platinum Partners.” There will be an awards ceremony honoring the recipients on March 11 at 10 a.m. at Amusement Expo Booth #751. “Every year we have a terrific pool of partners to choose from,” said COO Michael Smith. “This year was especially difficult as we’ve seen continued change in the industry. This year’s winners have emerged as leaders in innovation and creativity, who continually help move the industry forward.” Distributor honorees include H. Betti Industries, American Vending Sales, Moss Distributing, Player One Amusement Group and Shaffer Distributing. Manufacturer honorees…
Arcade Expo 6.0 is making its way to Banning, Calif., this month – held at the Museum of Pinball there from March 20-22. RePlay was at the event last year, and it’s certainly a must-see for all pinball and vintage video game lovers. The event consists of more than 1,100 retro to modern arcade games and pinball machines set to free play. The Friday-Sunday hours will be 2:30 p.m.-midnight on Friday, 11 a.m.-2 a.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m.-7 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets can be purchased here. A 3-day pass costs $150. Friday and Sunday entry is $50 per day,…
The social media giant Facebook recently bought Sanzaru Games, a virtual reality development studio, to join its own Oculus gaming group, according to Bloomberg. Sanzaru has produced games including from the Sonic the Hedgehog and Marvel Studios franchises, its website says. Asgard’s Wrath is the studio’s most popular game, and it was highly reviewed upon its October release, including being featured on numerous “games-of-the-year” lists. The “vast majority” of Sanzaru’s nearly 100 employees will join Oculus, the company said, including the company’s founders, and Sanzaru will operate independently from their existing offices. The deal comes three months after Facebook acquired…
If you’re heading to Amusement Expo, why not head in a little early? Foundations Entertainment University will host its 51st class this weekend, March 7-8, at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside. Saturday’s schedule will run from 1-9 p.m. and Sunday’s from 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. The seminar program has had more than 1,500 graduates from around the world, and aims to “deliver the complete blueprint for the successful development of entertainment facilities.” They also tout: “Whether you are new to the industry or a seasoned operator, Foundations offers the science behind the business model.” Regular registration is $495. Email [email protected] with…
Located in Payson, Ariz., the bowling center Rim Country Bowl recently added more arcade games and a pro shop in its facility. According to the Payson Roundup, they added a Golden Tee to the bar, and changed out several machines in their dozen-game arcade. They also added two custom-made Arizona Cardinals cornhole boards, a new shuffleboard table and two more pool tables. They also just opened a bowling pro shop for anyone serious about the sport… somewhere you can get bowling ball holes drilled, pick up a new pair of gloves and much more. Learn more about them at www.rimcountrybowl.com…