The Rabbit Hole VR was recently selected as the official VR partner for Urban Air Adventure Parks, the companies announced this week. In partnership with Unleashed Brands, they’ll be rolling out a new, standardized VR attraction – Urban Air’s VR Zone, powered by Spawnpoint. “The goal is to create a VR experience that actually works at the park level and grows with the brand,” said Mitchell Poythress, founder of The Rabbit Hole VR. “It has to be reliable, easy for teams to operate, and compelling for guests. Urban Air’s VR Zone is purpose-built for Urban Air, combining strong gameplay with…
Author: Matt Harding
IAAPA Presents: Kings Island will take place at the park in Mason, Ohio, on May 18. The event, part of the association’s IAAPA Connections series, gives attendees exclusive access and industry insights. That will include a Phantom Theater EDUTour – a behind the scenes look at Kings Island’s revival with Sally Dark Rides. The Beast EDUTour will showcase how new tech is preserving the world’s longest wooden coaster. There will also be a Hall of Fame panel and public affairs segment, plus two meals, free park time and a closing reception. You can still click here to register. IAAPA members…
Bonnie Weber, a former Six Flags Entertainment and Palace Entertainment executive, was recently hired by AREA15, the immersive entertainment district in Las Vegas, Blooloop reported. “Bonnie brings a distinctive ability to expand AREA15’s bold ideas into something that performs at a high level without losing what makes it special,” said the company’s CEO Winston Fisher. “As we continue to grow and introduce new experiences and attractions, her leadership will help us stay inventive, competitive and firmly ahead of where this industry is going.” Most recently, she was the COO of Palace Entertainment, managing 22 parks across North America and Australia.…
Considered the “father of the video game industry,” Nolan Bushnell joined Episode 11 of the RePlay Podcast to discuss his 50-plus years in the business. He told our host Randy Chilton that his path of entrepreneurship started when he was eight years old. “At dinner one night, my mother said, ‘We have too many strawberries and I don’t know what we’re going to do with them,’” Bushnell recalled. “We had a garden out back. The very next day I accompanied her to the grocery store, and I noticed in the produce section they had baskets of strawberries for 50 cents.…
Pipeline Games recently announced their purchase of Quality Plush, expanding its merchandise offering and adding West Coast warehouse capacity. The companies explained that Quality Plush customers can expect “the hands-on sales and service experience they know today.” “Existing customers will continue working with the same close, relationship-driven support model, now backed by additional resources, broader offerings, and new operational advantages through Pipeline Games,” the press release stated. The acquisition will benefit both customer bases – Pipeline Games customers will receive improved pricing on Quality Plush merchandise and Quality Plush customers will receive improved pricing on Pipeline Games machines. The added…
After seven years co-locating with Amusement Expo, the LBE XR industry’s annual event put on by Bob Cooney is now called the LEXRA Summit and will debut its conference and immersive festival from Aug. 3-5 in Austin, Texas, at Zoocade and VieVR. “The industry has outgrown the format that served it for seven years,” said Cooney, founder of the original VR Arcade and Attraction Summit and executive director of LEXRA. “LBE XR is no longer a niche track inside another industry show. It’s a growing LBE category, with operators, content creators, and suppliers who need a dedicated industry moment of…
Pace-O-Matic and its founder, Michael Pace, presented their Integrity Award to Danny Frank, executive director of the Amusement and Music Operators Assn. of New York, during the association’s annual gala, held April 20 in New York City. In addition to his work on behalf of the region’s operators, Pace-O-Matic says, “he is also a dedicated champion of the amusement industry. In his role, he has set the example for advocacy with integrity – holding our politicians and our peers accountable. Something that is often easier said than done.” Michael Pace, founder of the skill game developer, made the presentation. “In his…
The world’s first looping roller coaster debuted on May 8, 1976, and Parade reported that it has reverted back to its original name – The Great American Revolution. The coaster, located at Six Flags Magic Mountain, has been known in recent years as The New Revolution. It was the first to successfully send riders through a full 360-degree vertical loop and was also designated as a “Coaster Landmark” by the American Coaster Enthusiasts. Six Flags will have 50th anniversary merchandise and limited-time food and beverage options leaning into the 1970s nostalgia.
Dates have been announced for next year’s IAAPA FEC Summit. The association will have the event in Georgia from Feb. 7-9 at the JW Marriott Atlanta Buckhead. The IAAPA FEC Summit joins FEC and other location-based entertainment professionals for an immersive experience “packed with expert-led education, strategic insights and exclusive behind-the-scenes EDUTours of local entertainment facilities.” Click here and submit your interest today. You can visit www.iaapa.org/event/iaapa-fec-summit-2027 to see other details.
In partnership with ROLLER and Intercard, GrowthPro Group will soon bring together a small group of local operators in the Dallas-Fort Worth area for an interactive roundtable session. Called “Turning Guest Moments Into 5-Star Momentum,” the event will be led by the company’s Sonya Terry on May 26 at 3 p.m. (with a happy hour to follow) at Round1 Bowling & Arcade in Grapevine, Texas. “You’ll hear real stories from operators in your market, see a venue in action, and leave with practical ideas you can put to work right away,” GrowthPro Group said. “No sales pitch. No theory-heavy slides.…