Bell’s Comics & Cards, a comic and hobby shop in Grove City, Pennsylvania, now has a 6,000-sq.-ft., 35-game arcade that was installed by Betson Enterprises. “We live in a small town, and there just aren’t many places for kids and families to hang out,” said owner Mark Bell, who opened the business in 1993. “Creating an arcade was a way for us to offer something exciting and fun for everyone.” Betson’s Regional Sales Representative Dave Surma led the charge and built a game room that includes Super Bikes 3 (Raw Thrills), Air FX (ICE), Big Bass Wheel (Bay Tek) and…
Author: Matt Harding
Creative Works recently released the 100th episode of their Memory Makers Podcast. Launched in 2023, the podcast is hosted by industry veterans Danny Gruening and Russ Van Natta. It features real-world stories, creative strategies and candid conversations with the people who are “shaping the future of location-based entertainment. “The podcast has been an exciting way to curate some of the best ideas in the amusement industry,” Gruening said. “Russ and I are grateful to have this opportunity, and it’s been amazing to hear positive comments from so many listeners over the last two years.” Visit www.wearecreativeworks.com to listen. Or just…
Score Entertainment, a 150,000-sq.-ft. FEC headed to Humble, Texas, by summer 2026, is reportedly going to be the biggest place of its kind in the state. The Houston area center will move into a former Sears location at Deerbrook Mall that’s been vacant since 2020. The multi-million-dollar project will include go-karts, laser tag, bowling, axe-throwing, a trampoline park, mini-golf, arcade, sports simulators and VR experiences – pretty much everything under the amusement umbrella – plus a pair of sports bars. The center will be anchored by its indoor kart racing. The European made electric karts on offer will reach speeds…
The Amusement & Music Owners of Idaho gathered for their annual association meeting from July 25-26 in Ririe, Idaho. IGPM’s Jim Roe sent in a photo taken by AMI Entertainment’s Ray Atchey and reported that the event allowed operators to talk about their best-earning equipment and what’s new. Also, of course, it was a good opportunity to catch up with old friends. “Idaho has one of the longest running associations in our industry,” Roe said. “I am proud to say I have done business with and been friends with two of these operators for 40 years – Mike Griggs of…
AAMA will be hosting a webinar for members led by their lobbyist John Russell of DGA Group on Aug. 13 at noon Central time. The topic of discussion will be regarding the new tax law passed as part of the Big Beautiful Bill. Russell has more than two decades of experience in politics, including as Chief of Staff for the Speaker of the House of Representatives. He’s been helping AAMA stay connected in Washington for more than a decade. Click here to register for the webinar and visit www.coin-op.org to become an AAMA member and always be in the know…
The 2025 Pop-A-Shot National Championship will be broadcast live today, Aug. 1, on ESPN2 starting at 9 p.m. Eastern time. The best players in the country will be showcased and you can play along with the company’s Pick ‘Em Contest. Operators can participate in the Pop-A-Shot Pick ‘Em Challenge for a chance to win a 50% discount on a Pop-A-Shot Elite game. Pick among the eight competitors and guess their high score to win. Learn more at www.popashot.net/pages/elite-pick-em-contest.
DreamPark VR Seattle opened on July 19, The VR Collective recently reported. The effort is led by Brent Bushnell, who’s also the co-founder of Two Bit Circus, along with Aidan Wolf and Kevin Habich. The idea for the “downloadable mixed reality theme park” first debuted in Santa Monica and is now at the West Canal Yards in Seattle. The mixed reality experience takes up 25,000 sq. ft. of real estate, blending the physical and digital worlds with free-roam games that use the real-life environment and virtual worlds. Click here to read all about it on The VR Collective website.
AREA15, the entertainment destination in Las Vegas, will launch Universal Horror Unleashed on Aug. 14. It’s the first of several new attractions coming to the wider expansion called Zone 2 – The Terminals at AREA15. Through the end of 2025 into 206, AREA15 will continue to debut these new attractions, including a fully installed Boeing 747 that’s been reimagined as a multi-use event and nightlife venue. The 200,000-sq.-ft. “retailtainment” district recently surpassed 15 million visitors since it opened in 2020. The new Midway Bar and Carousel Bar, plus Game Depot and Gateway Plaza Games, adds more bar-restaurant and arcade offerings…
Bowling entertainment center chain Lucky Strike recently acquired the real estate of 58 of its locations, which were previously leased. The deal is worth some $306 million. “By acquiring the real estate underlying these 58 existing locations, we maximize our flexibility to optimize our capital structure and location footprint,” said Bobby Lavan, the company’s chief financial officer. “The purchase price highlights the long-term attractiveness of the stable and growing cash flows of our individual locations.” Spanning 16 states, the 58-property portfolio includes locations in prime spots in California, Illinois, Georgia, Arizona and Colorado. Overall, the company operates more than 360…
Incredivend’s Skittles Remix Digital Kiosk is now available at the famed American Museum of Natural History in New York City, the company recently reported. The company was founded in Walled Lake, Michigan, in 2021 by Howard Rubin. Their kiosks can be found in all sorts of high-traffic venues throughout the United States. Offering easy setup and service, Incredivend boasts that their kiosks drive additional revenue by letting customers customize their candy blend. (The Skittles brand, they boast, is also the top-selling non-chocolate candy in the country.) Visit www.incredivend.com to learn more about getting your own machine.