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ON THE COVER
A portion of the team that helped conceive and execute the College Football Hall of Fame’s new AI experience stands in front of some of their AIgenerated images.
Page 24
People power, part II Martin PublisherPalicki,
Inthe previous issue of InPark, I wrote about the importance of having great people working in your facility. Those frontline workers are the heart and soul of every customer-focused business.
But the behind-the-scenes folks are also pretty important too. As I reflect on all of the wonderful experiences I’ve had over the past 20 years of InPark, I realize that much of it revolves around the amazing people on the vendor side of themed entertainment.
Take the photo above. Earlier this summer I took a road trip to Middleton, Wisconsin, to visit the home offices of ETC. I was greeted by Scott O’Donnell (Themed Environment Specialist) on the left and Jacob Coakley (MarCom Specialist) on my right. Above us, they had changed the welcome marquee to my name. And while ETC specializes in LED-powered theatrical lighting, this was the old-fashioned backlit sign where someone actually took the time to hand-place each letter. They even had a photographer there to capture our photos on top of the marquee. You can see some of those pics in InPark’s Instagram feed.
Scott and Jacob then spent the entire day with me, showing me around the offices, the warehouses and workshops, complete with behind-the-scenes access and secrets about the company’s history. Fun fact: The entrance lobby (pictured above) is entirely themed to a city streetscape, and the reception desk, just out of frame over Scott’s shoulder, is a faithful recreation of the famous Nighthawks painting by Edward Hopper.
I learned so much about ETC, but also about Scott and Jacob and what inspires them to work in this industry. Like so many others, they love the business of themed entertainment, creating places and experiences where people walk away smiling, laughing and inspired. Some are drawn to the roller coasters, others more to the theaters, but practically everyone I’ve met in this business is here because they want to be here.
I’m appreciative of Scott and Jacob and ETC and all the people and companies that make this business one of the best to be in. Let’s never forget that!
Martin founded InPark Magazine in 2004, combining years of experience working in themed entertainment with a passion for writing and design.
Joe Kleiman, Senior Correspondent
Raised in San Diego on theme parks, zoos, and IMAX films, Joe Kleiman would expand his childhood loves into two decades as a projectionist and theater director within the giant screen industry. In addition to his work in commercial and museum operations, Joe has volunteered his time to animal husbandry at leading facilities in California and Texas and has played a leading management role for a number of performing arts companies. Joe has been news editor at InPark Magazine since 2011, becoming the publication’s senior correspondent in 2021. Follow on Instagram @JalekAvant
InPark News highlights new projects and products in the industry. To include your news item in print, contact Marty via news@inparkmagazine.com.
2023 Theme Index and Museum Index reveals annual global attractions attendance figures
2023 marked the global end of COVID-19 restrictions, as governments ended travel quarantines and restrictive operating guidelines. Many facilities around the world, eager to return to a sense of normalcy, lured guests in with new attractions or exhibitions, incentives for repeat visitation, and special events. Many were successful, and the top 25 attended theme parks around the world collectively increased attendance by an impressive 23% over 2022’s figures. Museums, having been more negatively impacted throughout the pandemic, increased 95%.
The largest jumps in year-over-year figures (78%) came out of parks in China, which saw the most restrictive operating environment throughout nearly all of 2022. The Americas saw a small 3% increase, with some major parks in the Orlando area slightly down – the result of soft demand for international travel to the United States. Europe remained relatively strong, with a 5% increase driven largely by parks that have invested in more expansive resort offerings.
Details of these dynamics and more can be found in the 2023 TEA/AECOM Theme Index and Museum Index, presented by Storyland Studios, the definitive resource of attendance information on the world’s most-visited theme parks, waterparks, and museums, now in its 18th annual edition. This annual, calendar-year study is produced in collaboration with the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) and the Economics practice at AECOM. The new 2023 edition was officially released on August 8, 2024. This report and all prior editions back to 2006 are available to download in full, free of charge from the TEA website and AECOM website.
“The industry depends on the information and data from the TEA/AECOM Theme Index and Museum Index,” said TEA International Board President Melissa Oviedo of B Morrow Productions. “The trends identified within this study are vital for planning for the future in the cultural attractions and theme park markets. TEA is honored to work with AECOM on this valuable resource.”
The 2023 TEA/AECOM Theme Index and Museum Index studies the sector by region – The Americas; Asia-Pacific; Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA), in addition to the global market as a whole. This year marks the return to attendance rankings for all parks and museums. During the pandemic years (2020-2022) the set of lists in 2019’s edition were held in place without re-evaluation by attendance. With a return to even and consistent operating conditions, the traditional annual ranking resumes, resulting in the addition of several new facilities to the lists.
“2023 was really a major turning point for the industry,” said John Robinett, senior vice president of AECOM’s Economics + Advisory practice. “The pandemic was largely behind us at the start of the year and parks and museums could start focusing on investment plans for the future.”
“Additionally, many operators continued to report higher per capita spending throughout the year,” he continued. “Not only were guests spending more per transaction, but the number of transactions also increased, pointing to a revenue trend that might greatly influence how parks strategize for future growth.”
“The TEA/AECOM Theme Index and Museum Index provides essential benchmarking information that the industry has come to rely on,” said TEA’s
Oviedo. “TEA is proud to help provide this through its longstanding partnership with AECOM, with special thanks to Storyland Studios for their support.”
Since 2006, TEA and AECOM have collaborated to produce and publish the annual TEA/AECOM Theme Index and make the report available free as a resource and reference for business and education. It was expanded to include the Museum Index in 2012.
This year, Storyland Studios joined the report as Presenting Partner. “In no other medium will you find a collection of data that enables you to measure the success, opportunities, and trends of the industry in a single place. This invaluable and free resource continues to be the ultimate source of theme park and museum data available to the public,” said Ben Thompson, Partner & Chief Strategy Officer at Storyland Studios. •
Photo courtesy of AECOM
Bay Laurel Advisors produces holiday magic with Hallmark Christmas Experience
Bay Laurel Advisors (BLA), a leading expert in location-based licensing and guest experience development, is providing producing expertise and support for the inaugural Hallmark Christmas Experience in Kansas City, Missouri, every weekend beginning November 29 through December 23, 2024. The Hallmark Christmas Experience will take place at Crown Center, Hallmark’s shopping, leisure and attraction destination adjacent to their corporate headquarters. Regular celebrations and activities will include nightly Christmas tree lightings, gift wrapping stations, photo ops, festive refreshments, and special ticketed events featuring favorite Hallmark Channel Stars.
The experience sets a new precedent for out-of-home entertainment, creating a seasonal event directly tied to Hallmark’s popular movies and products, while solidifying Hallmark’s commitment to both the local community and its global audience. “Hallmark represents everything that the Christmas season conveys,” says BLA Founder George Wade. “This is a firstof-its-kind event that weaves all aspects of the company into a singular holiday event for all ages. Hallmark’s leadership team sees the Hallmark Christmas Experience as an opportunity to bring people together while connecting with consumers in exciting and innovative ways.”
While BLA has helped develop many highprofile branded experiences around the world since 2009, their relationship with Hallmark began in 2011 with Hallmark subsidiary Crayola. BLA’s work on multiple Crayola Experience facilities continues to this day, with the newest one opening soon in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
Hallmark first approached Bay Laurel Advisors to help develop the innovative concept for Hallmark Christmas Experience alongside their own creative team. BLA then moved into the role of executive producer, developing the project timeline and budget, and onboarding key partners, including concept design agency B Morrow Productions as well as event producer/operator Superfly and Kansas City-based experience design/build firm Dimensional Innovations.
“We are delighted to collaborate with Bay Laurel Advisors on the development of our Hallmark Christmas Experience, joining together our creative innovation and their years of leadership in location-based entertainment,” says Lindsey Roy, Hallmark’s SVP,
Brand Development. “This one-of-a-kind event will immerse guests in the joyful experience of a Hallmark Christmas.”
Chaz McEwan, BLA Executive Producer of the Hallmark Christmas Experience, sees the event helping the brand move in different directions. “Hallmark is an impressive creative organization, and this inaugural experience leverages Hallmark’s talented team in new ways,” explains McEwan. “Celebrating the holidays at Hallmark’s Kansas City home with their valuable movie IP and star talent is a smart strategy sure to drive engagement and help build the passionate and loyal Hallmark fanbase.”
For more information, contact info@baylaureladvisors.com.•
Image courtesy of Bay Laurel Advisors
Industry News, continued
Moviemax powered by Alterface takes interactive screen adventures on the road
Powered by Alterface interactive technologies, Moviemax, a breakthrough compact and transportable attraction, revolutionizes guest experiences at fairs and itinerant events. “Conceived and designed by seasoned showman Léo Verstiggel to meet the unique requirements of traveling fairs, Moviemax showcases our teams’ ability to tailor entertainment solutions for varied client demands,” says Stéphane Battaille, CEO of Alterface. “Compact, transportable, offering unique theming, interactive action, feature content suitable for all ages and a competitive initial price point, Moviemax sets a new standard for a unique and successful traveling attraction.”
The first Moviemax transportable interactive screen adventure opened for players in late June at Azur Park in SaintTropez. With its first summer season an unqualified success, Verstiggel is more excited than ever about Moviemax. “Collaborating with Alterface was a wonderful experience. Their interactive technology brought my vision for a vintage cinema carousel to life,” he says. “Together, we created an attraction that honors my family’s legacy and brings highly interactive entertainment to fairs and events.”
Drawing on four generations of showmen, Verstiggel’s ingenious design is contained within a readily transported by road, rail and sea 40-foot container that transforms in less than three hours into a fully-themed 90-square-meter (nearly 970-square-foot) set designed to entice visitors and reap profits. The attraction boasts hundreds of classic light bulbs, iconic marquee signs, ticketing, photo booth, queue line, and motion-based seats for thirteen players at a time. Its rapid setup and minimal operator demands translate into lower operational costs.
Moviemax offers four different films –Popcorn Revenge, Desperados Cowboy, Dinosaurland, and Zombie Attack!!! –catering to a broad range of audiences from families and young children to teenagers. Each film is energized by Alterface technologies, engaging players within an interactive and 3D experience never before offered at fairs and itinerant events. Moviemax incorporates a range of special effects – wind, water, stroboscopes, smoke, motion – to create an immersive traveling experience never before available to this market segment.
“Whether interested in acquiring a Moviemax for your show or desiring a bespoke attraction of your own design, Alterface is ready to meet your needs,” says Battaille. “Our successful projects are entertaining people in new and exciting ways the world over. Equally important, attractions like Moviemax are meeting a wide range of operator needs and demands. Give us a call. We’d love to chat.”
Images courtesy of Alterface
Inside InfoComm
‘24
InPark visits the annual gathering of AV professionals
by Martin Palicki
InfoComm 2024, June 8-14 in Las Vegas, Nevada, delivered a wide-ranging show for pro AV professionals around the world.
“There are so many layers to InfoComm. Professional development, technology demonstrations, networking, and experiential AV at sites around Las Vegas – it was all here in one place for a week,” says David Labuskes, CTS, CAE, RCDD, CEO of AVIXA. “InfoComm is a high-energy, busy week for thousands of people that sparks innovations, creates connections, and makes lasting memories.”
Total registrants for InfoComm 2024 reached 36,967. The show welcomed 30,271 verified attendees from 125 countries. InfoComm 2024 hosted 833 exhibitors showcasing pro AV products and solutions across 407,000 net square feet in the West and Central Halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center. Here are some highlights from the show floor:
Barco
Showcasing their newest innovations in projection, Barco unveiled its QDX series. The QDX offers a range of 35-45k lumens and 4K native resolution, delivering high-brightness, high-resolution and high bandwidth processing power. To support versatility and efficiency, the QDX maintains compatibility with existing Barco lenses, smart peripherals, and software tools. Its environmental design focus has earned the A+ ecolabel, an internally developed eco-validation framework, reflecting Barco’s commitment to power efficiency, durability and sustainability. Barco refers to the projector as a future-proof platform, which will offer multiple illumination technologies, resolutions, color spaces, and brightness levels, making it a solid modular solution for demanding markets.
Barco’s booth at InfoComm 2024 featured the new QDX projector.
HOLOPLOT showcased their X1 and X2 systems in their booth.
HOLOPLOT
In addition to showing on the floor, HOLOPLOT invited media to a special screening at Sphere, which makes extensive use of HOLOPLOT’s audio technology. As their hardware appears in new venues, such as Sphere and Illuminarium at Wynn Palace in Macau, the company has focused on updating its operating system. HOLOPLOT’s OS2.0 includes the Plan and Control software, allowing for sound system design as well as management and operation of HOLOPLOT equipment.
Nanolumens
LED screen manufacturer Nanolumens showcased their curved LED wall technology. Their standard product can achieve a 22” radius, but tighter radii are also available with their flexible mounting board material. According to sales director Arch Nelson, “Our LED products have essentially become a material, enabling us to create any size, curvature or shape.”
Christie
Christie MicroTiles LED product, a high-end LED system, is complemented by the Core Series III product, a fewerfrills option with lower, competitive pricing. Both are seeing more use in themed entertainment applications, where control of brightness and contrast is more important than for a digital signage-style application. Similarly, Christie’s M Series projectors are being used frequently in the attractions space, where designers are also asking for more nuanced control over brightness levels. Christie treated attendees to an afternoon happy hour complete with a live band and a MicroTiles LED-clad piano!
LynTec
Electrical control systems provider LynTec is fresh off its acquisition of Juice Goose. In the theme park world, LynTec might handle the power for large theaters or attractions, while Juice Goose is especially equipped at electrical distribution for smaller entities, like a kiosk or small store. The combined company now allows operators to access equipment and solutions for all sizes of projects from one supplier.
Just Add Power
Just Add Power’s new 4K Tiler offers an all-in-one solution ideal for professional collaborative environments or sports bars/restaurants. With an easy-to-use interface, multiple video inputs can be tiled onto a single screen in multiple configurations, giving the operator the ability to drag and expand individual tiles to fit their needs in the moment. The system can be managed with a remote control or integrated into a simple wall plate.
Powersoft
The Unica amplifier platform by Powersoft recently received a maritime certification kit, allowing it to be safely used at sea. While it is appropriate for any sailing vessel, the certification means cruise ships can now utilize Unica onboard ships, both in entertainment venues as well as ship-wide communication systems. •
Nanolumens is known for their curved LED screens
Christie’s InfoComm booth included a live band and a MicroTiles LED-clad piano.
Talk to the animals
A dive into the world of aquarium lighting
by Theo Zucker
Essentialto our role as lighting designers is the ability of the Lightswitch team to move deftly between varying project types. This requires a good deal of balance and logistical strategy, no matter the client. But the field we have found to be one of the most unique, challenging, and ultimately rewarding is that of aquarium lighting. Every experience at an aquarium teaches us something new. In working so closely with animals, we have learned valuable lessons from them – and we’ve been delighted to find that these lessons often correlate closely with our professional philosophy.
A lesson from the penguins: Always begin with thorough research
Every aquarium lighting project begins with research. While the aesthetic of a design is important, the safety and health of the resident animals is paramount. Lightswitch often starts by consulting organizations such as the Zoological Lighting Institute, seeking out articles and papers related to the behavior and needs of the species we will be lighting, and, perhaps most importantly, consulting animal care specialists on-location.
An aquarium’s animal care specialists are some of our most valued resources during the research stage and beyond.
These professionals spend every day with the creatures of the aquarium, understand them deeply, and will always advocate what’s best for them. Most helpfully, these specialists are able to gauge how the lighting affects the animals in their care.
The importance of thorough research was exemplified during our work with the majestic emperor penguins of SeaWorld San Diego. Working with the penguins required our team to meticulously investigate the animals’ native habitat and lifestyle. We found it was especially important
Above: Lighting influences the behaviors and habits of the creatures they contain, demanding a responsibility from designers and facilities alike. Photo courtesy Shedd Aquarium
Photo courtesy SeaWorld
Often an eye-catching display, exhibits for jellyfish frequently involve a deep understanding of the effect of light frequencies on the creatures – including how to make them glow and even “disappear.”
Photo courtesy Shedd Aquarium
learned from the animal care specialists is how to respect the animals’ wishes. Their well-being is prioritized in these situations, and if they communicate that they don’t want to be a part of the current activities, we will always listen.
Additionally, for the safety of all involved – animal and human – many precautions are put in place when our team works above the water. Sometimes, even reaching the lights in the first place is difficult, especially when they are located over a 30-foot deep, cold-water habitat.
to calculate the amount of UV light received by penguins in the wild during the days-long dark periods at the South Pole – and to provide corresponding light levels in their SeaWorld home. If the penguins’ light levels are not ideal, they may begin to lose their feathers or even cease reproducing. For the health of these incredible birds, we carefully calculated the number of footcandles to use for their “summer” months versus their “winter” ones.
A lesson from the dolphins: Always communicate clearly and honestly In addition to conversations with lighting professionals and animal care specialists, we also find ourselves communicating with the most important stakeholders in aquarium projects: the animals themselves.
In design situations that call for colorful lighting, it must be done gently, giving the animals time to adjust. Luckily, marine animals are happy to share their thoughts about the process with us.
Perhaps the most intriguing example of this animal-human relationship we’ve observed was during the choreography of Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium dolphin presentation, after the client asked for moving lights and gobos on the water during the program. Dolphins, we now know, are fairly accommodating when it comes to lighting changes –however, they will always assume that a beam of light is solid until they learn otherwise. This means they must be introduced slowly to each new element. This process can seem tedious, but it is always rewarding. Dolphins are incredibly curious animals, and they want to explore these new elements in their environment. Kristen Neria, Director of Exhibit Services at the Shedd, affirms, “They respond to what we’re doing. It adds enrichment to their day.”
However, these educational presentations at Shedd involve more than just dolphins. Our team has worked to light beluga whales, otters, and more. The biggest lesson we’ve
Lightswitch has worked with clients to develop a range of solutions to meet this challenge. Catwalks are often expensive and invasive to install, so other methods must sometimes be employed, such as large carts that extend team members over the water. During these installations, all animals are relocated to other habitats, a mesh grid is installed above the water to mitigate the risk of tools falling in, and industrialstrength vacuums are utilized to eliminate dust that could contaminate the area. Finally, Shedd divers comb the water for one last safety check before any animals return.
A lesson from the jellyfish: Embrace your creativity
In recent years, many aquariums have incorporated large and showy jellyfish exhibits into their facilities. These creatures can make for quite an eye-catching display, with their ethereal movements and diaphanous bodies. In our travels, we have seen a wide range of approaches to jellyfish exhibits, including Monterey Bay’s elegant, monochromatic displays and Tokyo Skytree Town’s Sumida Aquarium’s bright and saturated lighting.
The process of creating an engaging jellyfish display often starts the same no matter the location: a narrow exhibit with slow, circling water that continually moves the fish. We’ve found that these habitats usually come with pre-programmed lighting. However, our team at Lightswitch often opts to rewrite these remotely controlled systems in favor of a manual system that’s verified to be healthy for the animals.
Researching this has been a rewarding and fascinating experience, with benefits for the jellyfish and the aquarium visitors. We study which frequencies of light illuminate the jellyfish best (as well as being most supportive of their health and well-being). Taking this a step further, which frequencies make them disappear entirely? This knowledge helps us design the most dynamic lighting possible for these exhibits.
Beyond the focus on displaying jellyfish or other specific creatures at their best, there are other goals to inspire creativity in habitat design and lighting. As Neria states,
“Guests should feel like they are immersed in an underwater environment.” As designers, we employ strategies to make sure the guests never see themselves reflected in the glass – only the watery world beyond.
To create the illusion of depth and boundlessness, lighting is directed towards the front of the exhibit, essentially eliminating the perception of the back wall. We have worked with aquariums who favor the use of timing technology to mimic the natural course of daylight. Others will opt for a more “cinematic” approach to lighting that makes the underwater scene look the way it would in a movie.
In the case of events such as the dolphin presentation that involve dynamic movement both above and below the water, all lighting must also work above and below the water. When collaborating closely with animal care specialists on these exhibits, we’ve asked them to dive beneath the water with the dolphins to observe how the light will appear to the animals, as well as to the audience viewing it through the observation glass. Through these exercises, we’ve calculated underwater light loss to be about nine times greater than
that of air, depending on the time of day and the movement of the water – knowledge we now take with us into each new project.
A lesson from the sea lions: Respect your coworkers
Many marine animals are highly intelligent, and they have no qualms about making their needs known. This is especially true of sea lions, who are some of the most vocal among our animal colleagues. These huge creatures will absolutely communicate when they’re enjoying themselves – or when they’re not – usually by splashing and barking. It’s part of our team’s job to heed them when this happens.
We consider it part of our job to bring fresh eyes and a fresh perspective to every aquarium environment and every project. The way something has been done in the past may not be the most efficient path today, nor is it always best for the animals involved. Part of our role is to identify and address outdated methods and share the experience and perspective we have gained. We take pride in our ability to bring constructive questions to the table.
There are many practical issues with lighting as well as those of aesthetics and well-being. Simple quandaries, such as how fixtures will be maintained in the future, can tend to be overlooked in favor of solutions that are more immediate but offer less longevity. “I think this is one of the things that really sets our company apart,” says Lightswitch Principal Warren Kong, “We are always ready and willing to dive into the granular questions that will extend the lifetime of fixtures to the maximum.” We don’t believe we’re ever simply hired for the project at hand: we are also responsible for what the client will need in 10 years or more. This mindset goes a long way in satisfying the client’s needs in the long run – but also in addressing potential short-term issues.
“We strive to be good client advocates,” says Lightswitch Director Tammy Smith, who has worked on projects with the Shedd Aquarium for a decade. “We spend the client’s budget like it’s our own.” It all comes back to respect. Our team must remain observant, in case the sea lions tell us they’re ready to be done for the day – and we must also keep an eye out for long-term concerns being communicated by the fixtures themselves. In this way, we are truly listening to the humans, the animals, and the space itself.
Aquarium lighting is a subtle art that encapsulates not only the guest experience but also a complex series of decisions affecting and affected by infrastructure, facility capabilities, and the inhabitants of the structures: the animals themselves. Photo courtesy Save The Bay | Hamilton Family Aquarium
Always learning, always growing
At Lightswitch, we pride ourselves on our multifaceted approach and our multi-talented designers, who are able to adapt to a range of project-specific challenges. We are always open to learning and sharing the benefits of what we’ve learned with our clients. Even with our team’s extensive history in the lighting industry, we have found the experience of lighting for aquariums to be deeply educational. Not only have we learned the pitfalls and best practices alongside our business clients, we’ve absorbed so many lessons from the animals with whom we’ve shared the space. Their communication and boundary-setting skills are often more honed than those of our human peers. These creatures inspire us to be better communicators ourselves, bolstering our professionalism and challenging us to reach new levels of interpersonal skill. Lightswitch is grateful to have found our place in the aquarium lighting industry: a unique and adventurous world full of compassion and wonder for the animals who reside there. •
Theo has worked as a professional writer for eight years and has spent the past four establishing a home in the world of freelance copywriting. Primarily writing social media content and short-form pieces, Theo prioritizes proactive communication, collaboration, and positivity in their work. When they are not writing for freelance clients, Theo is a fiction author and actor in Chicago’s vibrant theater scene. They draw upon this love of art and performance in their dayto-day copywriting work, treating every project as a creative pursuit.
Marine animals often have a talent for displaying their delight or distaste for their lighting and habitats, including sea lions which are
Helping a legend shine even more brightly
Quince Imaging and the Dolly Parton Experience interview by Judith Rubin
“Alittlemore Dolly in the world is a really good thing,” said Eugene Naughton, President of Dollywood® Parks & Resorts, at the grand opening of the new Dolly Parton Experience in May 2024. With the park’s 40th anniversary approaching in 2025, Dollywood has been rolling out updates and teasing more. The 160-acre park founded by country music legend Dolly Parton features some 50 rides and attractions and is located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, in the Great Smoky Mountains.
The new Dolly Parton Experience is one of the park’s 11 themed areas. It is a re-imagining of the former “Adventures in Imagination” area, located near the park gate. A huge butterfly marks the portal to this new, multi-part, multi-building, walkthrough museum of Dolly Parton’s life, work and career as a songwriter, performer, touring artist and community-minded entrepreneur.
The centerpiece experience – what Dollywood calls the “showstopper” – takes place in a multimedia, 360-degree projection-mapped immersive space. It presents, as described by Naughton, “a collection of memories and stories and not just physical things.” Naughton emphasized the digital aspect
that supports continual refreshing of the content, which corresponds to Dolly’s continued flow of creativity. “It allows us to update our story because she’s always going to continue to grow,” he said.
Dollywood Parks & Resorts operates in partnership with Herschend Family Entertainment (HFE). The Herschend portfolio includes a diverse range of entertainment and hospitality properties.
Quince Imaging was contracted directly by HFE to provide AV technology and services to help realize the “showstopper” space, for which the integration of RGB laser projection technology supporting the Rec. 2020 expanded color gamut was key. The projectors used in this case were Christie M 4K25 RGB.
Quince Imaging serves multiple entertainment markets, including theme parks, live events, sports and broadcast, with a wide range of imaging services and creative and tech expertise. Eric Gazzillo (Vice President, Innovation) and Larry Howard (Vice President, Business Development) shared details of the company’s work on the Dolly Parton Experience.
Please tell us about goals, scope of work and key technology elements for this project.
Eric Gazzillo: Our goal was to create an unparalleled immersive setting that would use 360-degree, projection-mapped storytelling. The seamlessly integrated AV technology would support content to delight and captivate guests and enhance the unique ambiance of the theme park.
Larry Howard: Our range of services on this segment of the Dolly Parton Experience included technical design, integration, installation and consulting. The space is about 40’ x 40’ x 20’ and the six-minute guest experience depends on deft integration of lighting, audio, and video elements and the use of state-of-theart technology and techniques.
For any truly immersive environment, full collaboration with the partners designing and supplying the media is critical. Quince designed and installed a video system with a rich color space and an 8.1 channel audio system. Each wall was discreetly processed at 4K60 4:4:4. Audio was configured in an 8.1 channel setup. Show control was provided by Q-SYS, as a closed subsystem tied into the parkwide network, and the projection system enabled a very rich display, using the Rec. 2020 color space.
Key products include the Christie M 4K25 RGB laser projectors, selected for their superior color accuracy and brightness; JBL AM Series speakers, which paired with Q-SYS Core 110f & CX-Q 4K4 ensured crystal-clear sound quality, enveloping visitors in Dolly Parton’s musical narratives; the Dataton Watchout Version 7 media server which facilitated synchronized, high-resolution media playback.
We provided a single turnkey service spanning immersive audio systems and a high-resolution video system, as well as rigging and control systems. Not only did we provide a scenario where the clients could see different options for projection, we also made some changes to the control system which increased the amount of Q-SYS equipment used in the project. [Q-SYS is a leading provider of cloud-manageable
audio, video and control platforms built around modern IT architecture.]
What were some critical challenges of the job?
Gazzillo: Transforming this space and achieving seamless integration into the pre-existing framework was a significant endeavor that called on Quince Imaging’s technological expertise. The initial challenge was to build out the specified bid design package into a fully-fledged and cohesive system. We looked at projector models, control systems, speakers, etc. with a view toward long-term maintenance as well as quality, performance and versatility.
Immersive spaces are unique in their requirements for tight synchronization between audio, video, lighting and show systems. Any delay between systems breaks the illusion. Hitting this head-on from the design phase allowed our team to create an activation that has tight playback and control systems both locally and tied into a wider system.
Howard: When we came on, things were well into development. Our timeline on the project spanned about eight months. Working with Dollywood and the media team to ensure the media took full advantage of the system was an important part of the process. Collaboration with manufacturers including Christie, Dataton, Q-SYS, JBL, and Netgear was crucial in integrating high-quality components that met the project’s demanding specifications.
Tell us about how the projectors were evaluated and selected.
Howard: Upon initial contact, Quince suggested a handson demonstration of multiple projection technologies. At
Eric Gazzillo
Larry Howard
The six-minute immersive photo-mapped centerpiece of the Dolly Parton Experience surrounds guests with vivid imagery of Dolly Parton’s storied career as songwriter and performer.
Quince’s soundstage in Sterling, Virginia, various models, including laser phosphor and RGB projectors, were set up for the client’s evaluation. This arrangement enabled the HFE and Dollywood teams to assess each model’s performance, comparing capabilities, image quality, brightness levels, and color reproduction.
The demonstration was critical and allowed Dollywood’s tech and creative personnel to make a very informed decision to change the project’s equipment specifications, ultimately opting for the Christie M 4K25 RGB projectors due to their RGB color gamut capabilities, consistent performance and easier maintenance.
Quince was uniquely positioned to set up this demo. Our team has three decades of projection design and implementation experience, and the company owns gear for the live events side of the business, and we have a soundstage available for demos. This gave us the power to provide the Dollywood technical and creative teams with an opportunity to understand their technology options and find the best fit.
This is a high-profile project. What are some unique strengths that enabled Quince Imaging to stand out against the competition for this kind of work?
Gazzillo: Relationships are important in this industry, and there was a prior working relationship between HFE Project Manager Joel House and Quince’s Larry Howard. The trust
Principal members of the internal and external teams for the Dolly Parton Experience
Internal
Dollywood Parks & Resorts
Cyndi McCormack (VP Guest Experience)
Stephen Byrne (Technical Operations)
Herschend Family Entertainment
Joel House (Project Manager)
External
Quince Imaging Team
Larry Howard (Account Manager)
Eric Gazzillo (Program Director)
Ben Whitmore (Project Coordinator)
Sergio Hernandez (System Programmer)
Liam O’Hanlon (System Engineer)
Pablo De-Negri (Technical Director)
Keith Price (Audio Engineer)
Ian McClain (Media Server Programmer)
Other companies on the external team included:
Roto (Media Design)
Lightswitch (Lighting Direction)
Bandit Lites (Lighting Integration)
built up in their previous collaborations was supported by our company’s decades of experience delivering superior solutions.
Quince’s team has a distinguished track record of creating immersive experiences across various markets, including museums, sports, live events, and theme parks. We have extensive experience in projection mapping and visual storytelling.
Howard: One of Quince’s strong suits for installation is our team’s knowledge of the requirements for doing live events – where you get one shot to get it right. This type of pressure to perform and the expertise needed to constantly pull off major events roll right into the preparation and implementation of fixed install installations.
The installation process was managed by Quince Imaging’s technical team and involved meticulous planning and execution. Every element of the project was scrutinized and optimized for the best possible performance. The design and creative processes were closely aligned with Dollywood’s thematic and aesthetic expectations, ensuring that every visual element echoed the essence of Dolly Parton and her musical legacy.
How would you summarize the success of this immersive showcase, described by Dollywood press as telling the story of how Dolly has become one of the most beloved figures in the world?
Gazzillo: We’ll share some comments from the HFE team!
Cyndi McCormack said, “As Creative Director for the Dolly Parton Experience, I wanted to know how the imaging project team, projection equipment, operating system, and technology could deliver Dolly’s story at a level of quality that matches her excellence. From early conversations and projector evaluation to installation and integration, the Quince Imaging team gained our confidence. Their knowledge, professionalism, and commitment made them a valuable partner and essential for the project results.”
Eugene Naughton said, “Our team has created a remarkable experience that shares Dolly’s inspiring story in an authentic, larger-than-life way. I think the Dolly Parton Experience is going to truly move our guests when they see it.” •
For more information: www.QuinceImaging.com www.Dollywood.com
Judith Rubin is editorial adviser and contributor to InPark. With more than three decades chronicling the attractions industry, her former roles include InPark editor, TEA publicist/director of publications, and editor of the TEA/AECOM Theme Index. https:// www.linkedin.com/in/judithrubin/.
Optimizing waterparks
Connect&GO’s Megan Fulbright shares how waterpark operations are simplified and the guest experience enhanced with the Konnect platform by Martin Palicki
Asnoted in the 2023 edition of the TEA/AECOM Theme Index global attractions attendance report, “Waterparks remain generally solid and reliable around the world.”[1] They were quick to recover from the pandemic and historically have reported stable and strong attendance figures. But as any seasoned operator will tell you, it isn’t just a case of “build it and they will come.” Waterparks have distinct challenges unique from other attractions – most tied to ensuring a smooth and friction-free guest experience.
Megan Fulbright, Sr. Business Development Director for Connect&GO, experienced some of those challenges firsthand while in operations leadership roles at Six Flags Hurricane Harbor (Arlington, Texas). One of the things that led her to Connect&GO was their Konnect platform and the ways it streamlined operations for everyone – guests, frontline employees, and management. InPark spoke to Fulbright for more information on how Konnect most impacts waterparks.
Tell us how Konnect is designed for waterparks.
Konnect is an attractions management platform that incorporates ticketing, access control, POS systems, guest management and more. For guests, it features a digital wallet where visitors can store their tickets and money, using it for concessions and retail within the park. For added security, a
photo is linked to their wallet and shows up at the gate for operators, which helps speed up the entrance process. It can be tied to an RFID wristband or other media of the park’s choice. The system is built for high-volume, fast-paced environments, like waterparks, to provide smooth operations and a simple guest experience.
What are some unique requirements waterparks might have and how does Konnect address them?
One of the biggest challenges for waterparks is managing large crowds. Guests often arrive in a short, compact window of time. The operator wants to make the entry experience simple and quick in order to get people out of the heat and into the park where they can spend money. Konnect simplifies the entrance experience, allowing the park to process people through the turnstiles quickly and efficiently.
Additionally, waterparks aren’t conducive to carrying lots of things around during the day. People like to set up shop somewhere and move freely through the park. The digital wallet can be integrated with so many systems within the park, including lockers and concessions, that guests are really freed up to be mobile with only their RFID media, which often is a waterproof silicone or plastic wristband.
Finally, many waterparks have one or two upcharge attractions that might require a waiver, and Konnect integrates with Smartwaiver, allowing guests to fill one out in advance of arriving at the park, reducing human error and further streamlining the process.
Your list of integration partners is constantly growing. Do you have any new ones to mention?
In addition to our Smartwaiver, Intercard, Alvarado, Adyen, Payfacto and VLocker integrations we recently began working with Lightspeed, which optimizes guests’ food and beverage experience in a park. For example, parks may offer a package ticket that includes a meal voucher, which used to
Splashway utilizes the Konnect platform, which allows guests to purchase snacks, such as Dippin’ Dots, with their RFID wristband. All photos courtesy Connect&GO
[1] Francisco Refuerzo, AECOM “2023 TEA/AECOM Theme Index and Museum Index”
Megan Fulbright
be handled with a physical ticket. Our integration with Lightspeed allows that voucher to live in the digital wallet and seamlessly integrates with the concession stand. The guest has no idea it’s two separate systems that are working together to make their experience smoother and easier. This also allows for more efficient F&B servicing for cabanas – including mobile ordering – which both operators and frontline employees appreciate.
How has the platform impacted operations at waterparks?
Our installation at Splashway (Texas) was one of the first to implement our new cabana mapping capabilities. This allows their guests to see a map of the various cabanas available in real time. Guests can see specifics about each cabana and then pick exactly which one they want to reserve. The park reported a notable shift in how people book as a result of the new system. Of the total amount of cabana bookings, online sales jumped from less than 80% to 93% almost immediately. This increase means fewer staff are needed at the park to manage sales, as well as shorter lines for in-park cabana reservations.
Most parks don’t release specific figures, but in general we’ve seen that parks who move to Konnect’s cashless system see an improved guest experience – and that is a direct result of the simple and intuitive system that guests interact with. We’ve also seen a lot of client growth this year – one of our clients achieved a 75% increase in cashless spending year-over-year and a per cap increase of 48%. It’s proof that simple, intuitive technology can accomplish powerful business results.
What do guests seem to appreciate most about Konnect?
The feedback we get is that people really appreciate the convenience of the digital wallet, and how the RFID media gives them access to everything they need to get in and move through the park. As a parent, I know that the ability to remotely control the digital wallet is really valuable. For example, if I send my kids to the waterpark for the afternoon and they run out of money, I can check from home, see where they are spending money, and decide whether or not to add more funds to their account.
What features do operators most appreciate?
One of our newer features, cabana mapping, has the dual benefit of making the guest experience great, and also eliminates a lot of the guesswork for the operator. And when technology helps reduce the friction of an experience – in this case reserving a cabana – it tends to result in more use of that tech by the guest.
As a former waterpark ops person, I know the near real-time reporting that Konnect provides is absolutely essential for management. Parks have to react to constantly changing conditions, such as weather, attendance, overcrowding, and where staff are allocated. Reports can also be automated to send out specific information to key people at certain times of the day. The information provided by the reports allows operators to respond quickly and make smart decisions.
I also know firsthand that Konnect makes daily tasks faster, in less steps. On the back end, it allows for easy changes to each park’s ticketing model and can quickly address errors. Every front gate operator has had a situation where marketing ran a promotional ticket price and forgot to load it into the system. It’s Saturday morning and guests start showing up at the gate but there’s no button on the screen for the discount. Konnect is cloudbased with real-time updates, so the operator can make that change on the spot and share it across the system, without having to restart every POS or wait until the system is offline overnight to make changes. That is so incredibly important for frontline employees and managers.
Speaking of frontline employees, the system is so easy and intuitive for them to learn. Waterparks typically have a 100-day season and new employees are starting all the time. Konnect really cuts down on that new employee learning curve because it is set up with simplicity in mind.
Connect&GO is exhibiting at WWA Las Vegas (Booth #838) and IAAPA Expo Orlando. To set up a meeting with Megan to talk more about waterparks and Konnect, visit connectngo.com or email sales@connectngo.com. •
Splashway implemented Konnect’s virtual maps feature, allowing guests to view and select their favorite cabana online.
Turning vision into reality
EXP sets up new division in Saudi Arabia interview by Jordan
Zauha
Asa direct result of the aspirational and transformative Saudi Vision 2030 initiative, today the Kingdom of Saudia Arabia (KSA) is teeming with construction for several gigaprojects, including multiple theme parks, athletic venues, esports arenas, and even an entire play-centric city. To accomplish these ambitious entertainment goals, corporations and firms from around the globe are lending their industry expertise and experience. For EXP, provider of engineering, architecture, design and consulting services worldwide, Saudi Arabia serves as the home for a new division of their business, served by two satellite offices located in Dhahran and Riyadh.
Opening both offices this year, EXP expanded to Saudi Arabia with a local ownership component involving developer Al Suwaiket Group. Brian Andrelczyk, Director of Entertainment and Hospitality for EXP in Saudi Arabia, joined the company this year to lead the new offices. Andrelczyk enters the ranks of EXP after nearly 15 years managing design and engineering for theme parks. Now, he spearheads client relationships in the region, both establishing new contacts along with maintaining current and past clients. In addition, he coordinates with the global EXP team to deliver its expansive expertise not only for clients in KSA but also those located in the wider MENA region.
InPark spoke with Andrelczyk and EXP’s Vice President, Daniel Christman, a 28-year EXP veteran who has led the company’s involvement on global themed entertainment
gaming projects, to learn more about this new facet of EXP along with a wider perspective on the Saudi market as an entire country prepares for Vision 2030.
Why Saudi Arabia, and why now?
Daniel Christman: Over the past decade, EXP has expanded in numerous markets and geographic regions. We grow to meet the needs of our clients. With Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia has established their plan to increase diversification economically, socially and culturally. Their goals and forward-thinking initiatives align with our current and future strategic growth plans. There’s a lot to be excited about in KSA. It’s a unique chance to contribute to the ambitious vision for transforming not only a country but an entire region. The right time was now, and we’re happy to be here!
In EXP’s experience, what benefits arise with the opening of new regional offices?
Brian Andrelczyk: Being local brings numerous advantages. With the establishment of new offices in new regions comes a deeper understanding of local challenges and opportunities, as well as culture and customs. We often say, “local roots, global reach,” which underscores our commitment to fostering a local presence in new regions and bringing our firm’s
Brian Andrelczyk Director of Entertainment and Hospitality EXP
Daniel Christman Vice President EXP
full capabilities to help the community and our clients. What opportunities does EXP foresee within the market currently and beyond 2030?
Christman: Vision 2030 is laying the new foundation upon which the population can grow and thrive. The transition from an oil-dependent economy to a tourist hub is visionary. Over the next several years, we anticipate supporting KSA to bring world-class entertainment, hospitality, transportation, energy, healthcare, infrastructure and more projects to life. Beyond 2030, we anticipate additional growth and innovation, as well as supporting completed projects. These are exciting times, and the sky is the limit.
What expertise and services will EXP offer in Saudi Arabia?
Andrelczyk: At EXP, we are dedicated to delivering extraordinary experiences. We’re a team of engineers, designers, project managers, technical specialists and creative professionals who continually innovate, explore, create and imagine. We share a passion for excellence and a different way of doing business.
Themed entertainment will be one of the focus areas. I joined the team to support the delivery of world class engineering and design services to our entertainment and hospitality clients. However, the team aims to bring our client-focused, multidisciplinary expertise across all sectors.
With over 4,000 people on our global team, we are prepared to leverage the full capabilities that brings as our presence in KSA expands. In the world of entertainment and hospitality, we are known for mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, structural, lighting design, sustainability and low voltage services. EXP professionals bring a wealth of experience in numerous other areas including environmental, land development, infrastructure, transportation planning, geotechnical, program and project management and more.
How does EXP leverage its worldwide network of experts for large-scale multidisciplinary projects in KSA?
Christman: Our teams are empowered by leadership and challenged to push beyond the status quo to solve the world’s most complex challenges. In KSA, we will continue with our OneEXP approach where our professionals, across markets and services, leverage differences, combine talents and share ambitions to offer our clients solutions that exceed expectations and build a better, more sustainable world. •
Jordan is a freelance writer and narrative designer in the themed entertainment industry. In 2022, he graduated from the University of Central Florida as a member of the inaugural cohort of the Themed Experience graduate program. Jordan enjoys the continual conversation around the
College Football Hall of Fame drops guests into the game with a revolutionary new AI experience by
Keith Miller
Sinceit opened 10 years ago, the mission of the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta has always been about helping its guests become part of the passions and traditions of college football. Now, the technology of artificial intelligence (AI) has brought new levels of experience and guest personalization to the industry, and attractions like the Hall of Fame are leading the way.
“What we are doing here with AI is placing the guest directly into the college football story,” explains Creative Principals Founder and Chief Creative Officer Geoff Thatcher. “This is cutting-edge technology deployed in an innovative format that will change the way the museum and themed entertainment community looks at attraction and exhibit design.”
Thatcher is referring to the GAME ON! AI Experience, a renovation and refreshment of existing exhibits at the College Football Hall of Fame. Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2024, the Hall of Fame comprises three floors with five themed galleries featuring more than 50 interactive exhibits. Founded
SCORE AI scores a win
by the National Football Foundation in 1951, the Hall of Fame moved to several sites before opening the current permanent facility in 2014. According to Hall of Fame CEO Kimberly Beaudin, half of the building is a fan experience and the other half is the actual Hall of Fame that honors inductees. “One of the things guests have loved is seeing our three-story wall made up of 750 helmets representing every four-year institution with a college football program,” she says.
With its proximity to tourist icons like World of Coca-Cola and the Georgia Aquarium, Beaudin wanted the Hall of Fame to supplement highlights like the wall of helmets with more immersive features to help better engage guests. “We are an institution that celebrates the achievements of the past and present,” says Beaudin. “I knew we needed to look to the future to help bring our guests into the stories we are telling.”
That future is the GAME ON! AI Experience, which captures guest information at the start of their visit and integrates AI-generated images of the guests into artifacts and exhibits throughout the museum. Guests are drawn into the museum as they see themselves depicted as football players, coaches, cheerleaders, marching band members, fans, and more.
The Hall of Fame contracted Thatcher and Creative Principals in September 2023 to help reimagine the experience inside the Hall of Fame. “While we developed
Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Georgia. All photos courtesy College Football Hall of Fame
a lot of amazing ideas, the turning point for us was when we went to New Zealand to speak at an experience design conference in December 2023. While there, we met the team from HyperCinema who had opened a temporary AI pop-up experience in downtown Auckland,” says Thatcher. “When we experienced what they were doing with their proprietary HyperEngine and AI, we knew we had to bring it to the College Football Hall of Fame.”
Thatcher and his team then recruited Bob Chambers and The Producers Group, AV integrators 3Stage Design and Forward Thinking Designs, and fabricator Project Workshop to round out the team for GAME ON! Creative Principals served as executive creative directors through production and opening day.
The GAME ON! AI Experience
As they have since its opening 10 years ago in Atlanta, guests first receive an all-access lanyard pass embedded with an RFID chip. They then move to a registration kiosk, where they have their face scanned from several angles. Next, they answer important questions about their favorite team, their favorite football position, the food they love most, and even how their friends would describe their personality. This Q&A portion can also be completed on a guest’s phone on busy days. Guest proceed to the third floor where inductees are honored and then walk down stairs to the second floor theater where they view a short film while the system processes their information (typically about 12 minutes). At that point, they can move into the rest of the exhibits and enjoy their personalized GAME ON! AI Experience by scanning their RFID tag at various touchpoints.
“Using this data, the AI tech and the cloud generate personalized images, video and captions for each guest that are displayed on screens at 16 of the Hall of Fame’s exhibits,” says Thatcher. “I think most people who visit museums like the Hall of Fame try to imagine what it would be like to have experienced what they are looking at, but now we show them exactly what it could have looked like for them to be in those college football moments.” Exhibits show guests eating with teammates at the training table, pumping iron in the weight room, as cheerleaders rooting for their favorite team and as fans posing with the famous Heisman Trophy.
Guests see themselves in player uniforms, as coaches, as flyover pilots, and in superfan garb as they learn about each exhibit. For instance, at the Mascots exhibit guests see an existing case of mascot artifacts. “Our team generated 764 college mascots
A guest celebrates a win, viewing himself on the big screen of the Hall of Fame’s indoor field.
Guests answer questions about themselves at GAME ON!’s registration kiosk.
with AI that are then inserted into a generative AI-created poster featuring every guest, along with a personalized motto based on their answers at the registration kiosk,” explains Thatcher. At the 1980s Historic Fans exhibit the AI video screen transforms guests into either a heavy metal- or preppy-styled ‘80s fan at a college football game.
“Placing guests directly and personally in the stories at each exhibit brings more meaning to the artifacts,” explains Thatcher. “They might be drawn into their photo initially, but guests tend to linger longer and read more about the other items and legends on display.”
With a feature that allows guests to finish their registration on their mobile phones, GAME ON! has capacity for 480 guests per hour, and with 20 registration kiosks, the Hall of Fame believes it will be able to handle guest flow efficiently. But the museum does have the ability to turn on timed ticketing if it anticipates a very heavy attendance day.
The tech driving the experience is flexible and robust. “With the help of the team from HyperCinema, we essentially created a new technological overlay for the museum’s existing collection,” says Thatcher. “We even incorporated the museum’s existing RFID infrastructure, which they’d been utilizing at exhibits since opening to show guests photos and videos associated with their chosen favorite college teams, plus their teams’ history, rivals, Hall of Famers, etc.”
Multiple avenues for increased ROI
Geoff Thatcher, Founder & Chief Creative Officer of Creative Principals, sees AI providing ROI to his company’s clients in four different ways:
• Raises the ceiling for ticket prices since it increases the value of the experience
• Boosts attendance an estimated 5% to 20%
• Drives repeat visitation because every time a guest returns their AI experience is different
• Unlocks additional retail revenue opportunity through guests purchasing their AI images and video
A guest sees herself in the uniforms of college football cheerleaders in the 1950s.
Some of the action is above the stadium as a guest delights at becoming a military pilot performing a flyover.
Meet the Team (from left to right)
Geoff Thatcher, GAME ON! Executive Creative Director, Creative Principals
Kimberly Beaudin, CEO, College Football Hall of Fame
Bob Chambers, GAME ON! Executive Producer, The Producers Group
Miles Gregory, GAME ON! AI Creative Director, HyperCinema
Joel Thatcher, GAME ON! Creative Writer, Creative Principals
Additionally, when new exhibits open in the museum, they can be incorporated into GAME ON! “There’s a new Military and Football exhibit we created to open at the same time as GAME ON!, and within that exhibit, there’s an AI touchpoint,” says Beaudin.
AI concerns addressed
Most technology experts have heralded the advent of AI, but they also understand the potential pitfalls surrounding its use. Towards that end, the Creative Principals team and the Hall of Fame carefully considered issues of appropriateness and privacy.
AI is infamous for generating results that can be inaccurate or inappropriate, but Thatcher explains that the system’s guardrails have been set up to avoid that. “During our early testing phase sometimes – just like in early rehearsals of a show – we’d get a result that we didn’t like,” he explains. “Unlike an unrestricted AI system, we have extensive parameters we established with HyperCinema’s HyperEngine to ensure every image generated is appropriate for a family audience.” Thatcher points to the exhibit where guests appear in cheerleader outfits, which might not be proper for young children. “Our solution was to show guests in a cheerleading uniform popular in the 1950s, which aside from being very modest, is completely in line with the museum’s historical mission.”
Guardrails also govern captions and text, such as the personal motto displayed at the Mascots touchpoint: “That 15-character tagline is based on the question in the registration kiosk where we ask guests to tell us how their
friends describe them in one word,” says Thatcher. “If a guest answers something like ‘fartface,’ then the 15-character tagline the AI would generate, based on our prompt engineering, would be ‘CLEAR THE FIELD.’”
Many guests also have concerns about the collection and retention of their personal information, including their image. Both Thatcher and Beaudin stress that the Hall of Fame takes the privacy of its guests very seriously. All of a guest’s imagery and data captured for their GAME ON! experience, including their responses to the personalized questions, is encrypted. Within 48 hours of guests departing the museum, all their data is purged from the system. If guests opt to purchase their photo package, their image data is transferred to third party vendors for 30 days, where guests can order t-shirts, mugs, etc.
(AI)dea generation
Beaudin contacted Creative Principals with the goal of expanding the Hall of Fame’s audience by appealing more to cheerleaders, musicians, and other participants who make college football a beloved institution with a rich legacy. “We first went through the usual process of research, charrette, story, and developing concepts – resulting in some incredible creative ideas,” says Thatcher.
One common theme emerged: capturing the “spirit of game day” inside the Hall, blending college football community connections with the celebration of traditions. But the actual genesis of GAME ON! took place thousands of miles away. “It was really our experience in Auckland when we explored HyperCinema and met its Co-Founder and Creative Director Dr. Miles Gregory that changed everything,” explains Thatcher.
Visitors enjoy seeing themselves as excited fans in the stands of college football games.
What kind of AI is this?
The system driving GAME ON! is the HyperEngine created by HyperCinema, a tech startup founded by its Creative Director Dr. Miles Gregory, Gladeye CEO Tarver Graham, and HyperCinema CTO Gareth Hordyk. Gregory describes the HyperEngine software as “an enterprise-grade orchestration platform marshaling thousands of AI prompts and services utilizing guest inputs, then outputs unique and personalized multimedia entertainment experiences.”
He says it elevates the role of storytelling in attractions by moving from passive observation to active participation, where guests literally see their likenesses and personalities in attraction stories. “This personalization goes beyond simple adjustments, involving nuanced integration of AI to craft narratives and interactions that reflect the preferences, behaviors, and even the historical or cultural interests of each guest,” he says. “This creates a uniquely engaging and memorable experience that can adapt in real time to the visitor’s responses each time they visit the attraction.”
He stresses that another key difference between the AI HyperEngine and other technologies that immerse guests in stories, such as VR, is that they usually do so at the expense of group interaction. However, the HyperEngine doesn’t isolate guests from their family and friends but allows groups of guests to see themselves and their companions within each experience.
The HyperEngine can also scale to meet demand, capable of creating tens of thousands of visitor experiences simultaneously. It utilizes robust GPU (graphics processing unit) computing power to deliver, in the case of the Hall of Fame, some 500,000 prompt variations, most of which deliver unique outputs for every guest, and does so differently each time they visit.
But the team emphasizes that GAME ON! responds only to instructions it is given: GAME ON! uses AI every step of the way, but it is not an independent learning and evolving entity. Over time, changes will be made to improve the system, but the system itself is not independently artificially intelligent. In other words, the HyperEngine driving GAME ON! is not sentient. It’s a powerful and complex orchestration platform that is programmed and controlled fully by humans.
“After having our photos taken and answering questions on a kiosk, we immediately saw ourselves transformed into strange characters, like adolescent astronauts and cyberpunks, while a voiceover summoned us to be ‘heroes in the metaverse,’” says Thatcher. Subsequent galleries showed team members at Burning Man, among crowds in Times Square, in a boxing ring, or sailing on a pirate ship. Finally, they walked into a cinema experience where they saw themselves in three videos, including a mockumentary about each of them becoming a failed technology CEO.
“It was immediately clear to all of us that HyperCinema’s experience was perfect for telling the story of the College Football Hall of Fame,” says Thatcher. “The HyperEngine technology could transport guests into every part of the spirit of game day. It was exactly the tool we needed to have friends and families connect and celebrate. We laughed, giggled, smiled, and absolutely loved seeing each other as heroes in the metaverse.”
From his perspective HyperCinema’s Gregory agrees the technology is perfect for the experience Thatcher wanted to create. “We are seeing the same types of enthusiastic reactions here at the College Football Hall of Fame,” says Gregory. “This is a new art form that is bringing people together to laugh and connect in new ways.”
A perfect match for AI
According to Beaudin, “The museum’s experience has always been about personalization and storytelling, and the beauty of this AI technology is that it’s literally embedded throughout the museum. I loved the concept from the start because it’s taking what we already do to an extreme level that will have a significant impact on the guest experience.”
Like many industry projects, she says her main concerns were timing, cost, and potential IP challenges. GAME ON! needed to be designed, built, and operating within just a few months, and the cost was outside the planned budget. Plus, the museum could not endure an extended closure during installation. Impressively, the exhibit enhancements and AI integration for GAME ON! took place while the Hall of Fame remained open.
Regarding IPs, she reveals, “In our existing interactives, we’re already using a significant amount of IP including logos, fight songs, and player images. We relied on our great relationships with the schools to secure the permissions needed from teams, as well as the College Football Playoff and the Heisman Trust to use their trophies in the experience.”
The GAME ON! experience is part of the general admission price into the museum, but Beaudin points out that the AI integration only takes place in selected exhibits. “We are utilizing AI as part of the fan experience. Once you get to the actual Hall of Fame, that is hallowed ground dedicated to our inductees; there will be no AI in there,” she says.
Miles Gregory. Photo courtesy HyperCinema
Significance of GAME ON! for other attractions
Until now, Thatcher says AI has mostly been used to assist in attraction design, idea generation and feasibility modeling. Although a few museum exhibits use large language models to allow guests to talk to holocaust survivors or artists like Salvador Dalí, AI has not been used to put guests in the attraction. With GAME ON! now clearly using AI to transform guests into story characters in the attractions they visit, what exactly does this mean for attractions of all types?
“HyperCinema’s AI integration is going to be completely transformational for the industry,” says Thatcher. “It will work on any attraction that incorporates a storyline, or in the case of an art museum, exhibits that reflect stories.” This means zoos could use the technology to transform guests into curators, safari-goers, field scientists, or veterinarians. Theme parks could incorporate it into dark rides, visually turning guests into aliens, pirates, or ghosts.
For other museums, personalizing art and history will connect visitors much more effectively to the items on display and increase overall interest. The only infrastructure requirements for facilities are that they have power, bandwidth, and a connection to the cloud. Someday, they might not even need the registration kiosks. “We believe that eventually guests will be able to scan their faces on their phones and upload them to an attraction even before visiting,” Thatcher says.
For brand new attractions, they will be designed and built with the necessary infrastructure to accommodate AI. “I think AI experiences like GAME ON! will become as prevalent as the carousel, dark ride, and 4D theater at theme parks and
The Fumbles mascot joins a guest as she watches herself with the College Football Playoff National Championship trophy.
Geoff Thatcher becomes a gridiron hero as a receiver for his favorite college, Brigham Young University.
A guest smiles and mimics her GAME ON! AI image in the action of Arnold Friberg’s “The First Game.”
The business of AI attractions
by Martin Palicki
In talking with Creative Principal’s Geoff Thatcher about this article, I couldn’t help but have some of his enthusiasm rub off on me for the potential of AI in themed entertainment attractions.
While I’ve been somewhat reluctant to dive too deeply into AI tools personally, it’s clear that this is the future, and the College Football Hall of Fame might just be showing us the path forward, or at least – in football parlance – which plays to consider executing.
On the business end, things are even more interesting. There are the ROI benefits mentioned in the previous sidebar, and the ones who control or execute the technology stand to make significant money powering the experiences.
In this environment of IP-focused attraction design, AI essentially turns guests into the IP, and guests willingly pay to create or – in a way – “license” that experience.
Beyond museums, there are opportunities to include AI in all sorts of attractions – dark rides, theatrical productions, immersive experiences, and more. I’m looking forward to seeing what the creative minds in our industry are able to do with this transformative technology.
museums around the world, and guests will come to expect that attractions are enabled with AI so they can see themselves in stories,” Thatcher contends. “Because of the guest demand, attractions will be clamoring to adopt AI. Even art museums will move in this direction because guests will want to see themselves in the art.”
As for the College Football Hall of Fame, Thatcher says the feedback from guests has been amazing. “One journalist from Fox 5 Atlanta said the Hall of Fame has ‘raised the bar so high’ and another visitor admitted she didn’t even like football but had a great time,” he says.
These are the types of connections between guests and the subject matter that Thatcher is most proud of and excited about. “Everything we’ve done with GAME ON! is about human connection and generating human emotion, and we’re seeing that now with guests,” says Thatcher. “As an experience designer and storyteller, I’ll use any technology at my disposal to get these very human reactions. We’re using AI to generate smiles, to generate fun!” •
Keith Miller (shown here in AI form) has been mesmerized by theme parks and other attractions ever since his first visit to Walt Disney World as a child when he was afforded a visit to the utilidors beneath the Magic Kingdom. A communications major, he served as a freelance writer for Amusement Business weekly magazine for three years before writing for IAAPA’s Funworld Magazine and News Hub for 21 years, 17 of which as news editor. He’s been thrilled to have had the opportunity to travel across North America, Europe, and Asia visiting attractions and plans to spend the next few years traveling more than ever.
Through the decades: Mia Thatcher’s (Designer at Creative Principals) AI generated images from GAME ON! show her supporting the team in the ‘20s, cheerleading in the ‘50s and tailgating in the ‘80s. Thatcher’s creative contributions to the project included generating 764 mascots using AI and designing football uniforms that are key parts of the GAME ON! experience
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Building dreams for 15 years
The journey of Imagination Playground
by Wendy M. Grant
JimStallman, the CEO of Imagination Playground, is serious about play. Imagination Playground transforms ordinary spaces into extraordinary playgrounds and inspires young minds through creative play. As Imagination Playground enters its fifteenth year, the organization is not just celebrating a milestone, but hitting its stride with renewed excitement and innovation. The company created its iconic Big Blue Blocks in 2009 for a single park project in New York City, and today Imagination Playground products can be found in every U.S. state, in Puerto Rico, and in more than 70 countries around the world. After winning an international design award, Imagination Playground is planning exciting new products and initiatives, proving that the best is yet to come.
New blocks win a bronze trophy
Imagination Playground’s flagship Big Blue Blocks are made of a lightweight but durable foam. The blocks come in sets of 55 or 105 pieces that include 17 different shapes: chutes, gears, channels, noodles, and, of course, blocks. Many of the pieces are two or three feet long. Stallman says, “Drop a set of Big Blue Blocks on the floor and kids will gravitate to them and
instinctively begin working together to create mazes, castles, creatures, and anything else they can imagine.”
Stallman and his team continue to innovate by observing how children use their products and evolving based on customer feedback. Since children often build vehicles from the Big Blue Blocks, Stallman tasked his design team with creating transportation-themed blocks. This new set of 102 pieces features shapes like wheels, wings, and seats, making it easier than ever for kids to build boats, planes, motorcycles, and more.
The transportation set recently won a bronze trophy in A’ Design’s 2024 Playground Equipment, Play Structures and Public Park Design category. The A’ Design Award competition
Imagination Playground
CEO Jim Stallman
Imaginative, loose block play encourages children to develop their creativity and teamwork skills. All photos courtesy Imagination Playground
is an international contest where a grand jury composed of a panel of experts from around the globe recognize the most innovative designs, architecture, and creative works. The Bronze A’ Design Award is given to products, projects, and designs that demonstrate exceptional creativity and practicality.
Stallman says that the Imagination Playground team is thrilled by the trophy. “Everyone is so fired up about the award,” he says. “Last year’s gold winner was a 120-acre park, so we weren’t sure we even had a chance to win. It’s really an honor to be recognized in such a prestigious competition.”
The Bronze A’ Design Award acknowledges the dedication and skill of Imagination Playground’s design team, highlighting their thoughtful development and innovative use of materials in creating a product that enhances children’s lives. The award is particularly significant when you consider that originally Stallman’s team was solely a supplier of a product that was the brainchild of acclaimed architect David Rockwell.
From Rockwell roots, a new business grows
Rockwell’s firm, Rockwell Group, is known for creating spectacular designs for everything from hotels and cultural events to schools and residences. In the early 2000s, Rockwell was inspired to create a new type of playground. Rockwell Group partnered with KABOOM!, a nonprofit playground installer, to create a portable playground that would spark children’s imagination and encourage them to collaboratively build and play.
Eventually, Rockwell and KABOOM!’s president at the time, Bruce Bowman, turned to Stallman, who was then the president of Eco-Global Manufacturing (a role he still maintains). Stallman recalls, “I remember going to David Rockwell’s offices and seeing the original Styrofoam prototype of what would eventually be known as the Big Blue Blocks. He and Bruce knew that the final product needed to be made out of a more durable material. ‘Can you do it?’ they asked.”
This request was quite different from Eco-Global’s usual automotive and medical products. But Stallman immediately said, “Sure!” He explains, “I had young kids at the time, and I believed in the concept from the start.”
It took time to develop the perfect foam. Eventually Eco-Global came up with a cross-linked, closed cell, polyethylene foam that was both soft and waterproof. Eco-Global also developed all the cutting techniques and machinery to make the pieces.
The flagship Imagination Playground park, featuring Big Blue Blocks, opened to the public in July 2010 at Burling Slip in the South Street Seaport area of New York City. Over the years, demand for Imagination Playground products began to grow. Stallman says, “We’d make a set of blocks and ship them out. Then another order would come in and we’d do it again. And then the orders sped up.”
As demand increased, a management team suggested moving manufacturing overseas, but Rockwell and Stallman wanted
Builders of all ages enjoy Imagination Playground’s Big Blue Blocks, including the connector pieces pictured above.
Imagination Playground’s Big Blue Blocks are easily stored in a weather resistant storage bag.
to maintain control over the quality, the production, and the design. In 2018, based on this shared vision for growth of the brand, David Rockwell sold his interest to Stallman, and Stallman became the proud owner of Imagination Playground.
“That was a key moment in Imagination Playground’s history,” Stallman says, “because we weren’t just a supplier anymore.”
Innovative designs maximize creativity
Once Stallman took the reins, he put his team to work to expand Imagination Playground’s products. “Throughout our 15 years in business, we have continued to take note of what is exciting and engaging for children, and our products have evolved to reflect that,” he says.
For instance, in addition to blocks, Imagination Playground now makes bones. Dinosaur bones, that is. The concept grew out of a collaboration with the Boston Children’s Museum. After all, as Stallman points out, “Kids love dinos!” The bone sets include arms, spines, legs, horns, ribs, tails, and more, empowering kids to design dinosaurs, aliens, or insects up to four feet long and six feet high.
When customers shared that the only problem they had with Imagination Playground products is that kids didn’t want to stop playing at closing time, Stallman decided to create tabletop sized blocks that kids can use at home.
While many customers appreciate the mobility of blocks that they can bring indoors, take outdoors, or move to any available space, other customers want to create a permanent play space. In those instances, Imagination Playground can build custom walls out of the same material as the blocks with strategic cutouts that fit the block set. Additionally, they can sculpt the client’s logo and custom shapes from foam and incorporate them into the permanent space.
For example, Dig It, a construction-themed family entertainment center in Torrance, California, requested a 15’ x 15’ custom wall that included their logo, their “Play to Learn” motto, and unique shapes like a stop sign, dump truck, and hammer. The custom wall not only serves as a fitting backdrop for Blue Block play, but kids can also build off the wall and into it, taking their creations to new heights.
Currently, Imagination Playground is completing a custom installation for Providence Children’s Museum, close to where Imagination Playground is headquartered in Rhode Island. Stallman is excited to be working on a local project, hinting that the installation will incorporate Ocean State themes of waves and water.
Taking play seriously
Rebecca Tortello saw how much fun her kids had playing with Big Blue Blocks in New Jersey. When she became an Education Specialist for UNICEF Jamaica, she advocated to bring Imagination Playground there. In an article for UNICEFUSA.org, Tortello wrote, “Play is how children learn to navigate the world. … Play can also be a form of much-needed psychosocial support, helping to relieve stress and anxiety and mitigating the effects of violence and other traumatic experiences.” As part of its commitment to facilitating safe spaces to play for families and communities across the globe, UNICEF recently brought Imagination Playground to Kingston, Jamaica.
“Kids need safety, shelter, food, and water, of course,” Stallman shares. “And then they need to be able to play and experience joy. My heart breaks for kids who are in dire situations, like war-torn regions, or places that have been hit by natural disasters, like Hurricane Beryl that mostly spared Kingston but devastated other parts of Jamaica.”
Four builders work together on a pile of big blue blocks.
Play in person!
Imagination Playground participates in numerous trade shows throughout the year. “One of the best parts of going to a trade show is hearing stories of how much people love Imagination Playground and how important it’s been to them and their children,” Stallman says. You can visit the Imagination Playground booth at the National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA) Annual Conference in October (Atlanta, Georgia) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Annual Conference Expo in November (Anaheim, California).
Stallman’s personal mission is to figure out how to bring Imagination Playground to more kids who need the opportunity to play. “I’ll make it happen,” he says. “I will absolutely make it happen.”
Looking ahead to 15 more years of fun
As Imagination Playground celebrates its 15th anniversary, the company is focused on innovation and expansion. “We’re going to continue to lead in this open-ended, imaginative world of play,” Stallman states. “We are excited to continue transforming spaces and inspiring young minds with new products and initiatives on the horizon.”
Stallman remains dedicated to manufacturing all products in the USA. He also maintains a focus on environmental sustainability, ensuring Imagination Playground blocks are not sent to the landfill. After years of play, they can be returned to the company to be repurposed into other products. Stallman notes that Imagination Playground’s manufacturing arm is ISO 9001:2015 certified, which means that it meets or exceeds the highest worldwide standards for quality management systems.
But most importantly, he says, “Imagination Playground is a family business. Many of our founding employees are still with us after 15 years. And they love this product just like I do.”
Thinking back over the past 15 years, Stallman can’t help but smile. “It’s been fun,” he says. “We look forward to producing more designs and working with new customers and our international distributors to get our blocks to more kids. There’s more fun to come!”
The next chapter for Imagination Playground promises continued growth and innovation, building on a strong foundation of creativity, quality, and a deep understanding of the power of play. As the company looks to the future, it remains committed to providing children worldwide with the tools to imagine, create, and grow. •
Wendy M. Grant has worked in marketing for more than 25 years. She served as Director of Marketing and Communications for San Diego’s Fleet Science Center, home to the world’s first IMAX Dome Theater, where she directed marketing for all exhibitions, films, shows and events for 13 years. She served on the Marketing Committee for the Giant Screen Cinema Association and she was a board member for the Giant Dome Theater Consortium. Prior to working in the museum field, she was Director of Marketing at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar where she helped to produce the annual Miramar Air Show. Since 2019, Grant has worked as a communications consultant, writer and editor, with clients in the education and entertainment fields.
Imagination Playground’s iconic Big Blue Blocks.
Imagination Playground’s block wall installations allow museums, schools and libraries to transform their space into enriching, ever-changing play structures.
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To be continued...
Why my journey as a theme park professional led me to academia
by Chaz Moneypenny
Inany career, there comes a moment when you realize it’s time to seek out new challenges – not because the work has lost its appeal, but because the desire to grow compels you to explore new horizons. After eight years as a creative director of attractions for Universal Studios Japan – where I built incredible teams, forged unforgettable relationships, and produced some of the most rewarding work of my life – I found myself at such a crossroads. It wasn’t about leaving behind what I loved, but about finding new ways to ignite the spark that had fueled my creativity for so long.
Throughout my career, I’ve been fortunate to work with some of the most iconic names in themed entertainment. I began as an intern with Walt Disney Imagineering R&D, where I honed my skills in writing and experimenting with interactive experiences. My work with Marvel caught the eye of none other than Stan Lee, who brought me on as his assistant and ghostwriter. From there, I moved into writing toys-to-life video games for both Marvel and Star Wars properties. When that chapter closed, a call from former Imagineer and mentor Steve Tatham sent me halfway around the world to Universal Studios Japan, where I had the privilege of writing and directing over 24 attractions and experiences.
my role within the industry, not stepping away from it. It’s about contributing in new ways, not just to a single project, but to the future of themed entertainment as a whole.
A good master is always a student
The past few years have been transformative, not just for me, but for many of us in the industry. As the world paused and reflected, so did I. The realization hit that I wanted to contribute more broadly to the industry – not just to a single park, but to the entire field of themed entertainment. And so, when the opportunity to transition into academia presented itself, I saw it not as a departure, but as an evolution.
For over a decade, I’ve been at the forefront of creating immersive worlds that captivate and inspire. But this isn’t the end of that journey – far from it. My decision to take on a visiting professorship at the University of Central Florida’s Themed Experience program is about expanding
Forget the proverbial retreat into the quiet halls of academia. This move is about learning through the process of teaching. If there’s one thing I’ve gleaned from my time working with next-generation technologies and pioneering new forms of storytelling, it’s that there are no best practices for the unknown. When you’re working with technology that was just invented this morning, you’re in uncharted territory.
My role at UCF is not to impart static knowledge from dusty textbooks, but to engage with students in a dynamic exchange of ideas. I aim to bring the spirit of voluntary, collaborative play that I fostered in creative sessions with world-renowned licensors and artists into the classroom. This is where we push the limits of creative thinking, venture into the silly, and often find creative gold.
Breaking the berm: From industry to academia
The most valuable insights I bring to the classroom come not from theory, but from the frontlines of the industry. Take, for instance, the challenge of motivating a VR guest to turn their head. In VR, the guest has complete control of where they look, unlike a passive TV
Chaz Moneypenny poses at Universal Studios Japan. All photos courtesy of the author
viewer. The challenge is similar to what I learned from Stan Lee during my time writing comics – how to craft a page turn that compels the reader to move forward. In VR, I apply the same principles to entice guests to explore their virtual environment, asking dramatic questions that engage their curiosity.
This is just one example of the practical applications I plan to introduce to my students. They’ll learn to build their own “toolkits” of creative solutions, designed to tackle the challenges of next-gen technology and multicultural storytelling. Having managed teams across various cultures and entertained audiences worldwide, I’ve honed the art of crafting “primal” stories –narratives that resonate with what is most human in all of us, transcending language and cultural barriers.
Shaking the bottle: Embracing change and innovation
I have always believed in the power of shaking the bottle when life feels too settled. This opportunity allows me to infuse my career with new energy, perspective, and joy. Peter Weishar, who changed my life as my dean and professor at the Savannah College of Art and Design, played a pivotal role in this decision. Since 2018, Peter, who now serves as Director of Themed Experience at UCF, has been instrumental in establishing UCF’s themed experience MS and MFA degrees, the first of their kind at a public university. His personal request to help nurture the program he created came at the perfect time, as I was deciding between freelance, consulting, or another venture. His vision, coupled with my desire to see the industry through fresh eyes and identify a new way to contribute, made the decision clear.
Preparing the next generation for the future of themed entertainment
The industry is at a crossroads, facing two conflicting trends. On one hand, the price and exclusivity of world-class experiences are rising, creating a higher barrier to entry. On the other hand, there’s a democratization of experiences through location-based activations, pop-ups, and similar offerings. The primal desire for experiential stories is driving these trends, and the market is finding ways to bring these experiences to more people.
Technology, especially AI, is rapidly changing the landscape. That’s why my goal is to prepare students to navigate this evolving industry by equipping them with a toolkit of fundamental, creative problem-solving approaches that can be applied to any medium. Just as in a real toolkit, not every tool is right for every job, but with the right variation, students will have a reliable starting point for every challenge they face.
The impact of teaching and the joy of anonymous creative work
I want my students to understand that I was once just like them – wondering if my talents and ambitions were fool’s errands. I want them to see that what one person can do, another can do. Moreover, I want to instill in them the value of anonymous creative work. I spent years as Stan Lee’s ghostwriter, signing “Stan Lee” at the end of some of my best work. That experience taught me the freedom that comes from focusing on the dayto-day, impactful, intrinsically rewarding work, rather than the ego-driven need for credit.
My hope is that my students will leave my classes with a deep understanding of creative problemsolving – skills that will serve them well on day one of their first job. I don’t want them to be strategic learners, doing just enough to get a grade. I want them to leave with a quiet confidence, fostered through genuine curiosity and earned success.
To be continued...
This is not the end of my career, but rather a new chapter in a story that’s still being written. At 40 years old, I’ve found a powerful way to expand my contributions to the legacy of themed entertainment. My impact on the industry will now be multiplied through the students I teach –each one a ripple in the pond, to mix metaphors, carrying forward the lessons they’ve learned.
So, as they say at the end of my favorite Japanese TV show,
Chaz Moneypenny worked at Universal Studios Japan for over seven years, beginning as a lead writer/producer and making his way to creative director. His credits also include Walt Disney Imagineering, Stan Lee’s POW! Entertainment, and JRA. This summer, Chaz began his time at UCF as a Visiting Instructor for the Themed Experience graduate program.
[1] Romaji: tsudzuku…; English translation: “to be continued...”
Moneypenny (third from right) poses with his creative team in front of Attack on Titan Race for Survival, a VR coaster attraction that ran for a limited time in 2022 at Universal Studios Japan.
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Animal care buildings are built with sustainability in mind, such as natural cooling and heating systems, while public facing structures will use LEED gold standards. Image courtesy of Sacramento Zoo/City of Elk Grove
Creating a new zoo from scratch
Sacramento Zoo moves to a 21st-century campus
by Joe Kleiman
In the 1920s, Sacramento, California’s capital city, was booming. Newly constructed canals resulted in greatly increased agriculture yields. Goods were shipped via two major railroad lines that converged in the city as well as along the newly completed Victory Highway. It was the first road to travel coast to coast and cut right through the middle of the city. Sacramento’s growth was also fueled by the establishment of multiple military bases in the region in the aftermath of the First World War, including one of the country’s first air bases.
Between 1920 and 1930, the population of Sacramento County jumped from 91,000 to 142,000. In 1927, during the midst of this economic and population boom, the Sacramento Zoo opened in a small 4-acre corner of the newly established William Land Park. It exhibited a menagerie of forty animals, including local wildlife, as well as exotic birds and monkeys, all obtained through the acquisition of local private collections.
The first expansion
By the early 1960s, Sacramento County’s population had increased to 503,000. The zoo was outdated by the standards of the day and planned on replacing the cages that had held its
animals for forty years with more natural, open enclosures. To do this successfully and grow, the zoo needed to expand – which it did in 1961 through an acquisition of ten-and-ahalf acres.
Much remained unchanged until the 2010s when Mary Healy (interviewed in 2014 for an InPark article on proposed legislation impacting the state’s zoos) oversaw the construction of a new veterinary hospital at the zoo along with red pandas, river otters, and thick-billed parrots (an endangered species and the only parrot native to the United States). One of the last major projects completed under her oversight was an expanded giraffe habitat that opened in 2010. By the time of Healy’s leadership, zoos were undergoing a significant transition in operations and outreach. The concept of seeing exotic animals up close had been replaced by conservation messaging and initiatives; enclosures had evolved into “habitats,” with enrichment programs for animals and the use of operant conditioning training, leading animals to volunteer for veterinary procedures.
The transformation
In 2015, Kyle Burks was named Zoo Director. When he departed three years later to become Managing Director of the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans, he left behind the legacy of a $75 million 20-year master plan set to transform the zoo’s 14.5-acre campus.
Enter Jason Jacobs, with leadership experience at major zoos in Los Angeles and Tucson. Under his leadership, habitats were transformed, with moats and protective netting removed and replaced by giant windows. On a tour of the zoo, Jacobs showed me both meerkats running alongside window frames and a lioness inches away from awed school children. “We filled out our moats and installed windows, expanding the habitat size,” he pointed out. “The animals have gotten accustomed to them and mostly ignore the guests, unless there’s something of interest.”
As Jacobs introduces me to Mo, an okapi born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, children attending the zoo’s camp program show up on the viewing platform with the mission of observing Mo and determining how the different parts of his body operate. There’s an air of excitement among the kids. “The zoo is about making connections,” he adds. “It’s what I love about what I do.”
The move
By 2020, the population of Sacramento County had jumped exponentially to 1.6 million, while the population of the Sacramento Metropolitan Area, which also includes the three neighboring counties of Yuba, Placer, and El Dorado, is currently 2.25 million. In 2023, 523,000 guests visited the zoo, which had been experiencing a steady increase in attendance year after year.
“We have a problem in that we are an undersized zoo in a large and growing market,” shares Jacobs. I looked at a number of options, including expanding further into Land Park, but determined that the costs that were allocated for updating the current zoo in the master plan could also cover our expenses for the first stage of a brand-new zoo.”
Jacobs entered talks with the City of Sacramento, landlord of the current zoo property, but, as he says, “Each time we had a potential location, something would happen and suddenly it would no longer be available.”
Stepping in to fill the need was the City of Elk Grove, a growing community on the southern edge of the county, bounded by an Apple technology campus to the north and a tribal casino to the south. “Having the casino and the new casino-related properties under development, including a hotel, that border the zoo, those are
Jason Jacobs Director Sacramento Zoo
Photo courtesy of author
Jason Behrmann City Manager City of Elk Grove Photo courtesy City of Elk Grove
Jason Hill Principal SH|R Studios
Photo courtesy SH|R Studios
Morgan Richardson Founding Partner Mangolin Creative Photo courtesy Mangolin Creative
The zoos pathways are designed in loops to maximize traffic flow. Image courtesy of Sacramento Zoo/City of Elk Grove
big projects that play an important role in developing our community,” says Jason Behrmann, Elk Grove’s City Manager. “We feel that these kinds of projects, which also include the zoo, bring more people to visit our community, which then benefits the smaller, independently owned businesses such as boutique shops, wineries, and local breweries.”
By 2021, an exclusive negotiating agreement was in place between the city and the following year, an MOU was in place. A March 2024 study by the firm Applied Economics predicted that attendance at the new zoo would be 900,000 in its first year of operation, and that the total economic benefit to Elk Grove would be $128 million over the first five years of operation. It is expected that the zoo will see visitation from as far away as Nevada and Oregon and that visitors are anticipated to come from the San Francisco Bay Area and Southern California, each of which are home to some of the nation’s leading zoos. “This is going to be not only new, but different and unique,” says Behrmann. “We anticipate people traveling a distance just to experience our new zoo.”
The vision
“Our goal is to create impactful experiences,” says Jacobs. “What we are planning in Elk Grove will do that in ways that have rarely been done to this extent in a zoo.” Those experiences would use time-honored techniques from the field of themed entertainment design to create immersive storytelling environments that parlay a strong conservation message.
To sell the kind of impact the new zoo would have, the team at Mangolin Creative was engaged to create conceptual artwork and develop new experiences for the new campus. “Every part of conceptual art must be from the guest’s eye,” shares
Morgan Richardson, Mangolin’s Founding Partner. “We want to expressly capture the individual moments of excitement in an attraction. The primary goal of the artwork is not to make it look nice; it is to communicate the concept. The public, the politicians and the funders all need to envision it being there.”
SH|R Studios, a landscape architecture firm specializing in zoo design, is the master planner and lead designer on the project. The new zoo will sit on approximately 100 acres and be built over four phases. The price tag for the first phase is $302 million for both the zoo campus and external infrastructure leading to it. Much of the cost is being handled through city funds and municipal bond sales, with the zoo responsible for $50 million, currently being raised through donations and $30 million from regional partnerships.
Jason Hill, partner at SH|R, explains that the first phase will include the Green Corridor and the African savanna. “The Green Corridor acts like Main Street at a Disney park, funneling guests through the center of the property,” says Hill.
The African savanna blends a habitat with multiple species, an adjacent lion exhibit, and public walkways with hidden barriers to create the appearance of all animals and guests being in a single unobstructed environment. Image courtesy of Sacramento Zoo/City of Elk Grove
The lodge is based on similar structures found in the African wilderness. Image courtesy of Sacramento Zoo/City of Elk Grove
Animals will be selected based on those best suited for the temperature variation of the Elk Grove site – cool and rainy in winter, extreme heat in summer. “Not all the animals at our current location will be moving to Elk Grove,” says Jacobs. “A number of them will be relocated to other zoos, like the chimpanzees that moved out last year. We’re also starting to introduce new animals to the existing zoo which will have homes in our Elk Grove location, including the white rhinoceros. We’ll still be at our existing location for the next five years and this gives the community the opportunity to meet and learn about the residents of the new zoo before we move.”
Future phases
It will feature animals that are key to the conservation message and create a loop with the African savanna.
“We want traffic to flow easily,” says Hill. “We looked at the different attendance patterns at the current zoo campus and determined what would be needed during peak visitation to prevent pathways from getting clogged and where to place stations that people can stop, rest, and learn more about the animals.”
Heat is a major concern as the Sacramento Valley continues to see summer temperature increases year after year. The new zoo will feature foliage indigenous to California to compensate for the frequent droughts in the region. “We will have an African savanna,” says Hill, “but it won’t be African grasses. We will feature native California grasses that are similar in composition and create the proper feel for being on a safari.” The zoo will have numerous sustainable water features as well, which will help in cooling both animals and guests.
Phase two will feature California animals, and the zoo will have the capability to use this space to care for injured and orphaned animals from around the region. The city and the zoo have been in discussions with Wilton Rancheria, the Native American nation that owns the nearby Sky River Casino, about using the California section to tell the story of indigenous stewardship of natural resources, through both interpretive elements and live storytelling. California will be followed by phase three, a permanent administration building, and finally, phase four, an Australasia section. “There will not be any polar exhibits,” shares Jacobs. “We are respecting the needs of our animals and making sure they can acclimate to the conditions.” Specific opening dates have not yet been determined, as construction of each phase is dependent on fundraising. Phase one is expected to be completed by 2030.
When asked what he was most excited about at the new zoo, Hill said, “There will be a lodge built along the savanna. You’ll be able to get off work, go to the zoo with your friends or coworkers, grab one of the local beers, and sit on the deck, watching the sun set over the savanna as the animals all gather at the watering hole. There’s very few places you can do something like that outside of Africa.” •
The okapi will share an exhibition space with the gelada on the Green Corridor. Both species are highly suited for the varying temperatures and weather of the Sacramento region. Image courtesy of Sacramento Zoo/City of Elk Grove
On the lodge’s deck, diners will experience the convergence of animals at the savanna’s watering hole. Image courtesy of Sacramento Zoo/City of Elk Grove
SATE Europe 2024
The past, present and future of fun
by Martin Palicki
The Themed Entertainment Association’s (TEA) 2024 SATE Europe event took place at Merlin Entertainments’ Gardaland Resort, midway between Milan and Venice, Italy. Attendees traveled from around the world for the conference, though a large contingency hailed from throughout Europe.
The event began with an optional tour to the nearby Zamperla factory – or rather, factories. The company’s offices and warehouses are located in multiple sites in the region. Attendees saw the design and production facilities and were treated to a sneak peek of some of their latest attraction concepts. A networking reception and dinner followed back at Gardaland.
Conference sessions spanned two days and covered a diverse range of topics, including accessibility, technology, dealing with difficult client situations, and more. The conference’s theme of “Back to the future?” was explored through a variety of talks, which included examining nostalgia, exploring “Tomorrowlands,” and discovering park and attraction histories.
Dinner and networking
Some of the best parts of SATE Europe are the evening dinner events. Both Wednesday and Thursday evening dinners took place inside Gardaland Park, with the first being themed to “Time Travelers/Explorers.” Attendees were encouraged to dress up within the wide boundaries of that theme. Everything from pirates to a collection of Marty McFlys could be found within the group, which showcased the industry’s high concentration of creative talent!
Each night Gardaland provided delightful dinners with live music, character actors, a wide assortment of food and drink, as well as several rides available for exclusive access. Unfortunately, Mother Nature did not cooperate as storms were prevalent throughout both evenings. Never ones to let a little rain dampen spirits, attendees soldiered on, especially enjoying the park’s recently added Jumanji-themed ride (although the seemingly unending supply of fresh Italian pizzas was also a big hit!).
Movies and more
On Friday, attendees were given the option to visit Movieland – The Hollywood Park. About two dozen folks made the trip to the nearby park and were treated to a meeting with the park owner’s family, as well as a guided tour to many of the park’s attractions. Highlights included the park’s Magma 2.1 – a sort of behind-the-scenes studio tour involving dozens of ways to spray water on guests – and the park’s U-571 Submarine, a claustrophobia-inducing ride simulator that culminates in nearly every participant being completely drenched. The experience, while on the one hand rather terrifying, forever bonded the brave (and soaked) souls who boarded the sub. The day at the park ended with the energetic U.S. Army Stunt Show, where SATE attendees Liz Rasking (Phoenix Medrano) and David Bawiec (Emotion Crafters) were selected to play a starring role onstage.
Much like SATE Europe itself, Movieland is manageable, smaller, and really quite charming. Both are endearing in ways one doesn’t expect when first introduced to them.
As it has for many years, SATE Europe shines in these small moments, where professionals have ample time to meet, connect, and learn from one another. It’s networking, to be sure, but it’s also more than that – it’s time and opportunity to create not just business relationships but industry friendships that transcend the boundaries of space and time! At the very least they kept everyone filled with joy for their return flights home. •
SATE attendees Liz Rasking and David Bawiec participated as prisoners in Movieland - The Hollywood Park’s stunt show.
The author and Anja D’Hondt (BoldMove Nation) recreate characters from Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure and The Matrix.
