EXPO PREVIEW
Jazz Up Your Business in the Big Easy Get a beat on the FEC and BEC businesses at Amusement Expo International in New Orleans
By Howard McAuliffe
T
he 2020 Amusement Expo International in New Orleans, March 9 - 11, is going to be an inspiring, educational, and enjoyable three-day event in a great city. The expo will include multiple opportunities for education in one combined tradeshow. All education sessions take place on Monday, March 9, and will be provided by Amusement Expo. It will feature an FEC track of seminars, as well as a ‘street’ track which is focused on route operations. In addition to these educational opportunities, Amusement Expo continues the tradition of co-locating with the VR Summit, curated by VR guru Bob Cooney, the National Bulk Ed Rensi Vendors Association Convention (NBVA), and the Laser Tag Convention. While the educational sessions are separate, there will only be one tradeshow with all vendors exhibiting at the Expo.
EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES
No matter how much experience we gain, there is always room to improve. The Amusement Expo education program has been growing and improving steadily over the last three years, and, for many, it is the most important day of the Expo. All educational sessions will be held on Monday, March 9. This year will feature the most high profile keynote to date, former McDonald’s CEO Ed Rensi. Mr. Rensi is an excellent speaker with a wealth of knowledge about business and life, plus he is not afraid to ruffle feathers. He will likely inspire — and maybe slightly offend — everyone in the room, which makes for a thought-provoking session. The FEC and street tracks provide a great variety of knowledge from leaders in the
34
IBI
February 2020
industry and focus on cutting-edge technologies, as well as the nuts-and-bolts operational improvements. The VR Summit is the premier VR event of the year for the out-ofhome entertainment industry. The Laser Tag Convention and NBVA sessions are targeted to those very important niches for attendees that want to learn about these specific areas.
FEC FOCUS
As the FEC business has expanded rapidly in the last 10 years, largely due to the growth of BECs, the show has added a dedicated FEC track. The speakers have not been announced yet, but we have been informed topics will include eSports, escape rooms, marketing, hiring and training staff, in addition to topics focusing on FEC operations. Each year the quality of the speakers improves, and the sessions are focused on helping attendees improve their business.
ROUTE/STREET FOCUS
The route business has always been a staple in the amusement industry. These companies provide amusement equipment in bowling centers, bars, grocery stores, and a plethora of other locations. Traditionally, these operators provide juke boxes, pool tables, ATMs, as well as a few arcade and crane games in multiple locations. While all of these categories of equipment are still provided by these operators, many have begun to provide full redemption arcades. Often these arcades are operated with an automated redemption solution, like Prize Hub, but increasingly they also
