Amusement 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

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 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. T

Ed Rensi

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

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

provide full redemption counters. The educational sessions will focus on route operations as well as specific categories of equipment, like ATMs, and provide opportunities for operators to meet and discuss topics face to face.

VR SUMMIT

The VR Summit at Amusement Expo is the most important event of the year for the out-of-home entertainment side of the VR business. Most new FEC projects in 2020 will have a VR component, and existing centers are rapidly adding VR — but picking a winner is difficult. The VR Summit will feature a variety of panels and a keynote presentation geared to the out-of-home VR market. At this writing, the speakers had not been announced, though last year they included The Void, Dreamscape, Virtuix, Two Bit Circus, and Ubisoft. Attendees will be educated on the current state of the VR market as well as where it is going.

THE LASER TAG CONVENTION AND NBVA CONVENTION

The Laser Tag Convention provides a slate of seminars dedicated to the laser tag business. Seminars will focus on multiple aspects of this business, including: marketing, financing, designing, insuring, and operating a laser tag attraction and/or business. The NBVA Convention will organize a series of seminars focused on the bulk vending industry.

TRADESHOW

After a full day of education on Monday, March 9, the tradeshow floor will be open on Tuesday, March 10, and Wednesday, March 11. This is the place to see the vendors of toys, games, related products, and VR products. The show provides a focused environment compared to the overwhelming IAAPA show. This allows for a more intimate space to speak with vendors and spend time in each booth. This is also a good show to network and learn how new products released at IAAPA are performing in the field, as well as see new products that were not ready for IAAPA.

Hope to see you there. ❖

Howard McAuliffe is vice president of Pinnacle Entertainment Group. Pinnacle Entertainment Group has conceived, developed, and operated family entertainment businesses in every size and budget, and integrated in to many other business as both corporate executives and entrepreneurs. He can be reached at howardmc@grouppinnacle.com.