Amusement Today, March 2022

Amusement Expo International 2022 has planned for success

AT: Pam Sherborne

psherborne@amusementtoday.com

LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Planners for the upcoming 13th annual Amusement Expo International (AEI) are anticipating at least 3,000 attendees when the doors of the Las Vegas Convention Center open March 14 for the event.

The event is set to run through the 17th, with educational sessions running the first two days and the trade show set for March 16 and 17.

The AEI is unique in that it is the only conference and trade show sponsored by two leading professional associations, the American Amusement Machine Association (AAMA) and Amusement & Music Operators Association (AMOA).

For three and a half days, exhibitors and attendees alike are given top-tier access to connect to the latest innovations, decision makers and leaders representing the out-of-home entertainment business.

Show planners have put together 30 educational sessions. They are expecting 200 exhibiting companies to be on hand. Featured exhibit areas include coin-operated amusements, music, games, virtual reality, bulk vending, laser tag and professional service providers and suppliers.

In January, it was announced that the VR Summit education session would be extended for 2022. The first VR Summit during AEI's conference and trade show was held in 2016. Since then, it has been gaining in popularity.

Originally scheduled this year for March 15 as part of AEI’s extensive education series, it will now be expanded to include an additional half-day session on Monday afternoon, March 14.

“This industry continues to grow and transition toward new generations of technology and is expected to reach over $53 billion by 2028," said Tim Zahn, AEI conference chair. "From leaderboard tournaments to player-vs-player real time competition and even VR laser tag, the latest developments, strategies, and trends to engage millennials and Generation Z continue to evolve.

"That said, we’ve allocated additional time for attendees to learn more about these exciting developments in our industry,” Zahn said.

Zahn said the VR Summit sponsor, Springboard VR, is making this extension of this program available to attendees at no additional cost.

Bob Cooney, global location-based VR expert and facilitator of the summit, will be on hand for the summit. Cooney is the person that had suggested AEI incorporate it into its programming. He felt it would be a great addition as a way to bring VR developers, manufacturers and amusement operators together to facilitate conversation and increase the adoption in the location-based entertainment industry.

The VR Summit begins at 1 p.m., Monday, March 14, with Cooney providing the welcome address and state of the industry. Regularly scheduled VR sessions will continue Tuesday, March 15, in conjunction with a wide variety of courses and formats for all business levels and specialties.

Some VR Summit sessions spread out over the one and half days include Competitive VR Games That Drive Business and VR; ESports Events; Case Study: The Evolution of VR Arcades; What is the Metaverse and VR Master Training: How to Build Operational Excellence in Your Staff.

The AEI conference will kick off the morning of Tuesday, March 15, with the Opening Keynote Address that will be delivered by Dave Rosenberg, an accomplished speaker and noted author of Locked on Leadership, the tactical business guide to creating a culture of courage, caring and consistency.

Rosenberg will share how to develop tactical systems that can achieve strategic goals.

Education sessions for both AEI and the VR Summit will follow the keynote.

AEI education sessions for March 15 include such titles as: Choosing the Best Attractions For Your Room; How to Attract and Keep Team Members; Pinball 3.0: Build a Pinball Community with Tournaments and Other Engaging Events and the Ever-Evolving World of Cashless.

Others are How Do I Decide What to Buy Next; Diversification: A Necessary Key for Today’s Route Operations; How to Attract and Keep Guests; Legalized Gaming 2022: What You Need to Know; Attract People to Your Games and Concession, Snack Bar, Fast Casual, Full Service.

There will be a session on merchandising and cryptocurrency, as well as round tables on laser tag.

The Closing Keynote will be presented by Charlie Witt-mack on Tuesday afternoon. Wittmack is an internationally renowned and award-winning explorer who, in addition to organizing major expeditions for more than two decades, has delivered hundreds of keynote presentations.

He will speak about the importance of reaching beyond what is possible and be successful doing it.

Trade show hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Wednesday, March 16, and 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Thursday, March 17.

The Industry Awards Presentations and Beers and Cheers Reception is scheduled for the evening of March 16. Winners of the 2022 AMOA Innovator Awards Program and the AMOA Operator’s Choice Award will be announced.

The 2021 winners were: AMOA Innovator Award Winners -- Amusement Connect for Slider Mech and LAI Games for Angry Birds Coin Crash!; and AMOA Operator's Choice Award Winner -- Amusement Connect for Paystation Wally!

The AMOA Breakfast and Membership Meeting is set for the morning of Thursday, March 17.

The AMOA is a national trade association that promotes and strengthens the currency-operated machine industry. For more than 70 years, the association has successfully united operators and other professionals beyond the scope of amusement machines, providing the tools and support to help businesses grow and thrive.

The AAMA is an international association, representing manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, and location owner/operators for the coin-operated amusement industry. Their mission is to preserve, protect and promote the industry through legislative advocacy, education, events, networking and member programs.

•amoa.com

•coin-op.org

Premier Rides' Ice Breaker delivers family chills to SeaWorld Orlando

AT: David Fake

Special to Amusement Today

ORLANDO, Fla. — In September 2019, SeaWorld Orlando revealed plans to build a new multi-launch roller coaster, Ice Breaker. Then in November 2019, the park, along with the rides designer and manufacture, Premier Rides, revealed the trains for the roller coaster at the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) Exposition. Several months later, in February 2020, the track work for Ice Breaker was completed.

The amusement industry and enthusiasts were awaiting word on when the ride would officially open, when another unfortunate announcement would preempt Ice Breaker’s opening announcement — SeaWorld, the amusement industry, as well as most of the world, would close indefinitely due to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.

It would be almost two years before an exact opening date for Ice Breaker would be announced: Ice Breaker would open on February 18, 2020.

Named for the treacherous icy summits of the Arctic dessert, Ice Breaker features four airtime-filled launches, two backward and two forward, one of which is a reverse launch into the steepest beyond-vertical drop in Florida — a 93-foot-tall spike at a 100-degree angle. The coaster has a total of 1,900 feet of track, but with its double forward and reverse launches, the train traverses a total of 2,700 feet. Over the course of the ride, riders experience an 80-foot-tall top hat and 13 moments of airtime (even more than the park’s B&M behemoth, Mako) before returning to the station.

The coaster is a Premier Rides custom Sky Rocket model and considered to be a “family thrill ride” because of its 48-inch height restriction, zero inversions and re-rideability.

“It’s more of a step-up for kids because it’s a 48-inch height restriction, so kids who may have outgrown a Grover’s Box Car roller coaster but are not quite ready for Manta or Mako, it’s a great next step for them,” Jeff Hornick, senior director of theme park development at SeaWorld, said during a recent podcast.

“It was designed as a family coaster, but during the testing phase, we realized it was more like a family thrill coaster,” said Brian Andrelczyk, senior vice president of design and engineering at SeaWorld Orlando. “But it’s not so much so that it’s going to scare off the younger folks.”

Andrelcyzk added, “Adults can ride it too, and they’re not going to be disappointed. So, it’s still big enough to thrill, but it’s small enough to have a lower requirement. That means the whole family can enjoy it.”

The public seems to have really taken to it. “The reactions have been great. It’s getting a lot of ‘it’s better than I expected,’ or ‘wow, that airtime was really strong.’ Those are great comments to hear,” Andrelczyk said. “I too love the airtime on it; it is surprisingly strong in a way. Thirteen airtime moments over 2,700 feet on a coaster is pretty impressive.”

His favorite moments? “The airtime hills on either side of the launch track are kind of neat, just because all that weightlessness gets a little stronger, a little stronger, and a little stronger on each of the first three launches. Then that fourth launch, you just kind of get that fun lift out of your seat. It’s a really great feeling. And it’s a fun, repeatable experience,” Andrelczyk told AT.

“But the thing for me is that [Ice Breaker] holds up against the big guys just fine. So, I think it really helps round out our collection at SeaWorld Orlando. We have a really diverse coaster collection here between the launch of Ice Breaker and the height, speed and airtime of Mako, the thrill of flying on Manta and the inversions on Kraken. There’s a a lot of different opportunities and options that you have to experience here with our coasters,” he said.

One of the more unique components of the ride isn’t even on the ride itself, it’s the area around it and the queue.

“The pathways, in general, get really close to and even underneath of the roller coaster so you’ll be able to get really interesting and unique views, whether you’re on the ride or not,” explained Andrelczyk.

The icy theme fits perfectly as the ride is situated across the pathway from Wild Arctic.

At the grand opening of Ice Breaker on Friday, February 18, SeaWorld said the coaster will also highlight its conservation partner, Alaska SeaLife Center, a dedicated research, rescue, rehabilitation and education facility.

“When I first heard about the concept about this — I was a little skeptical. Ice? Florida? Alaska partnership? How much could SeaWorld Orlando and the Alaska SeaLife Center have in common?” explained Alaska SeaLife Center President, Tara Riemer. “But, what we have in common is the commitment to what really matters. The commitment to the oceans, the commitment to the animals who live in those oceans. And so, that’s a common mission of both SeaWorld and the Alaska SeaLife Center, and one that we consider very, very important.”

“It’s a thrilling ride, and it packs a punch that will exceed your expectations,” Vice President of Operations at SeaWorld Orlando Rob McNicholas said during the opening day event. “This could be a first coaster for a young child. It’s a family coaster. It’s smooth, repeatable and it’s a whole lot of fun!”

Then, after a short “Ice, Ice, Baby”-inspired dance routine by SeaWorld’s Entertainment break-dancers, Reimer and McNichols smashed a block of ice which cut an orange and blue ribbon to commemorate the official opening.

Editor's note: Just prior to going to print, SeaWorld Orlando has raised the height requirement for Ice Breaker to 54". A park representative stated the change is "due to some operational issues with smaller riders ... and out of an abundance of caution, for the time being."
The excitement for Amusement Expo builds

INDUSTRY VOICE: Peter Gustafson, American Amusement Machine Association

and Lori Schneider, Amusement & Music Operators Association

As Amusement Today goes to press, we're just a few weeks away from what is shaping up to be the biggest and best Amusement Expo International (AEI)ever! The show floor will be filled with more booths displaying new and exciting products and services then any past AEI.

The show floor is just one of the records being set at this years’ show.

Our education program has been expanded by an additional half-day making it the most comprehensive and informative lineup of seminars we’ve ever organized. From VR to HR, the education program’s wide range of topics and content ensures everyone who attends will leave with actionable information to benefit their individual businesses.

Amusement Expo International provides an engaging platform showcasing cutting-edge amusement games and the latest technologies available to anyone in the business of fun. Attendees will find plenty of opportunities in every segment of the industry to connect and share ideas with the best and most creative leaders in our industry.

This industry continues to grow and transition toward new generations of technology. The future is bright, and AEI 2022 is just the beginning.

It’s play time! We invite you to join us in Las Vegas!

A redeeming quality

AT NOTEBOOK: John W.C. Robinson, jrobinson@amusementtoday.com

We've all had that moment. Whether we were kids with a handful of quarters hoping to take home a prize or on a date and frustratingly trying to put a smile on the face of someone special by winning the cutest stuffed bird in the machine, we've all pumped an endless amount of quarters into claw machines and redemption games hoping to come away with a simple token and a timeless memory.

We've all shared the moment of hope as the delicately clasping claw lifted the prized plush just out of the pile and even carried it toward the winner's circle. Undoubtedly, we've also all shared that frustrating and fleeting tragic moment as the spoils of our efforts fell from the claw just inches from victory.

And yet, we drop in more quarters and try again!

The past couple of years have been filled with moments and experiences that fit the above metaphor throughout our industry. Just as things would start to turn around and look positive, a new variant or difficulty in finding employees would send hopes of a winning operation crashing down to have to start all over again. But, without fail, the industry kept trying, knowing we'd learned from previous efforts and could find success just around the corner.

The world of the adaptable family entertainment centers is finding that success. No-touch redemption games, cashless payment systems, endless entertainment options ... the modern FECs have led the way for showing the attractions industry how to operate under the recent challenges. More importantly, families and guests have been finding fun and unique moments inside the FECs throughout the pandemic and its waves of challenges.

When a claw machine operates at its best, a couple dollars in quarters awards players with plush prize worth maybe fifty-cents. The game-owner profits. The players brief frustrations are quickly forgotten as they walk away with a sense of victory, a smile and a priceless memory. Everybody is a winner.

The 2022 season, and the years to come, are full of promise for the industry to enjoy its own smile which eclipses its frustrations of recent years. We're ready to win.
Land of Make Believe honored

TRENTON, N.J. — The New Jersey Legislature recently honored The Land of Make Believe. The amusement park was named "...one of the Most Iconic Amusement Parks in America." As noted in the accompanying proclamation, The Land of Make Believe has flourished under the leadership of second generation owner, Christopher Maier. Pictured (l to r): Assemblyman John DiMaio, District 23; Assemblyman Parker Space, District 24; Christopher Maier, owner, Land of Make Believe; Assemblyman Hal Wirths, District 24; Senator Steven Oroho, District 24. COURTESY NJAA

Brandon Paul, Amuse Rides LLC

Brandon Paul has been in the construction business for more than 30 years. He started his career in the amusement industry in 2014 working for Rocky Mountain Construction and is now president of Amuse Rides, LLC, an Idaho-based company that specializes in ride, ski lift and waterslide installation, wooden roller coaster repair and ride relocation. Known as a genuine family man, Brandon never misses a chance to spend time as a husband and dad in his “downtime.”

Title:

President.

Number of years in the industry:

Six.

Best thing about the industry:

The people!

Favorite amusement ride:

Matterhorn.

If I wasn’t working in the amusement industry, I would be …

Dead?!?!

Biggest challenge facing our industry:

Work ethic.

The thing I like most about

amusement/water park season is …

Downtime with my family.

Favorite breakfast food:

Bacon.

The most memorable class I have ever taken would have to be …

Economics.

When I need advice, I turn to …

My wife.

If I had to be named after one of the Seven Dwarves it would be …

Happy!

When dipping tortilla chips, do you prefer salsa, cheese or guacamole?

Actually, my wife’s queso.

My latest big bargain was …

My car.

One week ago today, I was …

On top of a wooden roller coaster. Choose one: African safari or Australian outback:

African safari.

When I say baseball, you say …

Boring.

Spring is almost here! My favorite springtime activity is …

Golfing with my sons.

You are on an elevator. Do you look straight ahead or make small-talk?

Depends on who is in the elevator!

It’s Friday night at 7 p.m. Where can we typically find you?

Date night with my wife of 26 years.

The last time I went in the ocean was … July of 2021.

My favorite pizza topping is …

Canadian bacon without pineapple.

Are you a little bit country or a little bit rock ‘n’ roll?

I’m a little bit rock ‘n’ roll.

The first thing I do when I get home from work is …

Kiss my wife and kids.

Coolest museum:

National Roller Coaster Museum and Archives, of course!
Amusement Expo International 2021

March 15-17, 2022, Las Vegas, Nevada

Exhibitor Listing

A & A Global 917

Adrenaline Amusements 1319

American Alpha, Inc. 1118

American Amusement Machine Assoc. (AAMA) 1439

American Changer Corp. 411

Allstar Vending 1009

AMI Entertainment 427

Amusement & Music Operators Assoc. (AMOA) 1339

Amusement Connect 838

Amusement Products 1136

Amusement Today 1108

Andamiro Co.,Ltd 337

Apple Industries 715

Arachnid 360 227

Art Attack 654

AstroSystems, Inc. 741

ATM Headquarters LLC 1345

ATM Merchant Services 213

AXES 1144

Bad Dog Games, LLC 1244

Bandai Namco 127

Banilla Games 827

Barron Games 1127

Baton Lock USA 909

Battle Company 701

Bay Tek Entertainment 727

Betson Enterprises 105

Big Daddy Games LLC 249

Bissell Commercial 1104

BMI Leisure 555

BMI Merchandise 326

Bowling Center Management 1336

Boxblaster Virtual Reality 805

Brand Vending Products 1015

Brunswick Billiards 203

Candymachines.com 905

Captain's Auction Warehouse 936

Cardinal Distributing 1004

Cardinal Xpress 839

CenterEdge Software 1135

Championship/Dynasphere 203

Clubspeed 1333

Coastal Amusements 527

Complete Signs 1312

Concord Confections 1005

Creative Works 1139

Cypress ATM 314

Delta Strike 1234

Digital Centre America, Inc 900

DSM Sales & Manufacturing, Inc. 633

Elaut Group 809

Elite Gaming Technology, Inc. 1035

Embed 349

American Game Machine 1149

EnterIdeas 1239

FEC Insurance Agency 1138

Firestone Financial 539

Firstlease 501

FISH GAME KINGS 705

Flatline Corporation 1012

Fun Express 417

Fun Spot Manufacturing, LLC 1049

Funovation 655

G-Kar 1039

GameBox Builders, LLC 549

Global Fun Pros 1148

Goldfinger 209

Hoffman Mint 415

Hologate 631

Hot Games 1246

Hownd 1105

I.E.Park Srl Amusement Ride & Soli Bumper Cars 1413

IAAPA 316

Ideal One Amusement Software 1213

IGPM Group 605

Incredible Technologies 126

Incredivend 330

Innovative Concepts in Entertainment, Inc. 311

Innovative Technology Americas, Inc 1043

Intercard 927

International Currency Technologies Corp. 217

Ivey Promotions/Jenka Lab 149

Jennison Entertainment Technologies 1027

JK Coin Supply 728

KioSoft Technologies 1045

Klopp: Money Handling Equipment 739

KoMuse America Inc. 543

LAI Games 305

Laser Tag Musuem 1433

LaserBlast 837

Laserforce 651

Lasertag.com by Zone 1210

Lasertron 939

LaZer Runner Laser Tag Systems 601

Lock America, Inc 726

M3t 416

McGowan Allied Specialty Insurance 1134

Bazooka Ball / Fluorescent Print 1427

Meridian Equipment Finance 801

Meta4 Interactive 509

Moss distributing, INC 137

MTW Manufacturing 1140

Nayax / Tigapo 1131

North American Dart Organization (NADO) 734

Omega Carpet Patterns 602

Pace-O-Matic, Inc. 637

Party Center Software 749

Patriot Gaming 627

PAI 700

VR eSport Arena by Phenomena 1117

PhoenixDartsUSA, Inc. 1326

Pia Products 1114

Pipeline Games 901

Primero Games 437

Prominent Technologies (Prominent Games) 848

Pyramid Technologies, Inc 518

Quattronics 949

QubicaAMF Bowling Products 1145

Redemption Plus 1111

RePlay Magazine 1147

Retro Arcade LLC 1038

Rhode Island Novelty 402

Rilix LLC 510

Roller 1205

S&B Candy and Toy/ St. Louis Game Company 1251

Sacoa Cashless System 611

SafePark USA 1236

SEGA Amusements International Ltd 327

Semnox Solutions 308

Shaffer Distributing Company 1313

Silent Partner Software, LLC 1330

Smart Industries Corp. 219

Smart Software 941

Spinthon ltd 553

Spree Interactive 1305

SpringboardVR 1332

Squishable 800

SSM Vending 911

Stern Pinball 104

Sureshot Redemption 1217

Sureway Gaming 504

Suzohapp 704

The Really Big Crane Company 935

Var Live - from the VR Collective 1316

TouchTunes 515

Toy Factory 1227

TrainerTainment 1314

Trestle 1040

Triotech 505

United L & R 1017

Unis Technology (Canada) Ltd. 235

Univest Capital 1150

US Bowling Corporation 653

Valley Dynamo 112

Valo Motion Oy 1415

Venco Business Solutions 648

Venture Vega 332

Virtuix 649

Vortex Bunkers 1247

VR 360 ACTION 1417

VRsenal LLC 1327

We Create Entertainment 750

Wiegand Sports GmbH 1132

The Wireless Box 1202

World Plush, Inc. 1110

ZTAG - Gunless Laser Tag 1235
Wait is over – RMC, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay awaken Iron Gwazi

AT: David Fake

Special to Amusement Today

TAMPA, Fla. — “So come up to the lab and see what's on the slab. I see you shiver with antici… PATION!” is an oft-quoted movie line from The Rocky Horror Picture Show, referring to “Rocky” a creature created in the motion picture. This month, however, that quote could very well be attributed to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, referring to Iron Gwazi, its newest and most thrilling coaster and latest creation of another “Rocky,” Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC).

Anticipation has been building since December 2018 when the park officially announced its standing-but-not-operating dueling wooden coaster, Gwazi, would get the “RMC treatment” many speculated — and hoped — would be coming since the ride closed in 2015.

At the time of the announcement, few details were provided, except that the new coaster would open in 2020.

In March 2019 the park announced the new coaster would be North America’s tallest hybrid and the fastest, steepest hybrid coaster in the world. Later in 2019 the name Iron Gwazi was announced, with a shift of theme from Lion/Tiger to Crocodile.

Billboards for Iron Gwazi went up in the Tampa area in late February/early March, notably lacking “opening soon,” signaling the opening was eminent. However, the COVID-19 pandemic had other plans.

Even after the parks reopened after its several month pandemic closure in 2019, the park was mum as to when the coaster would open.

It was August 2021 when Busch Gardens Tampa Bay announced Iron Gwazi would open in March 2022.

After four years of waiting, the anticipation and excitement have become palpable. Then just as it seemed the opening would never arrive, media outlets and enthusiasts were invited to experience Iron Gwazi in mid-February

The day had finally come.

Iron Gwazi, with its one-minute, fifty-second ride time, traverses 4,075 feet of track at speeds up to 76 mph and treats riders to a 206-foot drop at 91 degrees, 12 extreme airtime points, two full inversions (a zero-G stall and a downward barrel roll), as well as an overbanked curve (which the park considers to be a third inversion).

Early response has been overwhelmingly positive, sometimes a difficult feat to accomplish after years of hype and anticipation. Because the coaster is tremendously fast and thrilling, while also exceptionally smooth and enjoyable, it is a huge win for both the park and the coaster designer/manufacturer.

Thrilling, fast, exciting, smooth, enjoyable, and fun are all adjectives for what RMC has become known to repeatably and consistently deliver, and surely, a major factor in the park selecting the designer/manufacturer to create their next thrill ride.

Neal Thurman, Park President, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and Adventure Island told Amusement Today that he has two favorite parts of Iron Gwazi.

“First is the drop at 206 feet — the tallest coaster in Florida and the tallest hybrid coaster in North America. The 40 seconds on the lift hill, builds the excitement and makes you kind of ask yourself, ‘What am I doing here?’ Then you get to the top and you look down at that 91-degree drop. You can’t even see the track and all of a sudden, you're coming down,” he said.

“Let me tell you, that extra degree beyond vertical, you really feel it. The drop sets the tone at the very beginning of the ride that you're in for a spectacular experience. Then it is all fun and no brakes until the end. The 76 miles per hour that make it the fastest hybrid in the world — you really feel it. It’s unrelenting,” he explained.

Thurman’s next favorite part is the 540-degree downward barrel roll. “It’s so smooth as you go into it, and it’s almost over before you even realize you're going upside down.”

The original Gwazi, a Great Coasters International pair of custom dueling coasters, was a first of its kind when opened in 1999 to rave reviews. Lion and Tiger, the two different, but similar track layouts measured a combined 7,000+ feet. It was a massive installation built on the site of the former Anheuser-Busch brewery and was visible from almost all areas of the park.

By 2010, Gwazi had become a rather rough ride, mostly due to the wet, hot, humid Florida weather, as well as costly to maintain. The park attempted to breathe new like into the coasters, but, unfortunately, even after extensive retracking and the addition of new Millennium Flyer trains in 2011, the coasters quickly returned to an aggressive ride.

Experiencing dwindling ridership, the park stopped dueling the coasters. Later, closing the Tiger track and only operated the Lion side of attraction. Ultimately, in 2015, Gwazi was closed and never reopened.

RMC’s Alan Schilke-designed coaster, with its durable IBox track hybrid design, utilizes approximately 40% of the structure and track layout of its former incarnation, and original Gwazi footers can be seen while riding Iron Gwazi. This durable design will ensure Iron Gwazi, unlike its former incarnation, will have a long lifespan. Its smooth ride will also ensure long-standing popularity.

Thanks to enthusiasts, media, and industry coverage/conversation, the anticipation and hype surrounding Iron Gwazi will guarantee a large and very welcome increase in attendance, post-pandemic for Busch Gardens Tampa Bay.

“Finally, being able to open [Iron Gwazi] says ‘tourism is back.’ It just adds to the fact that Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is a great place to come and have a good time. You know, people want to get out, get together again, and have a great time,” said Thurman.

Those guests who already purchased annual passes were next up for their exclusive rides on Iron Gwazi. The weekend following the coaster being introduced to the media, passholders were given the opportunity to experience the attraction.

While the anticipation is over for a select few groups, the masses will only need to hold their breath a bit longer. Busch Gardens Tampa Bay officially opens Iron Gwazi to the public on March 11.

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and RMC have a winner on their hands with Iron Gwazi, and they are ready to treat the world to the thrill and exhilaration of this beast. The invite has been extended to come out to the park and, as Dr. Frank-N-Furter says in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, “Dig it, if you can!”

•buschgardens.com/tampa
Blackpool Pleasure Beach adds a twist to Icon with Mack HybridTrain

AT: Tim Baldwin

tbaldwin@amusementtoday.com

BLACKPOOL, England — When Blackpool Pleasure Beach opened Icon in 2018, it was not just the newest roller coaster at the park in over a decade, but the first brand-new coaster since the park’s signature Big One (Arrow Dynamics) defined the property’s border in 1994. The Mack Rides installation was suitably named: Icon. Its central location in the park captivated onlookers with two launches, inversions and tunnels.

This year, the park is adding a twist. One of the trains will become a Mack Rides HybridTrain. The back car of one of the attraction’s three trains will offer spinning seats. Guests who choose that option will experience Ensō.

A spokesperson for Blackpool Pleasure Beach said: “Blackpool Pleasure Beach and Mack Rides have a strong, long standing relationship that goes back many years and has seen the Thompson and Mack families work together on many projects. When Mack Rides approached us with the development concept of spinning seats, we knew straight away this was an exciting idea, especially as this means Icon is the only Mack ride in the northern hemisphere to have this upgrade.”

According to the park, there will be an upcharge to ride Ensō, with two levels of access, standard and VIP. The standard method allows guests to access the new experience by queuing as normal before riding, and VIP means that the higher level ticket can gain access to Ensō almost straight away. Both will be able to be booked via Blackpool Pleasure Beach’s app.

This special seating will be the first for Europe. One of the selling points is the unpredictability of the experience. Because riders’ weight will vary, the forces of each ride will change, providing new views and new sensations each time a rider challenges Ensō. The maneuvers are magnified.

“The ride vehicle will come to Germany, and we replace the upper parts of the ride with the rotation device and new seats,” said Maximilian Roeser, Mack Rides. “It’s not a new carriage but a modified one.”

The Mack Rides HybridTrain was first used on Dreamworld’s Steel Taipan, which opened in Australia in December.

“The weight is actually pretty much the same – we remove two seats and therefore the rotation platform comes in — that’s about the same weight,” Roeser told Amusement Today. “As the seats are slightly higher from the track, they are a little more reclined to match the existing reach envelope.”

Ensō is Japanese for circular form” or “circle of togetherness.”

In addition to Ensō, the park will also be reimagining its award-winning Valhalla, for the 2022 season.
Australia’s Luna Park debuts a significant expansion of new attractions

AT: Tim Baldwin

tbaldwin@amusementtoday.com

SYDNEY, Australia — As 2021 ended, the last component of an AU$30 million expansion began delighting the visitors to Luna Park. Like any park that has been operating for decades, Luna Park is draped in history. Opened in 1935, the park has seen several attractions come and go, but change is expected in the world of amusements.

Director Warwick Doughty said, “Throughout Luna Park we share references to our historic past — with plenty of information, facts and interesting elements for guests to enjoy at their leisure. A guest from 1935 would see many of their favorite rides still operating at Luna Park Sydney.”

In addition to rides, the park’s showtime team has also brought the history of Luna Park to life with Blip and Twerp, themed clowns that are “stuck” in 1935.

Perhaps the most high-profile among the new rides was Big Dipper, the first installation of a Hot Racer model from Intamin Amusement Rides. This new product in Intamin’s portfolio uses a single rail. Passengers sit single file as they zip and slither through the twisted snarl of track that could almost be described as a bar of stretched taffy.

The park paid homage to its past by naming its new coaster Big Dipper, the third coaster to be named such at the park. The original was a large wooden coaster, the latter was an Arrow steel multi-looper.

“The new Big Dipper is a state-of-the-art ‘one seat wide’ train that is smaller than the original Big Dipper at Luna Park,” said Doughty. “It has been specifically designed to ride very low to the terrain where appropriate, in harmony with the historic landscape features of the site.”

Seven riders take their seats, a lap-bar restraint provides great comfort and freedom. The ride features two tire-driven launches and a complement of elements that provide both negative Gs and inversions.

Doughty’s favorite moment? “Airtime! Seeing visitors enjoy the thrill of airtime adds a whole new level of fun to their Luna Park experience,” he said. “It is the first of its type in the world — fast and intense!”

As this is an entirely new product from Intamin, Amusement Today asked how it feels to see it finally completed

“Actually very, very good,” said Sascha Czibulka, executive vice president, Intamin. “The first Intamin Hot Racer at Luna Park in Sydney, Australia, makes us not just proud, but the first feedback received confirms to us the potential of this coaster concept.”

With a lengthy history of supplying coasters, Intamin’s portfolio keeps expanding.

“A good 35 years after Intamin first put a roller coaster with inline seating into operation, it was time to focus again on the rather unusual in-line seating arrangement,” said Czibulka. “And it was quite natural to combine our highly successful launch coasters — in this particular case the state-of-the-art friction wheel launch system — with this seating arrangement. The result is the Intamin Hot Racer, a roller coaster that is still family-friendly despite the accelerations, the speeds and the varied elements including inversions. The Hot Racer combines all the well-known advantages of different roller coaster types from Intamin and our decades of know-how in this area — be it the seat and restraint system, which are identical to the one used on Intamin's LSM launch coasters resulting in the most comfortable seat/restraint currently available on the market, be it the track quality, be it the launch sections or be it the various elements of this coaster.”

The bulk of the ride expansion is from Zamperla. The company provided six brand-new rides for Luna Park. Tullio Faccin, longtime sales director for Zamperla, retired at the end of 2021, following the completion of the Luna Park project. Filippo Sbalcheiro resumed the responsibilities for markets such as Australia and Vietnam (among others).

“Following the Luna Park project with Tullio’s direction was a great opportunity to learn from someone with decades of experience,” said Sbalcheiro. “We are very proud of the ride mix which showcases our diverse product line from kiddie to thrill attractions at great price points.”

The mix of rides includes a Discovery 360, Jumpin’ Tower 16, Crazy Bus, Jump Around, Samba Balloon and Mini Ferris Wheel. The largest of the attractions is the Discovery 360, which when fully inverting riders, stretches 30 meters (almost 100 feet) into the sky.

Gerstlauer supplied a family coaster called Boomerang. The shuttle coaster stands almost 40 feet tall and has a track length of just under 600 feet, however, riders travel both forward and backward along the rails. Top speed of the ride is 31 mph, making for a good fit among the family demographic.

The park also added a Preston & Barbieri children’s coaster whimsically called Little Nipper. It sports a shark motif.

“Every ride and attraction comply fully with the very strict existing regulations relating to noise, height, lights and hours of operation that have been in place since 2004,” Doughty noted. “Luna Park Sydney has our very own artist. Employed full time, our resident artist ensures that historic areas are maintained, detailed and restored to their original art form, as well as adding exciting, themed touches to new installations. From the heritage-listed Rotor to murals and signage throughout the park, the history of Luna Park is celebrated and enjoyed by all.”

As with all things in recent years, the global pandemic resulted in changes and delays.

“Luna Park Sydney did have to close for the installation of the nine new rides that now make up our iconic new location, Luna Land,” Doughty told AT. “The launch of Luna Land was unfortunately timed just ahead of the unplanned closure due to COVID-19 restrictions implemented across Sydney, Australia. Staff remained positive and focused on an impressive and extensive reopening, which proved highly anticipated and well-received in October 2021. Visitors are taken back by the enhanced experience. There’s something for everyone.”
Shanghai Haichang

Ocean Park named

"most popular attraction"

LANGFANG, China — Shanghai Haichang Ocean Park was named “2021’s Most Popular Attraction” at this year’s China Cultural Tourism Innovation and Development Forum. At the ceremony, which was held in January, Haichang also received awards for its leadership and social responsibility initatives.

Designed by Hollywood-based Legacy Entertainment, the 73-acre marine life park has been a strong performer since its debut in 2018, drawing over 3,000,000 visitors a year prior to the pandemic.

“There are few things more challenging to build and operate well than a marine life theme park,” said Taylor Jeffs, Legacy Entertainment’s president and chief creative officer. “The continued recognition of the Haichang team will hopefully serve as an inspiration to owners and operators all around the world.”

Later during this year will see the opening of two all-new aquarium complexes designed by Legacy Entertainment, including the Chimelong Marine Science Park.
Baynum Painting providing a fresh wave of color at Florida attractions

AT: Tim Baldwin

tbaldwin@amusementtoday.com

NEWPORT, Ky. — Kentucky-based Baynum Painting is traditionally busy in the off-season. This winter is no different. Currently the company has crews in Central Florida helping parks look fresh for the upcoming season. While Florida parks are typically open year-round, the approaching busy seasons will be better received with the help of fresh looks of many park attractions.

“Our fans are excited to see the painting projects take place in the park,” said Neal Thurman, park president, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. “We do see positive comments regarding the painting projects.”

Busch Gardens recently saw the completion of a painting project on its Intamin launch coaster, Cheetah Hunt. Now vividly bright, the coaster has welcomed riders once again. With its reopening, Baynum is now deep into its second project at the Tampa theme park. Montu, a Bolliger & Mabillard inverted coaster, is getting revived with a new variation of colors.

“2022 is an exciting year for Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and Adventure Island as we introduce three new rides, including the world’s fastest and steepest hybrid coaster, Iron Gwazi!” said Thurman. “As part of our preparations for the addition of Iron Gwazi, we are busy giving both Busch Gardens and Adventure Island a fresh new look. While we always like to have our rides open for our guests, we do occasionally close rides to perform routine annual maintenance work. This year, the scheduled downtime was slightly extended to allow time to paint both Cheetah Hunt and Montu. To minimize the impact, we staggered the downtime. Montu temporarily closed after Cheetah Hunt re-opened.”

Busch Gardens is also a renowned zoo as well as a theme park. Both coaster projects are located near animal enclosures. When asked if the habitats created any challenges, Thurman told Amusement Today, “The health and safety of the animals in our care is always a high priority. Service vehicles are able to access Montu via a service road, so painting the coaster has no impact to animal exhibits.”

The refresh on Cheetah Hunt used its traditional colors since the ride opened in 2011. However, Thurman is pleased that Montu was receiving a brighter color scheme.

“Aestetically, we want all of our paint projects to look irresistibly fun,” said Chris Baynum, president, Baynum Painting.

With the long-awaited debut of Iron Gwazi finally taking place owing to delays with the pandemic, the park is using its own team to complement Baynum’s work. Busch Gardens is expecting a huge year, and the park is focused on beauty.

“We have a list of paint projects we review annually,” Thurman said. “In addition to Cheetah Hunt and Montu, we are also giving the Stanley Falls flume a fresh look. We are repainting all the buildings in the Moroccan Village and in Pantopia. Across the street at Adventure Island, our painters are busy painting buildings and giving several slides a fresh gelcoat as we prepare to reopen Adventure Island on March 5.”

Baynum’s team is also hard at work down the road at Legoland Florida. The water play structures are receiving some TLC. While visitors can appreciate the glorious rays of the Sunshine State, the sun can take its toll on attractions. Baynum is getting some water park equipment ready for a spring opening.

“With waterslides and water attractions, we take a completely different approach because the guests are literally able to touch, climb and slide on the majority of the ride,” said Baynum. “Whereas with coasters, the only thing the guests generally touch is the safety restraint that they are holding on to.”

Kings Dominion

rebrands 1980s coaster

AT: Tim Baldwin

tbaldwin@amusementtoday.com

DOSWELL, Va. — What’s old is new again. When Kings Dominion debuts Tumbili, an S&S 4D Free Spin coaster, this spring, it will be the park’s 13th coaster. However, something else should appear completely fresh as well.

Built in 1988, the Mack Rides bobsled attraction debuted as the first of its kind in North America. While other such models of this genre exist around the world, Avalanche was the only one ever to be installed on this side of the pond. Emulating an old Flying Turns-style of attraction, rides of this nature are not locked to tracks, but free wheel in troughs, making banked turns exhilarating. While other bobsled-inspired coasters had come to North America, the Virginia theme park can boast ownership of the only Mack version.

The area of the park featuring the new coaster is being rethemed to Jungle X – Pedition. Along with its jungle safari aesthetic, the former Avalanche will be rebranded as Reptilian. Previously white for more than three decades, the bobsled ride features a new palette of earth tones, emulating a muddy clay environment. Shades of copper and beige drape the coaster in a swath of earth tones.

The trains will look particularly different. Gone will be the bobsled-themed vehicles with flags of world countries emblazoned on the back. Now gracing Reptilian will be a crocodile theme with a blend of Aztec artwork and teeth.

A storyline of Professor Whey discovering Tumbili is paired with that of Rovin Jay, an archeology professor, uncovering another temple. What secrets and mysteries might lurk within has yet to be revealed by Kings Dominion. The reptilian creatures will dart and slither through the temple.

Following a pressure wash to the ride and a layer of primer, the troughs and structure began receiving its new colors in December and the work progressed over the winter.

Three trains operate on the Mack coaster. Each train features seven individual cars, which will seat either one or two riders. Top speed is 41 mph.

Six of this type of ride were manufactured. Five still remain in operation. The other four are found in the European countries of Germany, France and England. The defunct installation operated in Japan but was forever lost with the closure of Kobe Portopialand.
Lost Island Theme Park will showcase new Sally dark ride Volkanu

AT: Tim Baldwin

tbaldwin@amusementtoday.com

WATERLOO, Iowa — Building a theme park during a global crisis is a challenge. The owners of Lost Island Waterpark have been hard at work constructing a companion attraction, Lost Island Theme Park. The new park will have themed lands focused on Earth’s elements. One of the iconic visuals at the park will be a volcano, which will showcase the element of fire. Once guests work their way to the back of the park, a key attraction will be Volkanu: Quest for the Golden Idol.

Designed to create an immersive experience into the park’s mythical theme, the ride weaves a tale of Volkanu, a legendary bestial being of molten rock living deep inside Lost Island. The quest is to locate the sacred Ora-Tika statue, responsible for keeping Volkanu dormant. Once riders have returned it to the alter, peace is restored to the island.

“This is a signature Drew Hunter ride. Our VP of creative design has always had a signature style,” said Lauren Weaver, VP marketing and business development, Sally Dark Rides.. This attraction is years in the making. We had debuted Forbidden Island at the show [years ago] and up walks Gary Bertch with a Lost Island card. It was maybe a match made in heaven. [The park] was themed around an island, so we transitioned it to more of a volcano theme. And he built a theme park while a doggone pandemic was happening.”

“We began talking about the Forbidden Island concept, which had evolved into a Volcanikus character over the years,” said Hunter. “They thought it would be perfect in one of the areas of the park they were developing — they have five themed around the lost island — and this would be perfect for the realm of fire. We developed a further storyline.”

“It’s going to be an incredible experience — thrilling yet family-friendly. We’ve got a lava bat; we’ve got scorpions. We’re also blending it with 3-D media,” said Weaver. “It’s going to be all-encompassing.”

“[Volkanu] is No. 1. Hands down, this is going to be the climax of the visit,” said Eric Bertch, owner, Lost Island Theme Park. “Whether people realize it or not, that theming does impact the overall experience. It makes your visit more enjoyable.”

“Volkanu is the park’s anchor attraction, kind of the grand finale. We’re honored to do this for Lost Island,” said Weaver. “They’ve been wonderful to work with, and they are excited about this unique attraction. It’s going to define their park.”

“We do have competition that exists in this part of the country,” said Bertch, responding to the question of why choose a signature dark ride in the opening package. “We really took pains to choose attractions that were either missing [in the parks within a few hours drive] or underrepresented in terms of the quality of the ride. Where rides are more common, we are offering a themed queue to make it more of an adventure or an experience more than just a ride everyone wants to go on. The dark ride was one of those things that was missing in terms of a world-class-level attraction that you would find in Orlando or California.”

“We all worked great together,” noted Hunter. “We went back and forth for several years. This is one of the best creative relationships I’ve been through in the business.”

“It was very collaborative,” said Bertch. “The final story had several iterations. It was kind of like an Indiana Jones thing where he takes the statue away and there all these booby traps. We went that direction in reverse to where you put the statue back which sets a trap for the villain, Volkanu. He’s stuck inside the volcano.”

The park will be divided into five themed lands, four of which are centered on elements such as earth, air, water and fire. Each has its own “character.” A spirit realm is the fifth area.

“We have a whole catalog of characters we have created,” said Bertch. “You get introduced to these personalities. Sally took one of those concepts and made it come to life as it ushers you through the queue line. This shaman character is integrated into the rest of the story of the park.”

Although Sally had created the Volcanikus character, Lost Island owners felt it sounded too noble and Roman, opting for something more unusual — Volkanu.

“Riders board vehicles in what is called the Inferno Transport System,” shared Hunter. “Each guest is given a ‘thermal equalizer.’ That attacks the fire beasts encountered along the way.”

As the tale is spun during the ride, guests encounter the six thieves that have stolen the tiki statues and have been transformed into six demonic figures.

“Volkanu has sent all these magma warriors and magma snakes and lava scorpions and giant fire bat all along the way to dissuade you from leaving the Temple of Fire,” said Hunter.

Alterface is partnering on the attraction for the gaming component. Pure Imagination, which Sally has worked with before on Hersheypark’s Reese’s Cupfusion and the Justice League attractions at Six Flags parks, will be handling the 3-D media.

“There are details that most people may never see,” said Bertch. “There are hand-painted mushrooms placed in the corner of the rockwork that people may never know are there. As I walk through with the show lights up, it is a remarkable detail that didn’t need to go in, but it exists. As you go through the ride, there are several Easter egg-type things in there.”

The ride is expected to last for about four minutes. Forte is doing scenic work for the project, which Hunter says is “gorgeous work.” All set pieces are already installed. Techni-Lux is handling show lighting. The ride will have its own original soundtrack, orchestrated by John Citroni.

“John has done work for us in the past,” said Hunter. “He has produced a super dynamic, primal super score for our ride. It’s really exciting. There is music that plays all the way through the queue. There are probably nine tracks total. Each one has its own flavor; it’s powerful stuff.”

Heat and smoke will also add to the experience.

“This ride is the other end of the spectrum than our Justice League rides, which are architectural. This ride is organic,” Hunter told Amusement Today. “Trees, caves, tunnels … this one has its own flavor, its own sound to it unlike anything we’ve done before. It’s going to stand alone in the Sally canon of rides.”

“This is hands down going to be the most ridden attraction in the park,” said Bertch.

The 159-acre theme park is located next to the existing water park and Casino Hotel Waterloo. The master plan was developed by BDR Design Group.
A miniature Lego version of SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California, the host of Super Bowl LVI and home to the NFL’s Rams and Chargers, debuted in February at Legoland California Resort in northern San Diego County.

It took a team of 25 builders more than 6,000 hours to complete, requiring some 500,000 bricks to model the exact look of the less-than-two-year-old stadium.

The completed, the model is 30 feet long, 15 feet wide and stands more than four feet tall.

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The City of Grand Island, New York, has hopes that Niagara Amusement Park and Splash World, the park once known as Fantasy Island, will reopen this spring, helping to boost tourism in the area.

The park is now owned by IB Parks and Entertainment. Gene Staples, owner of IB Parks and Entertainment, entered a long-term agreement to lease the property from Store Capital in May 2021. Staples also owns and operates Clementon Lake Park and Indiana Beach.

The park has had a tumultuous history over the past six years or so. A group known as Store Capital bought the land in May 2016 and Apex Parks Group began leasing the property from Store that same month.

But reports began surfacing in 2018 and 2019 that the park condition had deteriorated, with several rides not operational. In early 2020 Apex confirmed it had closed the park.

Last year only the waterpark section of the park was open to visitors.

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Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, has one of the top culture companies in the country, according to a national ranking released in early May.

The parks and resorts company made this year's Top Workplaces USA list, which is determined using anonymous employee feedback.

Of the more than 1,100 businesses that ranked in the national competition, Dollywood was the lone East Tennessee business to make the cut.

This is the second year the Top Workplaces USA designation has been awarded by workplace survey firm Energage.

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Merlin Entertainments has signed a partnership agreement with Mondelez International. Under the deal, the theme park operator will manage the day-to-day operations of Cadbury World in Birmingham, England, and gain Cadbury World's brand usage rights.

The partnership will go into effect beginning this summer, subject to confirmation from the Competition and Markets Authority.

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The Wild Animal Park in Chittenango, New York, has secured approval from the Town Board for its planned 117-acre expansion. The $10 million project will see the construction of a water park, a miniature golf course, a camping resort, a fishing pond and animal encounter bungalows. Work will start in March and be completed in 2024.

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In 2025, Nestle is planning to open an amusement park entirely dedicated to chocolate. The Swiss multinational company has revealed that the project will be located north of the Gruyère regional park.

Switzerland is determined to establish its international reputation for chocolate. Or rather, Nestle is determined to cement its status as a chocolate giant. Its projects in this area include the opening of a theme park dedicated to the sweet treat.

The theme park project already has its foundations. Nestle plans to expand the site of Maison Cailler, Broc, Switzerland, where chocolate has been produced for nearly 200 years. Because of the chocolate museum there, the destination is already popular with visitors.

Reports have estimated the park will cost 80 million Swiss francs or about $86 million. It also has been reported that the park will not have traditional rides. Instead, it will take visitors on a journey through the history of cocoa and its production.
Embed's innovations help FECs thrive during COVID-19 Pandemic

SINGAPORE — In 2021, the family entertainment industry pivoted strategies and focused on surviving and thriving in the pandemic, eventually going down the road to recovery. In 2022, with COVID restrictions easing up, customers have been displaying a bit of a spending spree, making up for lost time and the immense craving for entertainment, experiences and connection — without compromising safety.

With the crowds coming back, FECs remaining in a survival mode will no longer be enough. However, FEC owners and operators are preparing to cater to guests in the new low-touch, contactless economy. Consumers are now demanding faster, safer and more efficient ways to transact and engage with businesses.

This change requires an upgrade to reliable systems that can give real-time visibility and results, simplify ways of working, minimize touchpoints and freeing up more manpower without compromising the guest experience.

"2020 has tested our industry in ways that no one could have imagined. Consumers demand a low touch, contactless, and cashless society now," said Renee Welsh, CEO of Embed, a leading supplier of the cashless business management systems and solutions. "Now, we are happy to be a part of our customers' transition to reinventing their business into an FEC of the future with only the latest in breakthrough innovations."

The husband and wife tandem Chris and Jennifer Donner of Game Over Arcade in Lincoln City, Oregon, met Embed during IAAPA Expo 2021 and opted to make the transition from quarters to card readers. This enabled the couple to have more control over what's happening in their business including eliminating coin jams that incur maintenance costs and block revenue flows.

"We ultimately came to [Embed] because it has been in business the longest. The company is with the biggest FECs in the nation and [it] seemed to be the best," commented Chris Donner.

Thanks to Embed's smartTOUCH arcade debit game card readers, the Donners were able to take a step back, easing their hands-on management approach to the FEC. Instead of going to and from the bank daily while carrying thousands of dollars worth of coins and risking potential theft, going cashless removed their hurdles to profitability as well as solved their potential security problem.

Similarly, Scary Strokes, a Waldorf, Maryland-based FEC, needed an all-in-one solution for its games, attractions. After doing a lot of comparisons between different card systems over the years, President and CEO Doug Roth opted to make the switch to Embed. Roth was able to purchase a complete bundle which fulfilled all of his FEC's needs — from kiosks, card readers, point of-sales and redemption system.

By also adopting Embed's award-winning Mobile Wallet during the height of the pandemic, Scary Strokes ensured that it could continue operating during seemlessly during the pandemic with real-time visibility over operations, COVID-19 contact tracing capabilities and a virtual game card that allows guests to play and reload from their phones, keeping them safe and in the zone.

“When Embed introduced the Mobile Wallet, it seemed like a good opportunity for us to jump in and see what it was all about,” said Roth. “There’s nothing not to like about it. It’s clever and very convenient; you don’t have to visit a kiosk or a staff member, you do everything from the comfort of your phone.”

In Reno, Nevada, Billy Tiehm, manager of Atlantis Casino Resort had a choice to switch to another cashless solutions provider but elected to stick with Embed, the resort's provider since 2008. The business has since utilized smart reporting from the software Guru, smartTOUCH debit game card readers and Prize redemption system.

"As a manager, I find all the reporting to be exactly what we need," stated Tiehm. "It saves time, and setting up new games is very easy."

With Atlantis's guests now familiar with the existing seamless system, Tiehm plans to upgrade the resort's VIP loyalty program to Embed's RFID wearable media.

—John W.C. Robinson
After delays, Super 78 debuts RiseNY attraction in Times Square

NEW YORK — When James Sanna, president and CEO of Running Subway, came to the team at Super 78 seeking the design firm’s expertise to help develop an attraction in New York City, little did they know it would take them on a 10-year journey together. RiseNY, the first flying theater experience in the northeast U.S., recently opened to acclaim in Times Square.

The attraction tells the story of New York through a series of engaging museum galleries and culminates with a simulated flight above its storied boroughs. It treats guests to sweeping vistas of the Brooklyn Bridge, the 9/11 Memorial and other evocative scenes that capture the city’s grandeur as well as the spirit and energy of its people. The development of RiseNY and getting it open, however, has been something of a bumpy ride.

Soon after meeting to get the project going, Hurricane Sandy unleashed its wrath. Running Subway then lost the location on which it had set its sights, causing further delays. The COVID-19 pandemic added additional turbulence. Through it all, the creative partners persevered.

“New York is a city that never gives up. This project speaks to the resolve of New Yorkers like James who refuse to take no for an answer and rise up anyway,” said Dina Benadon, Super 78’s co-founder and CEO. “We’ve been along for the ride since the beginning.”

With a 25-year background in visual effects and attractions development, Super 78 has crafted several projects including Seattle's Wings Over Washington, and Flying Over Indonesia at indoor theme park Trans Studio Bali.

For RiseNY, the company pitched an overarching story built around tipping points, the important and often surprising junctures that led to the city’s preeminence in culture, finance and trade. The theme resonated and led to media-rich exhibit halls that celebrate topics such as the evolution of Broadway theater, the establishment of radio and television with New York as the broadcasting epicenter, and the ascent of the fashion industry.

“There is great depth to the attraction,” stated Brent Young, Super 78’s co-founder and president. On average, guests spend 60 minutes exploring RiseNY, but some linger longer. “Visitors can access and unpack lots of layers,” he added.

A short film traces the history of New York and sets the tone for the experience. Created by noted documentarians Ric Burns and James Sanders and narrated by Jeff Goldblum, it is presented in a replica of the city’s first subway station. A modern-day subway train virtually transports guests to the museum galleries. In the final room, guests enter a 1950s-era television studio and see a black-and-white broadcast of the New Year’s Eve ball drop in Times Square.

Unbeknownst to visitors, they are sitting in Brogent Technologies’ 46-passenger flying theater ride vehicles. Designed to pivot 180 degrees, the seating turns and enters the main theater with a flourish to begin the tour above and through New York City. Directed by Young, the film includes practical footage that is seamlessly blended with CGI to provide a captivating ride experience.

“We’ve made a lot of flying films, and we’ve seen a lot of them. This is by far one of the most unique and special experiences out there,” said Benadon. “It captures the soul of New York.”

Young adds that he was able to commandeer helicopters and fly above the city to capture scenes in ways that may no longer be possible.

“The way flight paths are being restricted, there may not be this kind of access,” Young added. “This may be the definitive aerial record of New York.”
Energyplex chooses Semnox

KELOWNA, Canada — Energyplex, a newly remodeled FEC in Kelowna, British Columbia, chose to reopen with Semnox’s Parafait venue management platform and RFID card system throughout the facility. The FEC's expansion allows it to offer attractions such as an enlarged arcade with redemption, a 30-foot rock climbing wall, laser tag along as well as a full-servce food and bar area.

“We want to thank the Semnox team for all their hard work setting up, training, fine tuning and supporting the Energyplex with their amazing Parafait Solution,” said Erik Brouwer, who owns Energyplex alongside Caro Brouwer. “A business like Semnox truly understands customer service. Semnox’s Parafait solution with play cards, kiosk and the entire POS is well received by both guests and staff. Despite lower visitor numbers [due to the pandemic], the average spend has increased significantly and our revenues are close to pre-COVID levels.”

Energyplex added multiple Semnox products, including: Parafait Lumin tap-to-play debit card readers, Klassic self-service kiosk, Xter RFID tap-to-access readers for attractions, full Food & Beverage management as well as web functions for online party booking andsales.

“We met online amid the lockdown during a Trainertainment virtual event and Erik waited until the following April 2021 to start the process," detailed Brian Duke, senior sales partner for Semnox Americas. “In spite of border closures, covid restrictions, difficulty shipping into Canada, delivery of new games held up by factories, construction delays and everything else he faced, Erik & his team were great to work with.”

A new fun park is coming to a Fayetteville, North Carolina, shopping center. The 41,000-square-foot space will be occupied by Epic Fun Park, an indoor trampoline park and entertainment facility. Shelley Bhatia, vice president of Trademark Properties, the company that was hired to lease the space, offered that the fun park will also have an amusement center and arcade.

"Anything and everything you can imagine, taken under one roof, to really get the ultimate experience to the Fayetteville area," said Bhatia.

The development of the fun park is expected to bring 50 to 60 jobs to the area. The new owners of the property are purposely being extremely tight-lipped about what's actually going to be in the building as part of their marketing strategy.

The area lost a similar entertainment venue, Dave and Busters, during the height of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

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Main Event held the grand opening for its Huntsville, Alabama, location on February 25, 2022.

The nearly 50,000-square-foot venue features 22 state-of-the-art bowling lanes, each with unique technology and luxury seating, games, virtual reality experiences, high-flying gravity ropes and billiards.

The Huntsville Main Event will also be one of the few Main Event centers in the country to have Multiball, a new attraction that combines digital gaming with interactive sports, a private VIP bowling lane and an elevated bar area with clear sight lines so parents can have fun while watching their children.

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Monkey Rock family entertainment center is preparing to open in El Paso, Texas's Sunland Park Mall. The FEC will make its debut in May 2022.

Monkey Rock is a new family fun center concept. Thanks to its geography nestled between two countries and three states, El Paso was selected as the first location for its flagship entertainment center, with plans to launch the franchise nationwide.

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In early February, Chuck E. Cheese announced the results of its annual Giving Season philanthropy efforts. As part of Chuck E Cheese's Winter Winner-land, the brand partnered with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and BGC Clubs in Canada to give back to local communities.

Thanks to countless numbers of Chuck E. Cheese goers, who selflessly donated their winnings, the 2021 Winter Winner-land season afforded the opportunity to donate more than $50,000 in toys to the organizations, including a $10,000 cash donation to the charity partner.

This meaningful donation to two organizations with the goal of supporting and mentoring youth took place in January which coincides with National Mentoring Month. The final donation tallied up to more than 2.6 million tickets donated from kids across the U.S. and Canada which more than doubled Chuck E. Cheese's philanthropic efforts from the previous year.

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Las Vegas’s immersive art, events and entertainment district Area 15 announced the launch of Liftoff, panoramic skyline experience. Manufactured by Aerophile, Liftoff represents the first of its kind built in the U.S. The monumental new attraction debuted at an invitation-only event where live performers, pyrotechnic displays and original music compositions by Dale Fleischman entertained guests.

The imbibe-and-ride experience begins at the base of the attraction’s triple-helix tower in the Liftoff Lounge, a full-service bar. Before boarding, riders can choose from a selection of beer, wine and cocktails, as well as alcohol-free options, which they may enjoy aboard the ride. They are then strapped into Liftoff’s 16-seat gondola before ascending to the 130-foot summit for a 360-degree panoramic view of the Las Vegas Strip and surrounding areas.

Constructed from more than 44 tons of steel, Liftoff is located next to Art Island in front of Area15.

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Airborne Extreme Trampoline Park will open a new location in Ascension Parish in Gonzales, Louisiana.

According to a filing on the Louisiana Commercial Database, the 10,522-square-foot park has an expected opening in summer 2022 in a new strip mall. It will be Airborne's third Louisiana location.

The area, which the new center will call home, has seen steady commercial growth over recent years.

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Pinstack, the Dallas, Texas-based bowling and entertainment center, will open its first San Antonio location at the Park North Shopping Center.

“We are thrilled to add a new upscale entertainment option to the exciting San Antonio scene for both locals and tourists alike,” said Mark Moore, CEO of Entertainment Properties Group Inc., which operates Pinstack. “We will bring with us over 200 new jobs to the community.”

The bowling alley is expected to open to the public in the third quarter of 2022.
Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo fares well after full year absence

AT: B. Derek Shaw

bdshaw@amusementtoday.com

FORT WORTH, Texas — The 23-day Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show commonly known as the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo had a successful 2022 run, the first such endeavor since 2020, being closed last year due to the pandemic. With the theme “Rise and Shine,” the three-week event was attended by 1,202,200 guests, down slightly from the last one held two years ago, when 1,267,000 people made their way to the 120-acre complex.

“We received ice and snow February 2 and 3 which impacted gate attendance those days. Otherwise, the weather was nice which helped general attendance numbers. COVID-19 may have had a minor impact considering our 2022 attendance was off slightly from 2020,” said Matt Brockman, communications manager.

“The weather is always a challenge at the Fort Worth Stock Show. We experienced extremely cold temperatures on Jan 20 and did not open. Even with closures, we experienced high volumes of attendance compared to previous years and set new all-time records,” said Mary Talley, co-owner Talley Amusements.

The carnival ride provider again brought in 50 rides with nearly half appealing to kiddie attendees. “We have more than adequate resources to service the midway in-house completely. Although we did contract one independent ride this year — Jerry Thomas with a Persian Camel funhouse who has booked on our midway in Fort Worth for 19 consecutive years,” said Talley. The hometown operator also had 14 food stands on the grounds.

New rides for that spot included Wacky Dog Roller Coaster (Fajume) and Twister (Wisdom Rides of America), while the top grossing rides were Giant Wheel (Lamberink), Iron Dragon Roller Coaster (Interpark) and Monkey Maze (Owens). The stock show is traditionally Talley Amusement’s first spot of the year for the Fort Worth-based operation.

“Tom and I truly enjoy working with Brad Barnes and all their great staff. With our longstanding history, it is a great pride and honor to offer acres of excitement for kids and adults of all ages for this legendary event,” said Talley.

The stock show feels the same way. “We have a great working relationship with Talley Amusements,” said Brockman.

There were four senior citizen general admission discount days, a Dickies day, Texas Christian University day and a military appreciation day. On another day was the “Stock Show Goes Pink,” with half of rodeo and ground admission sales going supporting the Careity Foundation. Finally, a Cook Children’s Day took place with half of rodeo ticket sales to support the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Cook Children’s Hospital.

The stock show advertises across numerous media – digital (paid social, display and search), TV, radio and print. This was the second year of its auditorium concert series with acts including the Old 97s, Clint Black, Jeff Foxworthy, the Fort Worth Symphony performing the music of Queen and Ryan Bingham. The event also hosted 43 music acts in the Bud Light Roadhouse and The Corkyard.

While the stock show did not have vaccination or mask mandates, guests were encouraged to take health measures they felt necessary to protect themselves and others. There was extensive mask distribution and hand sanitation stations across the complex. Signage was posted throughout the facilities reminding patrons to practice social distancing and hand sanitation. The show collaborated with Tarrant County Public Health to provide a vaccination clinic as well as with the Fort Worth Fire Department for the facilitation of a COVID-19 testing site.

Brockman was asked what sets their stock show apart from others. “We began as a livestock exhibition in 1896 and livestock and horse shows remain a bedrock of who we are today. We organized the world’s first indoor rodeo in 1918 and our professional rodeo, with a $1.1 million payout, is now held in the nation’s premier venue for the sport, Dickies Arena. Showcasing our traditions and the western lifestyle is important to us, while also being innovative in our efforts to appeal to an increasingly diverse local demographic.”

“Considering we didn’t hold a show in 2021, and in light of the ongoing pandemic, we are excited about the success we experienced this year,” said Brockman. “Guests appeared to be delighted we were back after not having a show last year. Many guests chose to wear masks and adhere to social distancing guidelines and were respected by everyone. Trade show vendors seemed pleased with the responses they received. Our Junior Sale of Champions (youth livestock auction) generated $6.1 million in receipts — an astounding 23 percent increase from the 2020 sale.

The Grand Champion Steer sold for $310,000, breaking the previous record from two years ago, by $10,000. The sale benefited 4-H and FFA youth throughout Texas.

“We look forward to 2023,” said Talley. The 2023 dates are January 13 through February 4.

•fwssr.com
The Western Kentucky State Fair, Hopkinsville, and Drew Expositions, Augusta, Georgia, pooled their efforts donating a combined $10,000 to tornado relief efforts in western Kentucky. The money will be divided between five counties: Caldwell, Christian, Hopkins, Muhlenberg and Todd.

Drew Expositions has been playing Hopkinsville for many years and wanted to help support those affected by the mid-December tornadoes in an area they have been a part of for a long time.

“After a successful 2021 State Fair, we felt it was important for us to give back to the community that has been so good to us. Drew Expositions should be commended for stepping up and donating money for our area. They are definitely a class act,” said WSKF President Kent Boyd in a prepared release.

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Dale Chasse is the newly appointed CEO of the Nevada County Fairgrounds, Grass Valley, California. Chasse has experience in the entertainment industry in pre-show production, security consulting and event promotion. Most recently he served as a bureau chief for the Department of Consumer Affairs in Sacramento, bringing enforcement and budget administration experience, along with public relations, having also worked with the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.

“We are excited that Dale shares the same passion for our beloved fairgrounds as the board and staff,” said Board President Andrew Trygg in a release. “Recognizing the value of this community asset, Dale will be working to add additional events to keep our fairgrounds busy throughout the year. Dale saw his opportunity to come back to his roots, the entertainment and fairgrounds industry, and is excited to join the fair family.”

“It’s a dream to come back to the industry where I got my start, working with shows and concerts, and being an integral part of Nevada County, our community I call home,” Chasse said in the release. He replaces Patrick Eidman, who resigned last year after being at the helm for four years.

As CEO, Chasse is responsible for overseeing the annual Nevada County Fair, the Draft Horse Classic, the Country Christmas Faire, other interim events and facility rentals, the RV Park, and infrastructure of the Nevada County Fairgrounds.

The fair takes place August 10 – 14, with Butler Amusements providing the midway rides.

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On Tuesday, January 25, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced the withdrawal of its Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) that would have required U.S. employers with 100 or more employees to either mandate COVID-19 vaccinations for their employees or require them to comply with weekly COVID-19 testing and face-covering requirements. This means that, for now, employers covered by the ETS no longer need to plan for the possibility of its applicability or enforcement. With that said, all employers must continue to take appropriate steps to mitigate workplace infections. Moreover, OSHA may still pursue some form of rule requiring employers to mandate vaccination or testing. The difference is, such a rule will follow the ordinary rulemaking process, rather than the expedited emergency process that was struck down by the United States Supreme Court.

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The Garfield County Fairgrounds and Events Center, Rifle, Colorado, is now being managed by Chris Floyd. He has 15 years of experience working for state park departments throughout the country including time spent as the Wyoming Outdoor Recreation office manager. Floyd wants to diversify offerings at the annual Garfield County Fair and Rodeo, along with ensuring the fairgrounds is heavily utilized year-around with a wide range of activities and interests.

“My vision is we need to do whatever we can not only to sustain, but grow the fair,” he said in a release. “There is an opportunity to ensure the event is robust and diverse enough to attract a broad audience far into the future and that’s what I plan to do. There are a lot of traditions both during the fair and taking place in the other months at the fairgrounds and we will continue to support those activities.”

Floyd told the Post Independent, “What called my attention to the Garfield County role was that it mirrored much of the work I’ve done for years in facilities management, events and public programs. The only difference is a bit more livestock and a few more rodeos.”

In addition, the county has hired and trained three new staff members.

“A lot of people have fond memories of things they’ve done at the fair and at the fairgrounds for many decades,” Floyd said in the release. “We want to help everyone create new memories for years to come.”

The 84th annual Garfield County Fair and Rodeo takes place August 1–7. The fair is in the process of securing a carnival provider for this year.
Pennsylvania Showmen/Fair 109th annual convention well-attended

AT: B. Derek Shaw

bdshaw@amusementtoday.com

HERSHEY, Pa. — The Pennsylvania State Association of County Fairs (PSACF) and the Pennsylvania State Showmen’s Association (PSSA) 109th annual convention took place January 19 – 22 with the theme “Making Memories One Fair At A Time.”

There were fewer attendees this year. “It’s slower than pre-COVID. We’re at about 1200. In 2016 we had 1600. Rooms are down. Our registrations are down — a lot of people are concerned with covid — they’re ill. Weather had a little bit to do with it,” said Harry Reffner, PSACF Executive Secretary/Treasurer.

Mary Ott, Executive Secretary of the PSSA concurred. “Attendance is down. Not unusual, considering the circumstances.”

Of the 108 fairs in the state, 88 sent representatives.

The 32,000-square-foot Great American Hall at Hershey Lodge and Convention Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania, was again the venue for the two-and-a-half-day trade show, with 132 vendors (down from 160 in 2020, the last time it took place). Six carnival operators had booths: C&L Shows, Houghton Enterprises, Lisko Family Midway Amusements, Penn Valley Shows, Tons of Fun Shows and Triple Crown Shows. Numerous fair and carnival operations as well as Variety Attractions provided hospitality rooms along with both presenting organizations.

Dick Horstman, who coordinates the trade show floor, said, “No complaints from any vendors. All did business. The only minor complaint was that I moved the coffee! Other than that, all were happy.”

New this year were a pair of activities, Youth Day/Junior Fair and the Young Professionals Initiative. Youth Day was geared toward 12 to 15-year old’s with numerous presentations, concluding with a “Family Feud”-style educational game. YPI is designed for those fair members, associate members and showmen members ages 21 to 40. It is an extension of an IAFE (International Association of Fair and Expositions) initiative. The kick-off event featured an idea swap, networking and lunch.

A keynote opening speaker, educational seminars, daily workshops and table topics comprised the educational component. Some of the topics included: Getting Through the Pandemic, Using Ideas to Keep Moving Forward; What Can We Do to Enhance the Future of Our Fair?; Advocacy for All and Reinvent Your Fair; and Utilizing Your Fairgrounds Throughout the Year. Nightly banquets, with a different focus each evening, completed the schedule of activities.

Wednesday evening featured a talent showcase. This included 18 acts providing all types of music and other entertainment. Many of these same acts had a presence on the trade show floor with a booth. Nearly half were self-booking.

Thursday evening’s banquet, held by the PSACF, featured introductions of all 55 Fair Queens who were vying for the 2022 Pennsylvania Fair Queen title. Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding made a few remarks.

“From livestock to family living, fairs are a critical piece of history and play an important role in agriculture education. Fairs are instrumental in helping communities and agriculture evolve. Fairs create jobs, invest in communities and contribute $126 million in economic impact to Pennsylvania’s economy.” Sam Zuffato with Sykesville Ag & Youth Fair is the 2022 president, while the vice president is Martha Ebersole with the Perry County Fair. Dick Horstman of the Washington County Agricultural Fair was the fair Person of the Year honoree. Rick Marcione with Skelly’s Amusements served as the master of ceremonies. Country rock artist Jacob Tolliver provided the entertainment, brought in by Variety Attractions.

The PSSA banquet took place Friday evening with a winter wonderland theme coordinated by Julianna and Debbie Good from Goodtime Amusements. Marcione served as the emcee for a second evening. The first presentation went to Beverly Gruber, who retired after 22 years of service as the PSSA executive secretary. Lloyd Serfass with Penn Premier Shows was named Showman of the Year. A check was presented to the Pennsylvania Farm Show Foundation for $17,740 — half the proceeds from the Showman’s Herschel carousel and Hampton mini tractor ride that operated during the eight-day Pennsylvania Farm Show earlier in January. Eight deserving students were presented scholarships. The banquet also included the installation of the 2022 PSSA President, Jimmy Snyder with Snyder’s Family Concessions. Entertainment was provided by the Uptown Band, receiving a standing ovation, the first time ever at a showmen’s banquet.

Secretary Redding also attended the showmen’s banquet. “Amusement rides and agritainment are family attractions and economic drivers that bring people together. Thank you for all that you do to create memorable experiences for youth and their families. And thank you for your perseverance,” he said. “Fairs have looked and felt different the past two years. We appreciate all the work you have done in coordination with fair boards to bring fairs back safely for 2021. And we are hopeful for an even more prosperous 2022 fair season.”

Since there was no convention last year, the PSSA did double duty when it came to awards. “It was a lengthy banquet where we tried to play catch up on all that we missed one whole year away from each other,” said Ott. She also talked about plans for 2022. “As the new secretary who took over during COVID, I’m hoping that I get the office running a lot smoother, a little more on track with timing. I’m positive for the season to come. I’m hoping that we get all our members back to work and keep them healthy.”

The 36th annual Pennsylvania State Fair Queen Coronation took place Saturday evening. “To all of the fair queens, thank you. Each of you are ambassadors of your community and Pennsylvania agriculture. Thank you for being part of our narrative,” said Secretary Redding. Anna Haldeman, a senior at Manheim Central High School, representing the Manheim Community Farm Show was named the 2022 queen.

Reflecting on the convention and trade show, Reffner said, “I think the whole convention went well. There were lots of walk-ins. (Nearly 100.) People wanted to get out.” Ott also commented, “It went well. The convention ended on a high note.” The 2023 edition takes place January 18-21 at Hershey Lodge.

•pafairs.org

•pashowmen.com
NinjaCross finds unique niche for water parks and municipal centers

AT: Tim Baldwin

tbaldwin@amusementtoday.com

OVERLAND PARK, Kansas — Whether they are fans or not of American Ninja Warrior, most of the nation’s population is familiar with the excitement and colorful challenge put forth to the television show’s contestants. For more than 13 years, the series has had a huge following. Now, many aquatic facilities are enjoying that buzz of excitement with physical activities suitable for the general public.

NinjaCross has brought a new and fresh form of recreation for both water parks and municipal centers across the country. More than 50 new projects are in the design phase.

“I negotiated a 25-year contract to exclusively represent [the inventor’s] patent in North America, New Zealand and Australia,” said NinjaCross Founder and CEO Steve Levine. “Obstacles are located below, on and above the water surface, which is part of our patent. There is zero interference with other programming.”

“We did some research and asked Counsilman Hunsaker, Water Technology and Aquatic Design Group: ‘How many projects do you design that don’t have slides or water play structures or spray toys on them?’ They told us that two-thirds of their projects are athletic facilities and sports facilities. These have a competition pool or lap pool,” said Kyle Rieger, vice president of sales and managing partner.

A big strength of the NinjaCross system is that outdoors it can create exciting engagement in pools at water parks that are often underutilized. Indoors, lap pools and competition pools can be transformed into a new type of recreation by quickly lowering the system into place.

“The system retracts high above water level in 60 seconds with a simple push of a button,” said Levine. “This is extremely valuable to the owner, as we hear complaints about setup and breakdown time with other products such as inflatables. Staff can learn to operate the system on the first day of work — it is that simple.”

“The thing I like most about this product is the opportunities it creates from a programming standpoint and marketability,” said Rieger. “All the user groups when you talk about fitness — recreation with obstacle course racing, competitions and group classes — you can’t pick a product like a slide and market that to all those wide user groups. You ride a slide once, and you’ve experienced all it has to offer. Our system is dynamic.”

NinjaCross prides itself on interchangeable obstacles. It also comes with a timing and entertainment system.

“We have an Obstacle of the Month Club,” said Levine. “We’re always inventing new ones. We have an actual ‘ninja lab.’ We have a guy that does nothing but create new obstacles for us.”

The timing and entertainment system allows participants to race against the clock, friends, siblings or one’s personal best to take its place on a leaderboard. Music is included for deployment, retraction and competition mode.

“You can also use the timer and music for fitness classes,” said Rieger. “The course is customizable; each lane can be varied with difficulty for beginners or advanced athletes and the owner can swap obstacles on the fly as we release new challenges and obstacles. It keeps the experience fresh for their guests and keeps them coming back for more. It is a living system. A learning curve makes you want to do it again and again. The entertainment value and spectator value is huge.”

Rieger notes it is ideal for paid events, if facilities wish to monetize the system, such as leagues and spectator events.

“From a price-to-value ratio, I don’t know of a product you can put 10 people on every 60 seconds,” said Reiger. “It’s the quarter of a cost of an outdoor surf machine, an eighth of the cost for an indoor one.”

Provo Recreation Center (Utah) desired to be the first indoor installation in North America after a meeting in 2019. In 2020, the facility was bestowed the highest recognition by National Recreation & Parks Association, the Gold Medal award, Best In Nation — Recreation Excellence. Last year, Provo hosted its first NinjaCross competition, creating viral videos on social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.

A current heartwarming project under construction is Idaho Outdoor Fieldhouse, designed by Pivot North Architecture & Design, Barker Rinker Seacat Architecture & Water Technology, Inc. Located in Boise, it will mainly be a private facility for challenged and adaptive athletes, funded by the JK Albertson Foundation (Albertson's Grocers) in collaboration with the Challenged Athletes Foundation. Here, injured military, police, fire, amputees, deaf, blind and other members will swim, hunt, fish, train and compete at this indoor and outdoor complex. The focus is to build confidence and workout without any caveats from their peers. The NinjaCross system will help these individuals strengthen their abilities.

“The groups you can bring in with this system are not groups you normally see at your park,” said Rieger.

Pirates Bay Waterpark in Baytown, Texas, received a Leading Edge Award from World Waterpark Association in 2020 after installing the first NinjaCross system in North America. The facility’s aquatics superintendent, Jenna Stevenson, reports that queues regularly form to participate on the system, calling it the “hottest attraction at the park.” Considering this is at a waterpark that features iconic slides such as a Booomerango, FlowRider and mat racer slides, that speaks to the installation’s popularity.

“You have this whole new population in the water that want to come back,” Rieger told Amusement Today. “There are new obstacles, or they want to race against their time. They want to bring their buddies, or parents want to race against their kids. And you don’t have to climb any stairs.”

Apex Centre in McKinney, Texas, pushed hard for a grant and received approximately three million for improvements. The NinjaCross system was the first project they chose to move forward with, and it opened in December 2021 as the first indoor NinjaCross location in the state.

Other projects on the horizon include a system going into Prince George Downtown Pool in British Columbia. The $44 million facility will sport the first NinjaCross system in Canada. Working with the ceiling and roof structure design, the facility will include two separate systems that both retract. The University of South Dakota is building a $25 million student wellness center, which will break ground this year. It will be the first collegiate/university project under contract for NinjaCross, which will pave the way for other educational facilities.

“This will be great for athletes as well as the student body,” said Rieger. “It will be very beneficial for recruiting and special events. And its not just for the student life, it’s for the community. They will bring in summer camps.”

•ninjacrosssystems.com
BoldMove Nation introduces a new Water Raft Simulator

AT: Jeffrey Seifert

jseifert@amusementtoday.com

BRUSSELS, Belgium— BoldMove Nation, a Belgian-based company that specializes in media-based attractions, has announced WaterSlider VR, a new attraction that combines physical thrills with virtual reality. The WaterSlider VR is based on a life-raft-style motion simulator base that can seat up to four people and one wheelchair. The life raft is integrated in a sea container that houses all required cabling and technical components, as well as a complete light and sound system. WaterSlider VR is suitable for indoor and outdoor usage, compliant with all safety requirements.

The initial rendition of the WaterSlider VR is Deep Sea Party, which is themed to a tropical beach setting. Once onboard their “life raft,” guests will embark on a three-minute journey that takes them into the depths of the ocean. There they will encounter an amazing underwater adventure as they explore sunken cities and stone creatures. Impressive sound and light technologies will entertain the audience members who are in view of the guests partaking in their virtual deep sea party ride.

Benoit Cornet, CEO and captain of Creative Minds, explained that a life raft is not something people normally would like to use, as it is typically used in survival scenarios; the WaterSlider VR however, is safely boarded on shore and equipped with fun games and music instead of flares and whistles. The guests who are washed ashore can celebrate with tropical beach party vibes. It is ideal for families and friends visiting water, theme or holiday parks. Guests can enjoy a sensational virtual ride from their life raft through VR goggles.

The creative team at BoldMove Nation developed the overall concept and theming, then partnered with Polymorph Software and Triotech Amusement Inc. to bring all of the elements together. Triotech is a well-known manufacturer of sensory interactive attractions and Polymorph specializes in 3D computer systems designs and software architecture. Together, the combined expertise results in a perfectly synchronized motion-based virtual reality attraction. The three companies have previously collaborated on products including the Smash & Reload dark ride that was showcased last year at the IAAPA Expo Europe.

Park and other leisure venue owners can integrate the WaterSlider VR into any suitable configuration by combining several rafts, adding a queue line and preshow, or adjusting the theming. An optional photobooth can be installed with themed digital frames and social media interaction and outreach.

WaterSlider VR can be used in combination with AR Hybrid Quest, an augmented reality game also from BoldMove. AR Hybrid Quest is done on a visitor’s own smartphone and leads them on an indoor or outdoor adventure trail, guiding them to different places where they are given virtual assignments to accomplish.

Virtual reality waterslides have been around for a few years now, adding fanciful ride experiences to existing waterslides. WaterSlider VR takes virtual reality one step further by allowing guests to partake in a simulated water-based experience without having to don a bathing suit, climb stairs or get wet.

The Landmark Resort in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, is spending $3 million to upgrade its existing water park. The 9,800-square-foot addition to be called H2Oasis, will include a variety of slides and waterplay features. The highlight attraction will be a 40-foot slide tower with three enclosed slides, each nearly 250 feet in length. This seasonal outdoor water park is in addition to the resort’s current water amenities which include an indoor pool with fountains, children’s play areas and relaxing hot tubs. The existing outdoor facility features a large pool, whirlpool and a 300-foot lazy river ride.

H2Oasis seasonal outdoor water park is scheduled to be ready for the upcoming summer season. It is located across the street from the resort and will be accessible to guests via a covered walkway over Ocean Boulevard.

“This is such a huge addition to our resort,” said Kelly Simmons, marketing director for Vacation Myrtle Beach.“We have guests who have been coming since they were children, who now visit with their children. We’re so excited to see the smiles on their faces as they experience this attraction for the first time.”

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The Holland Aquatic Center, Holland, Michigan, opened phase two of its $26.3 million renovation and expansion project at the end of January. The recreational area includes a warm-water pool and spa, wading pool, lazy river, a large circular slide, a new climate-controlled track, an expanded children’s play area, steam room and sauna, fitness space and a new entrance.

Also included is a new leisure swimming and spa area with a heated lap pool, hot tub, 24-person steam room and 22-person sauna.

The expanded children’s area adds a splash pad, wading pool, lazy river and water slide.

The lobby renovation with a new entrance expands the area, has more natural light and additional seating.

Phase three of the project started last month and includes upgrading the pool equipment in the 50-meter competitive swimming area. That work is expected to continue through August.

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A Margaritaville Resort could be built in Kansas on the site of the former Schlitterbahn water park. Plans for the redevelopment of the site had been submitted to turn the property into a sports mecca with sports fields, hotels, apartments and retail including a large sporting goods store. The developer surprised commissioners of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, with an updated plan that included an $85-million, 250-room Margaritaville resort.

Named after the famous Jimmy Buffett song, the Margaritaville chain is known for big, yet laid-back properties. Margaritaville has resorts throughout North America including Lake of the Ozarks, Nashville, Palm Springs, Orlando/Kissimmee, Biloxi, Nashville, Lake Conroe/Houston, Gatlinburg, Pensacola, Pigeon Forge, Cancun, Belize and the Bahamas.

Little evidence remains of the former Schlitterbahn water park that closed in 2019. Although current plans show just a resort hotel, several Margaritaville properties include water parks.

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The residents of Sturgis, South Dakota, were asked to weigh in on three different concepts that have been proposed for an adventure park. The process has been in motion since 2020 when city planners began discussing ideas for an outdoor aquatics venue within the city.

An aquatics committee was formed, and they put together proposals that include building a four-acre lake with beach, water slides, a floating aquatics obstacle course, pickleball courts, volleyball courts, a walking path, a memorial splash pad and mini golf at the site of the Sturgis fairgrounds.

All three proposals include the core concept. They differ by adding various other amenities such as slow pitch softball and/or little league baseball fields, or incorporating private development into the project.

Once the citizens have had a chance to voice their opinions and all of the concerns have been addressed, the aquatics committee will make a recommendation to the city council.

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Families in Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia, particularly those with small children, are looking forward to the opening of the region’s new water park. The rural Australian town with a population of less than 10,000 people, is in the process of building the Charters Towers Water Park which, once opened, will be free to residents and guests. The water play park — more of an elaborate splash park than water park — will feature a zero-depth shallow pool with a play structure, multiple slides, a tipping bucket and a crawl-through tunnel. The project is currently on track to open mid year.
World’s Largest Swimming Lesson set for June 23rd

Overland Park, Kan. — Registration for the 13th Annual World’s Largest Swimming Lesson (WLSL) is officially open. Aquatic facilities of all types can sign up to be a drowning prevention champion in their community by joining Team WLSL as an official host for this impactful and fun lifesaving event.

The 30-minute swim lesson can take place any time of day during the 24-hour event on Thursday, June 23, 2022. Locations with regular lessons taking place are encouraged to host throughout the day.

With the support of thousands of locations around the globe, Team WLSL has helped raise awareness and provided crucial education about water safety and water competency since the program launched in 2010.

According to research conducted by the American Red Cross, water competency skills have increased significantly since 2014, jumping from 46% to 56% of people possessing key, lifesaving water competency skills in 2020. Overall, drowning deaths worldwide and in the U.S. have decreased over the past two decades. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics, the rate of unintentional drowning deaths among children ages 0-17 declined 38%, from 1.6 per 100,000 in 1999 to 1.0 in 2019.

But, there is a long way to go. Research released by the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2021 shows drowning has become the leading cause of unintended death for children ages 1-4, ahead of car accidents, birth defects and cancer. In addition, drowning remains the second leading cause of unintended death for kids 4-14 and the third for adolescents ages 15-17. The issue is truly a matter of life and death for kids and families in every community around the world.

Local WLSL host locations make a difference by providing kids, parents and caregivers exposure to lifesaving water safety skills while building buzz and awareness about the importance of teaching children to swim and providing undistracted adult supervision to help prevent drowning.

•wlsl.org
2022 IISF Trade Show sees strong rebound, positive ride sales

AT: B. Derek Shaw

bdshaw@amusementtoday.com

RIVERVIEW, Fla. – Customers were happy. Exhibitors were happy. Even Trade Show Secretary, Teresa Rimes, was happy. “I must say that I believe this is probably one of the best shows we’ve had in the last five, six years. [There were] no exhibitor complaints. I mean, an absolutely wonderful show. If you weren’t here, you missed it,” she said.

There were 10,600 people through the turnstiles during the four-day event.

Rides sales were good with many companies selling quite a few at the 54th annual International Independent Showmen’s Foundation (IISF) annual Super Trade Show & Extravaganza held February 15 to 18, 2022. There was a great deal of interest in the other wares on hand, whether it be insurance, plush, parts, food equipment, signage, lighting or other related goods. On Tuesday, the trade show floor was strong. The next two days were moderate, and Friday was light, as it typically is. While exhibitors did not use as much real estate on the grounds or inside the building, those who participated fared well. All told, there were 94 vendors: 39 outside and 55 inside.

Some companies did not participate due to the ongoing pandemic, while many of the foreign concerns had trouble getting into the country. All agreed staffing and delivery issues are impacting what could be a robust 2022.

Mega Creations & Entertainment’s Joe Bolin felt satisfied with the show. “The first day was packed. Second and third day there were people here. [It] definitely sped up in the afternoon. Mornings were a little slow. It’s been great talking with people in a different industry. We came from the event rental side. We’re told this works really well for carnivals and would be a great carnival piece. It’s been eye-opening. We’ve learned a lot. We’ve made some good connections out here.”

“Very good,” is how Roger Wadkins, Jr. described the trade show. He is co-owner of Wadkins Expo Wheel, Inc. “It’s good to be back down here. We’re glad the show went on and we’re happy to be a part of it.”

Edward Cromheecke, vice president of Fabbri Group has added a support staff person for the American market, for both park and portable models. “We have made a new organization for the U.S. market,” he said. “We have contracted a technical support person. His name is Joe Webb. He has been working with Fabbri rides for many years. He will look after the rides in this market. For the mobile rides, we have seen clients that used to have Fabbri Rides and are interested in buying our new models we have released this year. So, it has been very positive.”

“The buyers are here. The exhibitors are a little weak,” said Jim Frederiksen, principal with Frederiksen Fun Slides. “A lot of the Europeans couldn’t get here. The American manufacturers don’t build ahead anymore. They only build to supply them. I’m one of the few that build ahead and we’re sold out. I’m happy with the show. It’s just not as big as it used to be, and it never will be. Times are changing.”

Len Soled, president of Rides 4 U was satisfied. “I was very pleased this year by the quality of the buyers that were out here. [They were] people with a mission to buy, very direct in the direction they were coming. They had a mission and they accomplished it. We sold eight attractions at the extravaganza. Next year we want to bring more equipment to make this whole thing more interesting.”

European manufacturer, Luna-Park Rides, had a presence, however with a smaller footprint, sans their signature wheels near the main gate. This was due to the uncertainly of U.S. entry restrictions at the time the space was reserved. “The trade show was really good,” said Izabela Smith, company representative. “The first two days I was catching up with people I know, customers who eventually became friends. I did some business the following two days. I think the crowd was quite all right. A bit less than before, but it didn’t reflect on the sales. I really enjoyed meeting up with everyone, seeing people.”

Randy Carroll with LKQ enjoyed a good amount of traffic. “We had a lot of leads. A lot of people coming by. It’s been really good.”

“We’ve had a great show this year. Attendance has been good. Good buyers and everybody seems to be in an up-beat mode for this upcoming year,” said Tony Cassata with Bob’s Space Racers. “The show was good. The traffic was good because it was the right people here. They were all buyers and ready to do business,” said Jared Davis, Wisdom Rides of America.

“It’s been pretty steady, certainly a step up from the COVID years, which is a welcome improvement, I think, overall, the health of the industry is getting quite a bit better and that has led to a fairly strong show. We’re looking forward to having a strong year,” said Scott Siefker, Showman’s Supply. “We see a pretty big back log on the manufacturing side of our business. We have quite a few orders in house. The challenges are less about the market as a whole and more about global supply chain interruptions and the terrible state of the labor market, both in this industry and others across the country.”

One of the highlights on the first day was the unveiling of the brand-new Showmen’s League of America (SLA) mobile trailer. President Patrick Jamieson (World's Finest Shows) had the ribbon cutting honors. “We are a mobile industry, so why not make it fitting [to] have a mobile trailer to tour around and reach out to our membership.” The first fair where it will be seen by the public is the Clay County Agricultural Fair, Green Cove Springs, Florida, a spot run by Deggeller Attractions. The trailer will be used for staff training while on site.

Cindy Henning, Secretary/Executive Director of the SLA had more to add: “We’re going to use this as a member outreach. Because we are a nationwide organization, it’s the best thing to reach our members who are all over the country and in Canada. We’re hoping to do fundraisers out of it. It’s going to wear many hats. It’s going to showcase history. Everyone is very excited. We have a lot of people who are wanting it for their fairs. We’re just working on the routes.”

Henning was also asked her impressions about the extravaganza. “It’s been great. Everyone seems happy to be here. Happy to be out and about. It’s been a very positive experience,” she said.

JKJ Workforce Agency, Inc. again conducted an “H2B Update,” a timely and important session. An industrial truck and fork lift training was offered on the last day, sponsored by MAH Consulting. Also, ServSafe training took place all four days of the show. It is a food and beverage safety training and certificate program administered by the U.S. National Restaurant Association.

All the additional events exceeded attendance and fundraising goals. This included the golf tournament, museum building fund and casino night. “Our attendance was record attendance, too, probably since 2016,” said Rimes. “Hopefully, we will get our vendors back and get that building full again. People are starting to get back into the swing of things and hopefully is going to get back to normal for most of us.”

“Thriving while Surviving” was this year’s theme for the 2022 The NICA (National Independent Concessionaires Association) Business Expo/Fare Foods food show at the Sheraton Tampa Brandon Hotel. NICA Business Expo educational sessions kicked off the event on Monday (Feb. 14). That evening was the first of two nights for the Fare Foods food show with sold-out exhibitor space. Attendees had designated two-hour time-slots, a procedure rolled out last year in the height of the pandemic. Exhibitors and attendees appreciated the additional time that offered a more personal experience learning about business requirements and ideas for the upcoming season. This year’s attendance numbers exceeded 850 people.

Additional educational sessions and roundtable discussions took place throughout the day on Tuesday (Feb. 15). The event concluded Wednesday evening, with the NICA general membership meeting and gala. This provided a great opportunity to meet NICA board members and learn about new member benefits and review of existing ones. The NICA foundation board provided a synopsis of the goals and mission statement for the coming year.

The Outdoor Amusement Business Association (OABA) held its usual round of events that started on Wednesday (Feb. 16). That day was full of meetings, workshops and case studies, along with the afternoon reception for the 2022 hall of fame and pioneer recipients. It was held on the second floor of the International Independent Showmen’s Museum. John Hanschen, chairman of the hall of fame and historical committee, said, “The purpose of the committee is to preserve the history of the OABA, and one of the functions of preserving history is to have a hall of fame award and a pioneer award.” To date, there have been 60 hall of fame inductees along with 15 pioneer award inductees.

The honorees were formally recognized Friday evening (Feb. 18) during the 57th annual member meeting and chair’s reception that was held at the Sheraton Tampa Brandon Hotel. This year's recipients included Mike Williams and Paul Atkins, hall of fame recipients and Glenn Bergethon, industry pioneer award. “The drive and the commitment to the industry comes out in every one of these individuals. They are dedicated to the industry and it’s very important to them,” said Hanschen. Also, that night, the presidential gavel was passed from Debbie Powers to Andy Deggeller. Powers is the only person to have chaired the organization for two years, due to COVID.

“Our Annual Membership meeting was a full house. We were able to award several of our members with achievement recognitions, and of course, the hall of fame and industry pioneer awards are always the highlight of the evening," said Greg Chiecko, CEO of the OABA.

Thursday evening (Feb. 17), the always-popular TopGolf fundraiser event with silent and gypsy auction was held. It was well attended and a huge success, raising much-needed money for the OABA's H2B agenda.

“We sold out two floors and participation in our auctions was great. Our TopGolf event has become the one-stop go-to place to visit with family and friends, new and old, when attending Florida Week,” said Chiecko. This was the sixth time it has been held.

•gibtownshowmensclub.com

•nicainc.org

•farefoods.com

•oaba.org

•showmensleague.org
Cedar Fair announces fourth quarter results

SANDUSKY, Ohio — Cedar Fair Entertainment Company announced its 2021 fourth-quarter and full-year results ended Dec. 31, 2021. Net revenues for 2021 totaled $1.34 billion compared with $1.47 billion for 2019, driven by: attendance that approximated 70% of 2019 levels (85% on a comparable operating day basis); record in-park per capita spending of $62.03, representing a 28% increase over 2019 in-park per capita spending of $48.32, with double-digit increases across all key revenue categories; and out-of-park revenues of $168 million, which was comparable to 2019 levels.

"We are extremely pleased with our 2021 results, particularly given the level of uncertainty with which we entered the year and the ongoing headwinds of the pandemic," said Cedar Fair President and CEO Richard A. Zimmerman. "Our key strategic initiatives focused on broadening and enhancing the guest experience are clearly resonating with consumers. As a result, we produced revenues over the second half of 2021 that outpaced the record revenues of the comparable six-month period in 2019 by 14%, an increase of more than $130 million. Our outstanding performance is a testament to the agility and insight of our talented team as they overcame unprecedented challenges of 2021."

The announcement of fourth quarted revenues came on the heels of Cedar Fair rejecting a protential buyout offer from SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. Zimmerman said the company had first received a $60-per-share offer, which SeaWorld later informally raised to $63. Cedar Fair then rejected the revised bid, which had valued it at $3.58 billion. In 2019, Cedar Fair rejected a takeover offer of $4 billion, or about $70 per share, from Six Flags Entertainment Corp.

Herschend to cover employee tuition

BRANSON, Mo. — Herschend Enterprises — the parent company of Silver Dollar City, Dollywood, Kentucky Kingdom and Wild Adventures — announced in February that it will cover 100% of tuition, fees and books for all of its 11,000 employees who choose to pursue further education.

The investment will be made through GROW U, a program of Herschend Enterprises that launched Feb. 24. It will be available for all seasonal, part-time and full-time employees across the company's 25 U.S. attractions, including the company's parks, Showboat Branson Belle, White Water and the Silver Dollar City campground.

"Herschend's GROW U is not only a significant and transformational investment in our employees' growth, but also our love culture in action," said Andrew Wexler, CEO of Herschend Enterprises, in a statement. "Herschend is rooted in love. It's evident at every Herschend property, every day — in the way we treat and support each other, how we 'create memories worth repeating' for guests, and most importantly, how we care for our employees."

"Whether it's to pursue a new dream or advance their career with us, we care about our employees' personal and professional growth, because we believe that their futures should be grown with love, not loans," continued Wexler. "Our team members' success is our success – and that's why we're thrilled to make this benefit available to all, regardless of their role in the company and without the burden of debt."

GROW U will partner with Guild Education, an education platform, to fully fund diploma, degree and certificate programs for employees in high-demand fields such as business administration and leadership, culinary, finance, technology and marketing. The company also will provide partial funding up to $5,250 per year for 150 additional programs in fields such as hospitality, engineering, human resources and art design.
Mobaro has welcomed a new vice president of sales in the U.S. With several years of experience in aquatic safety, Marah Rodriguez will take on the role of supporting Mobaro's growing presence in the U.S.

Already a well-versed player in the industry, Rodriguez is a key associate in a larger mission to help local attractions digitize and optimize their safety, maintenance and operations.

"I wanted to join Mobaro to be part of a team who is leading our industry with innovative solutions that improve safety digitally in our market," said Rodriguez. "There is nothing more important than safety and therefore I am honored to be a part of a team that supports such a mission."

"We truly look forward to having Marah on board to further develop our commercial activities in the U.S.," added Christoffer W. Borup, COO and co-founder of Mobaro."We are confident that her dedication to the industry and extensive experience in our market will greatly benefit our colleagues and customers in the U.S.

The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk announced the promotion of two key leaders within the organization. Jessica Alfaro has been promoted to assistant general manager/director of operations and Karley Pope has been promoted to director of marketing and sales. Alfaro and Pope both reside in Santa Cruz County and have been longtime leaders within the workplace and their communities.

Alfaro was born in Santa Cruz and began her Boardwalk career in 1996 as a game operator. She soon rose to a supervisor in the operations office and became manager of guest services in 2011. In 2016, Alfaro was named director of operations where she was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Boardwalk, a variety of employee training programs and tasked with improving the guest and employee experience.

Pope was also born in Santa Cruz and her Boardwalk career began in 2003 when she was hired as the youth sales manager. Pope also served as the promotions director where she expanded the Boardwalk’s shoulder season business with a variety of special events. Prior to being promoted to the director of marketing and sales, Pope served as the director of sales.

“Jessica and Karley are amazing members of our team,” said Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk President Karl Rice. “They are both great leaders who always find new and creative ways to improve the Boardwalk experience for guests and employees. I’m proud to call them colleagues and thankful for their dedication to our company.”

Jose Tolosa has take the reigns as CEO of Santa Fe-based arts and entertainment company Meow Wolf.

Tolosa, 46, spent 14 years at ViacomCBS, where since 2017 he was chief transformation officer of a company that includes the CBS Networks, Paramount Pictures, MTV and VH1, Nickelodeon, Showtime, The CW and more than 40 media outlets.

Meow Wolf has operated under a three co-CEO structure since company co-founder Vince Kadlubek stepped down in October 2019.

Tolosa said he was willing to make the move because he saw the potential in the company, which now employs about 1,000.

“[Meow Wolf's] mission is extremely powerful. If you talk to the artists, you truly believe in their mission,” Tolosa said. “I was very impressed with their foundation and how they dream very big and make it a reality.”

Meow Wolf leadership now returns to a single CEO heading an enterprise with three attractions attracting 1.7 million visitors.

H. Betti Industries, Inc. announced the promotion of Bill Seibert to chief technology officer (CTO). He will have primary responsibilities in operations and information technology. Seibert will continue to hold his position as senior vice president of operations and provide innovative, robust, and secure information technology solutions within the H. Betti organization.

“Bill has been a key part of our success, and we were thrilled to promote him to this important position,” said Robert Geschine, President of H. Betti Industries.

Seibert joined the company in 1986 and quickly rose to several supervisory and management positions, including service manager, director of engineering, director of operations, and most recently senior vice president of operations.

His 35 years with H. Betti Industries have included a wide range of experience, having led the company’s e-commerce developments, manufacturing initiatives, product development efforts, business systems software implementations, and the company’s multi-facility warehousing and logistic initiatives.

As it prepares to debut a long-awaited dive coaster, as well as its new Sesame Place theme park, SeaWorld San Diego has hired a new president, Jim Lake.

Lake, who will be the marine park’s fourth president in six years, arrives at a crucial time for SeaWorld, which not only is still recovering from the year-long pandemic shutdown of its rides and attractions, but is also two months away from opening a new theme park. Its water park, Aquatica in Chula Vista, is being transformed into Sesame Place, which is themed around the popular children’s show, Sesame Street.

While Lake was appointed president of both SeaWorld and Sesame Place in November, when now-departed president John Dunlap was still leading both parks, his appointment was not announced until later. Dunlap, who at one time was an executive with the San Diego Zoo and joined SeaWorld in May of last year, left SeaWorld for personal reasons and has since relocated to the East Coast.

Lake has spent most of his career with Disney, beginning in 1989 through the Walt Disney World College Program. Following a decade working at multiple Disney parks, he left to join Palace Entertainment as director of operations in 2003. He returned to Disneyland three years later, eventually working his way up to a general manager where he was responsible for day-to-day park operations.

Triotech has announced the appointment of Yannick Gemme as vice president of sales and marketing.

“Yannick will lead our sales and marketing teams and drive Triotech’s global leadership position,” said Ernest Yale, founder, president & CEO of Triotech. “He has a proven track record of generating growth and has in-depth knowledge of the attractions industry.”

Prior to joining Triotech, Gemme served many roles in sales and management within D-BOX Technologies over his 16-year tenure, including the last six years as vice president of sales. He led the sales development of the out of home division by implementing a strategic selling philosophy coupled with a customer centric approach which contributed to creating long-lasting relationships and partnerships.

The Walt Disney Company has selected Mike White to lead the studio’s metaverse strategy. White's new title is senior VP in charge of next generation storytelling.

“We have an opportunity to connect those universes and create an entirely new paradigm for how audiences experience and engage with our stories,” CEO Bob Chapek said in the internal memo.

White is promoted from his role as senior VP of consumer experiences and platforms at Disney and is charged with getting the studio deeper into the metaverse, which as it evolves is expected to leverage web 3.0 technology to support real-time 3-D rendered simulations of real life on a mass scale.
Valerie Schein

Director of Marketing

Accesso

Orlando, Florida

A view from the top…

Accesso is a technology company that delivers ticketing, point-of-sale, virtual queuing, guest experience and distribution solutions for the attractions and leisure industries. The company has seen an enormous growth over the last decade.

Valerie Schein began with Accesso in 2013 and is now its director of marketing.

Accomplishments and affiliations…

•Attended the University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, receiving

two BAs, Psychology and Mass Communications. She graduated

Magna Cum Laude.

•IAAPA Member, serves on the IAAPA Marketing Committee.

Putting passion into everything

LEESBURG, Va. — As an avid reader from an early age, Valerie Schein loves a good story. She likes reading them, and, as a marketing specialist, she likes telling them.

"I have always loved reading and writing," she said. "I have always enjoyed being creative."

Growing up, Schein had other hobbies and other interests, such softball and horseback riding. In fact, she rode competitively.

"But, most of the time, if you tried to find me, I would be somewhere reading" she said.

Now as the marketing director for Accesso, she finds her talent for storytelling is helping her portray the company's story.

"I have found storytelling to be a means people can use to overcome challenges," she said.

To Accesso's clients, her story is quite simple — it can be easy to approach the technology you need. If it is not easy, why use it?

"It is all about helping an operator feel like they are in control," she said. "They are in the driver's seat.

"And we don't leave them after they are up and running. They have become our partners."

Schein's passion is very obvious. Her spirit of enthusiasm — which drives her to continue the learning process — has brought her to this point and it is what will carry her on.

She has had many mentors. She lists her family members as some of her most supportive.

Her mother, Melissa Cristiani, a registered nurse who worked for 35 successful years, is certainly one of them.

Her father, Bruce Pinder, a Porsche certified brand ambassador, based in Marietta, Georgia, is another.

"We have a wonderful relationship and frequently spend hours on the phone each week chatting about work, leadership, self-development, etc.," she said. "He’s been incredibly encouraging and supportive during my career."

Her parents divorced in the mid-1990s and her mother remarried Tony Cristiana while Schein was in high school living with her mom and sister in Lakeland Ranch, Florida. Her step dad also has been an inspiration to her.

"He is part of the Cristiani circus family from Italy," she said.

And he was a football two-time All American at the University of Miami.

Becoming part of his family, she said, made for some very interesting dinner conversations.

Her sister, Yvonne Pinder, is a behavioral health counselor soon to be a PsyD Doctoral student. She lives in Denver, Colorado.

Her husband, Blake Duvall, is vice president of security and infrastructure at GoCanvas.

Schein has been surrounded by success. She has taken that to heart. In fact, when it came time for college, she chose a school close to her family, the University of South Florida.

She was invited into that school's Honors College and was awarded several scholarships.

She started out in pre-med, influenced by her mother's profession, but her first chemistry class showed her she had made a mistake.

"I just couldn't get my head around that."

She switched to psychology, then, decided to go for two bachelor degrees. The second in communications with a focus on public relations.

She graduated Magna Cum Laude, a distinction of high academic achievement, with both bachelor degrees in 2011.

Having already taken internships in communications her final two years in college, she knew that was the direction she wanted.

Her first job after graduation was creative development executive and social media manager for NCrowd Inc. There, she designed and scheduled email campaigns for daily deals in 13 regional markets, reaching more than 2 million subscribers.

After two years there, she landed the job with Accesso as marketing associate. She was in that position for four years, moving into the brand manager position for over two and a half years. She became Accesso's director of marketing in August 2020.

The theme of passion, fervor and zest runs through Schein's story, both personally and in her career.

"I just love the passion at this company," she said. "There is such a willingness to share with each other. There is such passion for our clients."

And she has discovered another love.

"I have found it rewarding connecting with other women along the way and helping them to find a way to tell their stories," she said.

"Right now, I have an all-female team. I love them. They are passionate and intelligent. I love coaching them and helping them feel more comfortable and confident.

"This is something I hope I can always keep doing, whatever comes. For me, it is very personal and profound."

—Pam Sherborne
Urban Air Adventure Park continues rise in success, innovation

AT: John W.C. Robinson

jrobinson@amusementtoday.com

DALLAS, Texas — Urban Air Adventure Park announced in January that it had a record-breaking year with 63 franchise agreements signed and three new parks opened in 2021. The company posted nearly $440 million in systemwide revenue, representing more than $2.8 million per park.

"We are extremely proud of how our dedicated franchisees and the brand have bounced back from the challenges of 2020 with a 2021 for the record books," said Jay Thomas, CEO of Urban Air Adventure Park. "With the family entertainment industry on an upward trajectory, and now being a part of Unleashed Brands, the Urban Air team is excited to open even more parks in 2022 and make the brand a household name for every family."

Thomas continued with thoughts on how Urban Air found success both during the pandemic and the era of recovery: "Speed and innovation are at the core of our overall brand strategy at Urban Air. Prior to our park closures in March 2020 due to COVID, we had a number of initiatives under development including a complete rebrand and a new marketing strategy. The launch of those strategies was delayed due to COVID, but were slowly implemented as we began to reopen.

"In January of 2021, we were able to launch the entirety of the new marketing strategy which amplified the visibility of our rebranding efforts. Additionally, while closed during COVID we realized the need to manage park occupancy. We quickly prioritized the expansion of our online membership platform and developed an internal ticketing and park reservation system.

"The reservation platform, coupled with a newly outlined health and safety procedure for our parks enabled many of our locations to get approval from local government agencies to safely open our parks in 2020 and position us to kick off 2021 strong. These factors were significant contributors to the many successes we experienced across the brand last year," said Thomas.

Urban Air's total number of open parks now stands at 153, and the recently secured franchise agreements bring the brand's total number of locations in development to 112, dozens of which are expected to open in 2022.

"We are excited to see additional expansion in some of our west coast markets including California, Arizona and Colorado," detailed Thomas. "There will be additional openings in the Midwest, northeast, east coast and Texas."

The family entertainment center market continues to be the highest growth area in the attractions industry. Urban Air executives expect the demand for family entertainment services like that which Urban Air offers will continue to boom in the coming year as families look to resume a sense of normalcy and seek fun, enriching experiences for their kids to learn, play and grow.

Driving a significant portion of Urban Air's 2021 success were nearly 225,000 birthday parties booked at the company's properties, generating nearly $90 million, an all-time high for that revenue stream.

"While COVID has brought a number of challenges, the silver lining is the experience has reminded us the importance of in-person social interaction," commented Thomas. "Parents want their kids to feel celebrated on the birthdays and being able to share that experience and create memories with friends and family is more important than ever before. Other than holidays, birthdays are special occasions throughout the year where families come together and connect. We see this by the number of adults that attend the birthday parties in addition to the kids."

In July 2021, the team behind Urban Air announced the formation of Unleashed Brands, a new global growth-focused platform that aims to curate and expand a portfolio of brands to provide safe, fun and enriching environments that help kids learn, play and grow.

"As we build out our overall strategy for our portfolio and dig into the data for each brand, we are gathering tremendous insights about our customers," explained Thomas. "These insights will enable us to create more meaningful experiences for our guests and better partner with the families that are part of our Unleashed Brands customer base. Urban Air, as with all of our brands, will benefit from the synergies generated by combining our industry leading kid-oriented brands into a unified mission to help kids learn, play and grow."

The other brands under the Unleashed umbrella include Snapology, a franchise brand offering STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) programs for kids; The Little Gym, an enrichment and physical development center for children ages four months through 12; and the recently acquired Premier Martial Arts, a prominent franchised company that specializes in teaching karate, krav maga and kickboxing for children and adults.

"Our team has worked incredibly hard to create a solid infrastructure allowing Urban Air to scale at an incredible pace while driving average unit volume revenue and park attendance," said Thomas. "It is due to the strength of this infrastructure, [CEO] Michael Browning realized we had a strong competitive advantage that could be leveraged by other kid focused brands. As we acquire a new brand, we have built out a framework for migrating each brand into the Unleashed Brands ecosystem. Each time a brand becomes fully integrated, the Unleashed Brands team is able to immerse the brand into the overall unified strategy."

Ranked at No. 46 overall and No. 1 among entertainment franchises on Entrepreneur Magazine's 2022 Franchise 500 list, Urban Air continues to solidify itself as a leader in indoor family adventure park franchises in the United States.

"A critical aspect of our overall success is our team," offered Thomas. "We have been fortunate in finding some of the best leaders in the industry who are passionate about the Unleashed Brands mission and vision."

•urbanair.com
Accesso extends ticket solutions Merlin Entertainment partnership

AT: Pam Sherborne

psherborne@amusementtoday.com

ORLANDO — Accesso Technology Group, a provider of technology solutions to attractions and venues worldwide, continues its growth with the announcement in January of an extended partnership with Merlin Attractions Operations, a subsidiary of Merlin Entertainments.

Since 2015, Accesso, has been providing Merlin Attractions Operations its Passport ticketing solution throughout Merlin's global portfolio, supporting both e-commerce and on-site operations.

“It has been truly exciting to watch our mobile-first ticketing technology help Merlin meet its guests’ growing expectations over the years,” said Steve Brown, accesso CEO. “As our partnership continues, we look forward to working alongside Merlin to deliver a best-in-class ticketing experience for its millions of valued guests around the globe.”

Through this extended agreement, Accesso will continue to serve as the exclusive ticketing technology provider for 113 Merlin venues across 19 countries through August 2026. Merlin has the option to extend the contract another two years.

Accesso's Passport ticketing suite powers online ticketing, on-site sales, season pass management and third-party sales distribution and access control. This allows Merlin to offer its guests an intuitive and seamless digital experience.

Guests are able to navigate every element of their visit with ease, from selecting their tickets and pre-purchasing parking passes, to planning ahead with dining packages, stroller rentals and more.

In addition, with the Accesso Passport solution, operators are equipped to tap into the rapidly increasing consumer demand for mobile shopping, a key capability in the ever-accelerating shift to e-commerce. Tailored to specific needs of the operator, the technology makes it easy for an operator to deploy revenue-driving up-sell and cross-sell opportunities to guests.

Nick Varney, Merlin Entertainments CEO, said the Passport solutions has given Merlin guests an "intuitive ticketing solution."

“We’re pleased to be extending our partnership and continuing to develop and grow our ticketing experience, which puts our guests at the very heart of the customer journey," Varney said.

Merlin specializes in creating unforgettable entertainment for guests of all ages. The company welcomes millions of guests annually through the gates of its attractions and theme parks including Sea Life Aquariums, Legoland Parks, Madame Tussauds attractions and the London Eye, London, U.K.

Under Accesso's ticketing system, there are three available solutions including the Passport system. The two others are Siriusware and ShoWare. Accesso added the Siriusware system after acquiring the company of the same name in 2013. The next year, the company added its ShoWare system after acquiring that company as well. At the time of the acquisition, Showare was providing reserved seating solutions selling more than 20 million tickets per year.

Aside from the company's ticketing solutions, it also offers systems in virtual queuing, ticketing distribution and guest experience.

Accesso was founded in 2002 as Lo-Q, a British technology company. With the impressive growth over the last decade, Accesso now has offices in Orlando and Fresno, California, as well as in the U.K., Mexico, Brazil and Australia.

The Accesso team has grown to more than 500 employees worldwide.

And the growth doesn't seem to have slowed. It continues to push the company forward.

Just recently, Accesso announced that:

•On Jan. 20, 2022, it had partnered with Parks! America to provide the Passports suite to the company's portfolio of Drive-Thru and Walkabout Adventure Zoo Animal Safari Parks;

•On Jan. 6, 2022, it had added 15 new clients to the ShoWare box office ticketing suite including performing arts venues, racetracks and casinos;

•On Dec. 21, 2021, entered a partnership with Foley, Alabama-based OWA Parks and Resort, with the Passport and Siriusware solutions;

•On Dec. 20, 2021, a new three-year strategic agreement with Sansei Technologies, Inc., through which Sansei Technologies will serve as the exclusive reseller of Accesso virtual queuing products in the Japanese market;

•On Nov. 17, 2021, it partnered with Calaway Park, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, with the Passport and Siriusware solutions;

•On Nov. 2, 2021, a three-year agreement with Illuminarium Experiences to provide its Passport e-commerce ticketing suite and Ingresso ticketing distribution technology to support the operator’s forthcoming Las Vegas location at AREA15, which is set to open in early 2022. This agreement marks an expansion of the partnership between Accesso and Illuminarium Experiences, as the technology solutions provider has supported operations at Illuminarium Atlanta since July 2021, and

•On June 22, 2021, the addition of 12 agreements with leisure, entertainment and cultural operators across North America to implement its ShoWare box office ticketing suite.

•accesso.com

•merlinentertainments.biz
Enthusiasm, excitement shine brightly among Ride Camp attendees

AT: Pam Sherborne

psherborne@amusementtoday.com

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Carowinds amusement park in Charlotte, North Carolina, rolled out the red carpet for the 140 operations leaders at this year's International Ride Training's (IRT) Ride Camp, held Feb. 8-11. Ride Camp is the training school for IRT's International Ride Operator Certification (iROC).

"It was truly a spectacular week at this beautiful theme park," said Cindee Huddy, owner, managing member of IRT. "The school could not have had a better backdrop."

There were more than 33 parks represented from coast to coast at this year's event. Huddy said that the students were enthusiastic and ready for 2022.

"As 2020 and 2021 have been interesting at best, the outlook of these operational professionals is bright," she said. "As operational professionals it is what we do best, pivot when needed. We are puzzle masters. It is our role to put the pieces together sometimes without seeing the front of the box."

The focus, of course, is always on safety first, which is the most important part of the guest experience. As one of the continuing education techniques at Ride Camp, students practiced trainer techniques to both teach and inspire their operators back at their parks.

They left Ride Camp, ready and prepared for the challenges of 2022, whatever they may be, Huddy said. They also left with a with bag full of new tools, techniques and best practices to help them along the way.

Ride Camp planners always create ways to make learning and training fun. This year, the theme, "I'll be there for you," was taken from the theme song to the television series Friends.

"Unagi! A State of Total Awareness became the Ride Camp Anthem," Huddy said. "If you have seen the TV show, you may have seen this episode with Ross Geller."

It was a big hit.

"It set the stage for how much we care for our industry and how we want to encourage one another and share best practices so our whole industry will thrive," Huddy said. "The theme resonated with all, and they will take what they learned back to best serve the millions of amazing theme park fans who visit each year."

One of the highlights this year was the over 100 teach-backs performed by the students. The teach-backs are learning techniques for trainers implemented by IRT. Students conduct presentations on video that is shown and evaluated by their peers. They receive feedbacks and redo their presentations.

"Each student put their all into these videos and we could not be prouder of each one them," Huddy said.

Best presentations are selected and awarded. This year they were awarded to: Jorge Vidal, Knott’s Berry Farm; Mel Scholz, Worlds of Fun and Dallas Shumate, Carowinds.

There were more than 100 sessions provided during the Ride Camp. A few fan favorite classes included:

•The How ‘ya doin Panel, taught by Anna Danau from Hospitality Intelligence, focusing on overcoming staffing challenges;

•Operations Efficiency Class taught by Erik Beard, owner, managing member of IRT and Karrah Folk from Cedar Point;

•Normalization of Deviance taught by Dino Fazio, Morey’s Piers;

•Tammy’s Teaching Techniques — A Lesson in Trainer Lesson Plans! Taught by Tammy Nash, IRT associate;

•Your Leadership Story, Setting the Tone for the Leader You Want to Be, taught by Angelique Charles, Carowinds, and

•An Intense, Intentional and Well Intentioned Instructor, taught by Janet Meyers, Cedar Fair, corporate director of operations.

The Carowinds facilities allowed for nine classroom learning environments and nine rides for hands on learning.

Carowind’s Drew Corrigan, director of park operations, Brian Oerding, vice president, park operations and Manny Gonzales, vice president and general manager each gave encouraging words to the students embarking on their passions for the season.

"This was truly meaningful to the students," Huddy said.

There were 130 International Ride Operator Instructor Certifications earned during the 2022 Ride Camp. In addition each student receives 4.0 Continuing Education Credits from Tunxis Community College, credentials are important to the industry professional's development and resume.

There were other awards given out during this year's Ride Camp. Those included: Ride Camp Best Students, Chris King, Funtown Splashtown and Caitlyn Lewis, New Orleans City Park; When Pigs Fly Spirit Award given to Ken Clements, Morey’s Piers, and Tess Bunker, Valleyfair; The Heart of Ride Camp Award to Alex Alexander, American Dream Nickelodeon, and Debra Reinauer, Cedar Point.

•ridetraining.com
ASTM International is working to keep adventure seekers safe

West Conshohocken, Pa. — Amusement rides have evolved over time, from roller coasters to waterslides to bungee jumps and more. But the reality of what’s fun has never really wavered: thrills, chills and drops are fun for the whole family — it’s the medium that changes. That’s why the committee on amusement rides and devices (F24) was formed in 1978 to write, manage and oversee standards related to all aspects of amusement rides and attractions.

The committee works on core standards that generally apply to all amusement rides, addressing things like design, quality, manufacture, operations, maintenance and inspection. From there, it’s all about extrapolating out and applying those same concepts to the growing variety of different rides and attractions.

“This is an industry that loves to innovate,” offeredcommittee chair Franceen Gonzales, chief experience officer with WhiteWater West Industries. “Anytime someone invents something new, people want to put it into an amusement park. That’s why every standard we write, we do it in such a way that people can continue to innovate while also being safe and adhering to those same tenets of quality.”

In the last 10 years, a wide range of new attractions has hit the scene that have redefined what an amusement ride could be. The popularity of ziplines, trampoline parks and other new options exploded in recent years, spurring the subcommittee on adventure attractions (F24.61) to publish the standard practice for aerial adventure courses (F2959) in 2012.

Like the committee’s other standards, F2959 establishes criteria for the design, manufacture and installation of aerial adventure courses as well as their safe operation and maintenance needs. And that boils down to anything that puts the user above the ground and in a harness to protect them from a fall, explains subcommittee chair Jared Krupa, a principal with K2 Engineering and Structural Design.

“The standard covers everything from ziplines to challenge courses to via ferrata and even climbing walls,” Krupa said. “It really fills a hole in the industry for any application where you have cables up in the air that are supported by trees or other anchors.”

That’s because a zipline is very different from a roller coaster. At a traditional amusement park, guests typically experience rides that travel on a fixed path while being safely restrained within a ride vehicle. On these types of rides, the necessary safety measures and controls are meticulously designed into the ride. As long as the ride itself is designed, built, operated and maintained to existing standards, and the participant follows all posted signage, the result will be a safe, fun experience.

However, as the industry has grown to include attractions where participants have some control over their bodies and sometimes the operation of the ride vehicle, the safety factors have changed. There is now a need to ensure that the designed experience is not only safe but that consideration has been given to the responsible actions of the participants and their correct performance of tasks as they enjoy the attraction. It’s a different type of risk profile, which calls for ongoing revisions and updates.

“The industry is growing fast, and everybody always wants the next latest and greatest thing,” added Krupa. “Maybe the old style of ziplines were slower and there is a new, more exciting type that has a different kind of breaking device because the speeds are higher. We're just trying to keep up with the next big thing in aerial adventure and make sure that the standard that was designed in 2012 is still applicable to all the new things that are coming out today and tomorrow.”

Right now, that means clarifying any issues or confusion that end-user stakeholders have raised, and deepening the term descriptions and other details of the core standard itself. At the moment, F24.61 is working on updates around wire rope safety, zipline breaking devices, vehicle doors, estop and powered restraints, with more revisions expected in the months and years ahead.

As Gonzales explains it, the work never ends, and that’s exactly why the standard practice for aerial adventure courses is so valuable to the industry. As new attractions are introduced, it’s up to the committee on amusement rides and devices to proactively revise its standard in partnership with an ever-growing community of industry stakeholders.

“What is important is that there’s good collaboration,” said Gonzales. “We have stakeholders from different organizations and different parts of the industry that are all contributing to these efforts and we want all of those different perspectives. I'm looking forward to seeing good, constructive dialogue that moves the standard forward and makes it better for everyone. Because there's a lot at stake. You've got a lot of people who enjoy these attractions, and we want to be able to have a standard ready for use as this segment of the industry continues to grow.”

•astm.org
Ellis and Associates Aquatic Safety School draws record number

AT: Pam Sherborne

psherborne@amusementtoday.com

PHOENIX, Ariz. — Ellis and Associates, a leader in aquatic safety and training, put its 36th annual International Aquatic Safety School (IASS) in the history books in January. It drew more than 250 attendees, a record number.

The event was held Jan. 16-21 at the Arizona Grand Resort and Spa in Phoenix, Arizona. It brings together aquatic professionals from theme and water parks, recreation centers, swim schools, resorts, destinations, commercial pool management and educational institutions. And it gives them comprehensive lifeguard instructor training and risk management solutions.

“After delivering a one-off virtual edition of IASS last year, getting together in person, getting in the water to train, networking with our peers and soaking up the Arizona sun felt better than we could have imagined,” said Richard (RAC) Carroll, senior vice president and chief operating officer of Ellis and Associates. “We had a record number of attendees that benefited from an amazing itinerary filled with course instruction, professional development, team-building and personal growth.”

This year’s edition of IASS was highlighted by an opening keynote presentation from Jason Freeman, corporate vice president, security, safety, health and environmental, Six Flags Entertainment.

In his presentation, Freeman shared how his own career path, taking on multiple roles and learning new skills, demonstrates that each and every one can be extraordinary by accepting new challenges and simply putting forth best efforts every day.

IASS attendees are divided into groups for the week. Each group has a specific curriculum based on their experience in the industry. The group approach allows them to learn, gain mastery of skills, achieve lifeguard instruction certification or re-certification and also grow their leadership skills while working as a team.

Attendees also come together for instruction and information sessions. They receive updates, best practices, and instructor resources and learn about lifeguard course enhancements and program updates, including additional training programs. They receive crisis communication training as well as abuse prevention and recognition training and much more.

The IASS focuses on developing confident, high performing lifeguard trainer as well as risk management to support the aquatic industry's goal of preventing the loss of life from drowning.

In the memory of the aquatic industry icon Vera Solis, a new award was introduced this year. It was introduced by the IASS Director Team, consisting of Denise Beckson from Morey’s Piers and Beachfront Water Parks, Mike Bengston from Splish Splash Waterpark, Liz Caywood from Fort Wayne Community Schools and Trish Lyons from Morey’s Piers and Beachfront Water Parks, together with the IASS faculty and Ellis and Associates staff.

Simply called the Vera Solis Leadership Award, it was awarded this year to one person from each group of IASS attendees, recognizing them for demonstrating the traits of passion, positive attitude and leadership.

The recipients were selected by the members of each group.

"Vera Solis was part of the Ellis and Associates community for more than 35 years,” Beckson said. “She was instrumental in developing leading-edge training programs that to this day protect swimmers around the world.

"Every lifeguard candidate, instructor candidate and instructor trainer that was blessed to work with Vera had the opportunity to be guided by her commitment to service, leadership and accountability,” he said

•jellis.com
TÜV tests Maurer's Spike seat

restraint in inverted position

MUNICH, Germany — TÜV, a third-party safety firm, has tested Maurer Rides' Spike seat restraint in an inverted position in regard to the EN13814 safety class 5. The class 5 restraint is required for negative G’s and inverted positions. Maurer’s innovative seatbelt system from the Spike Coaster was tested in extreme positions by TÜV. The Maurer inverted device was used with Maurer X-Seat which was safety certified in 2003 as the world's first inverted roller coaster seat without shoulder restraints. COURTESY MAURER RIDES

iROC Ride Operations Audit Excellence Award winning parks announced for 2021

Nashville, Tenn. — International Ride Training announced at its recent Ride Camp Safety Seminar (see story, page 50) the International Ride Operator Certification Audit Excellence Award winners for 2021.

This year’s winners, in no particular order, are Morey’s Piers, Wildwood, New Jersey; Carowinds, Charlotte, North Carolina; Valleyfair, Shakopee, Minnesota; Gilroy Gardens, Gilroy, California; and Michigan’s Adventure, Muskogen, Michigan.

Of the thousands of amusement ride operators throughout the United States that are trained to perform to the rigorous safety, efficiency and professionalism standards of the International Ride Operator Certification program, the ride operators at these five parks demonstrated the highest level of performance in each of these areas during their 2021 unannounced iROC certification audits.

“iROC-certified parks show the highest commitment to guest safety and service in the industry, and these five operations teams embody the very best of the best in the amusement industry,” commented Patty Beazley of IRT. “It is an exceptionally special recognition considering the pandemic and staffing challenges that all teams faced last year.”

“It is a privilege to witness these ride operators in action. The focus on safety, both from these parks and their operators, is evident in their training and performance. To achieve this award takes full commitment, teamwork and real dedication to guest safety,” added Erik Beard of IRT.

The International Ride Operator Certification program requires amusement and water parks to train and adhere to International Ride Training’s proprietary “Ten Critical Components” of ride operations safety, efficiency and professionalism designed specifically to ensure that guests of iROC parks, from small children to seasoned thrill seekers, have the safest and most enjoyable day of their summers. iROC-certified parks also submit to unannounced audits from IRT auditors who gauge ride operator performance on over thirty criteria each ride cycle to ensure that operators are performing at a level commensurate with their training.

Each recipient took home the coveted Golden Thumb statue when the award recipients were honored at the recently held International Ride Operator Safety School — affectionately called “Ride Camp” — at Carowinds, February 8–11, 2022.
NAARSO Awards

Person of the Year Award

James Graybeal

for outstanding contribution to NAARSO

•

Jimmy Floyd Award

Dean Corel

for outstanding service to NAARSO

•

Red Wood Award

Jeff Alberts

for outstanding contributions to portable ride safety

•

Walter C. Dills Award

Michael Melhorn (2021)

John Hartman (2022)

for dedication to preserving Carl's legacy and beliefs

2022 NAARSO Safety Seminar attendance hits new record high

AT: Pam Sherborne

psherborne@amusementtoday.com

ORLANDO — The National Association of Amusement Ride Safety Officials (NAARSO), made up of professionals from all avenues of the amusement industry, held its 35th Safety Seminar Jan. 15-21 and experienced its largest attendance ever.

The seminar drew over 550 attendees, counting both those attendees that participated in person at the Doubletree Seaworld Orlando hotel and those that had to experience the seminar virtually.

There were a total of 150 courses offered throughout the week equaling 190 hours of classroom/virtual instruction. Those 190 hours do not include the eight hours of hands-on training or the Train the Trainer program which are offered the weekend prior to the start of the seminar.

There were more than 70 instructors, both in person and virtually, hosting sessions from the U.S. and internationally.

"This year we were able to offer more classrooms both in person and virtually with upgraded equipment which provided the attendees at home with a much more interactive experience," said Lisa Howard Sitler, Hersheypark, chair of the NAARSO communication committee and who sits on the board for NAARSO. "The attendees were able to view the instructor and presentation simultaneously on the screen. The new technology allowed the camera to follow the instructors as they moved around the room."

New this year was a Qualified Welder Certification. The hands-on training for this certification took place at Seaworld Orlando. While some attendees tackled the attractions and took behind-the-scenes tours, others were given the opportunity to participate in this new certification course.

"This was a huge success as the attendees walked away with a Qualified Welder Certification," Sitler said.

She said NAARSO was thrilled to partner with SeaWorld Orlando. From the moment the attendees entered the gate, they were greeted with a wonderful breakfast spread, hot coffee and warm smiles.

"The day was definitely something to remember," Sitler added.

Also new this year was the implementation of an aquatics track for an Aquatic Operations Certification. That focus area is expected to grow.

The other areas of focus are the Inspections Certification, with three different levels, and the Operations Certification, which also includes three different levels.

A sampling of some of the courses this year include guest behavior, foam padding, best inspection techniques, trampoline device, steel coasters, wooden coasters, pump room inspections, non-destructive testing, testing controls and troubleshooting and recognizing ethical traps.

Other courses include hydraulic schematic reading, preventive maintenance, fall arrest harness, basic generators, miniature trains, rigging, bearings, magnetics, accessibility, inspection communications, wave pool inspections and wire rope inspections.

NAARSO was founded in 1987 by a small group of individuals consisting mostly of state amusement ride inspectors. The founding idea was that through communication and knowledge sharing, safety could be improved by disseminating individual experiences, observations and best practices throughout the amusement ride safety industry.

Since its founding, NAARSO has administered a total of 4,355 certifications, including 4,046 Inspector Certifications and 309 Operations Certifications.

Over 200 individuals hold certifications for both Inspections and Operations.

•naarso.com

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