MOKENA, Il. — As uncertainty about the marketplace and the status of COVID-19 lingers, the sponsoring organizations of Amusement Expo International have opted to move the startup of the spring event to May 5-7, 2021-still at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV.

Originally, the industry’s premier spring gathering for the out-of-home entertainment industry was set for March 16-18, 2021, but concerns about business conditions and the facilities in Las Vegas prompted the decision to delay it briefly.

“We’ve been closely monitoring the situation and our thinking, at this point, is the prudent thing to do is to push back next year’s AEI and grab open dates a bit later, but not out of the traditional spring cycle the show has been on since its inception in 2010,” said Joe Camarota, president of the American Amusement Machine Association (AAMA), one of AEI’s two co-sponsoring organizations.

Under the revised AEI ’21 schedule, the event will shift by one day to a Wednesday through Friday pattern, with the comprehensive educational program to be conducted on Wednesday, May 5 and the exhibition to take place on Thursday, May 6 and Friday, May 7.

“It’s important for our industry to meet face-to-face in 2021 not only to reflect on where we’ve been, but more importantly, to share how this experience will change the manner in which we conduct business moving forward,” stated AMOA president Greg Trent.  “Moving AEI to May provides additional time for exhibitors and attendees to get back on their feet so they can be in Vegas and engage in the conversation.”

AEI continues to evolve as an increasingly important gathering on the industry’s annual calendar, with its reach extending beyond traditional coin-op and amusements to include segments such as family entertainment centers, bulk vending, laser tag and virtual reality.     

“The NBVA looks forward to its continued collocation with Amusement Expo International in 2021,” said NBVA President, Scott Ausmus.  “By moving the NBVA Conference and Trade Show to May, both bulk vending suppliers, and operators, will be in a better position to attend our annual event when we come together and strategize how to move towards profitability again.  We will not allow COVID to stop us.”

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