LOCATION PROFILE-
CACTUS JACKS
traffic hours. Special rates are given for
these parties. Adult supervision is re-
quired for groups. " The adults coming
with the groups often see that the arcade
is a good place for entertainment and
come back with their families," said
Sam Kamas.
Security and control are important
factors in the success of Cactus Jacks,
according to Mr. Kamas. Off duty,
uniformed police are hired to assure that
there is no loitering in or around the
arcade area. Having the police there
virtually eliminates any potential trouble
while helping to maintain the clean
family fun image of the location.
Sam and Jim Kamas have made Cactus
Jacks a place where people can enjoy
playing the newest games in a clean and
wholesome environment.
LETTER TO THE INDUSTR!:I
If you 're in Oklahoma City be sure to
visit Cactus Jacks, an outstanding arcade
with all the latest equipment. The 8,000
square foot free standing facility has
about 80 games, a lounge area with candy
and drink vending machines and is usually
crowded with kids and adults having fun.
Sam and Jim Kamas operate this arcade
together with a strong street route.
Sam Kamas explains that the key to
success at Cactus Jacks is, "Having the
latest equipment in the arcade, good
service support to keep games working
and strong management control." They
have implemented many interesting
promotion ideas to increase traffic and
further enhance the family fun and clean
image of the arcade. Competitive tourna-
ments are held weekly for foosball and
pool players. Some of these are "ladies"
tournaments or mixed doubles which has
been successful to bring more female
players to the arcade. Drawings for big
prizes have also encouraged more game
play.
Group parties for birthdays, outings
for scouts, softball leagues, YMCA, etc.
are encouraged, especially during slower
Our industry is facing the escalating
cost of equipment, labor and supplies.
These costs are increasing at a rate which
far exceed the national average. In the
last ten years, the price of games has
increased three hundred percent. How-
ever, the income generated from these
games has not increased anywhere near a
comparable level. It is the operator who
has solely absorbed the rising cost. Some
method must be found to increase the
operators' share of the cash box income.
The answer to our industry is twofold .
The first step is to increase the price per
play to 25 cents per game or one song,
and 50 cents per game of pool. The
second step is either a better percentage
of the collections or a service charge
per game.
It has long been argued that the best
approach to increase the operator's
income is to change the commission to
60/40 operator's split. This would ,be
ideal but it places the burden on the high
volume location and has little effect on
the low volume customer. In time, the
large volume location through agitating is
usually successful in reducing his com-
mission back to 50/50. The service charge
on the other hand fairly places the
burden on all locations.
Approximately two years ago, I
suggested to our industry a service charge
of $2 .00 per game per week. It met with
some limited success but since it was not
pursued by many operators, it gradually
faded away.
Two dollars off the top for every game
in reality is one dollar from the location
and one dollar from the operator, so in
effect it only costs the location one
dollar. An operator with two hundred
games means an additional $10,400
per year.
We must begin to alter the status quo,
for without an adjustment in the income
of the opera tor, insolvency is around the
corner.
I sincerely hope this letter will instill
in our industry the desire to act quickly .
To delay action is to merely forestall the
inevitable.
NORMAN GOLDSTEIN
Monroe Distributing
Cleveland, Ohio
Atari would like to confirm Norm
Goldstein s message. Operators are giving
the locations a service, they purchase or
lease the equipment, they maintain and
repair the equipnJ,ent, and rotate units to
maximize revenues. Operators should get
a fair share of the income to cover their
costs. A weekly service charge would be
appropriate or a higher share of -rhe
collections. ff operators provide good
service to locations, the locations should
be willing to pay for that service.