OPERATING
New York Show a Success
Well, the Irving, Ben and Sophie
show was in full swing over the May
12th to 15th weekend, as the Music
and Amusement Association threw
their gala convention in Swan Lake,
New York. The Stevensville Country
Club is more conducive to a relaxed
and carefree manner than to
business, and so it was that much
ado over sun and fun was empha-
sized .
A time to get way away from
everything, this convention offers a
little bit for everyone, much as it did
last year. But besides the tennis,
golf and softball, there were some
other things to take note of, namely
the games and machines on display.
Probably the biggest surprise at
the show was the unveiling of the
first totally Stern game . Called
Disco, this two-player has some
definite possibilities for the future.
Also causing some stir was Mars
Trek from Sonic, which wasn't
scheduled to be anywhere for a
while; but there it was and getting a
lot of play.
A nice touch was the inclusion
this time around of Gottlieb ma-
chines, so aptly displayed by Tony
and Sal of Mondial. Lenny was
showing his thing at the Albert
Simon booth, and this thing should
cause some excitement for the pool
table industry. Briefly stated, with
the help of an electronic eye, a cue
ball can be discerned from the rest
of the rack . Impressive is the only
word for this innovation .
Another game which caught the
eye of most who walked the arena
was Nok-Out by Gamex Amuse-
ment Inc. The game featured boxers
hitting themselves out via the old
television screen format.
Also in attendance was Lou
Wolberg and Bally's newest addi-
tions, Evel Knievel (the game, not
the man) included . For AI and
Donna Kress , space was taken up
with the new triple gun games by
Atari as well as the pinball The
Atarians, and a whole slew of
equipment.
Add Millie McCarthy, Pinball
Pattie from Special When Lit, and a
whole host of others and you get a
show that combined the best of
both worlds, business and pleasure.
For 1977, the M .A .A. once again
produced a Swan Song well worth
remembering.
- Roger Sharpe
14
Casino Gambling!?
While casino gambling took an-
other step toward becoming reality
in Atlantic City, New Jersey, the
concept has once again run into
opposition in the Louisiana legisla-
ture .
The New Jersey Assembly has
approved a rule book for the
establishment of casino gambling in
Atlantic City. The book now goes
to the State Senate and from there
to the desk of Governor Byrne for
his signature .
The Senate is
expected to raise no difficulties for
the package, and the Governor has
indicated that he will sign the bill.
The regulations package, which
covers everything from operating
hours and credit arrangements to
liquor availability and tipping, was
adopted by a vote of 48 to 20.
During more than nine hours of
debate, over 30 different attempts
were made to amend the control
bill. Among these were attempts to
increase and reduce the hours of
operation from the planned 18 hours
a day during the week and 20 hours
during weekends.
Neither effort
succeeded .
Meanwhile, a bill to legalize
gambling in Louisiana ran into tough
questioning from House committee
members in Baton Rouge . The bill,
proposed by Louis Charbonnet of
New Orleans, has also drawn fire
from the Louisiana District Attor-
neys Association .
Charbonnet has tried to get
various versions of a gambling bill
through the House in recent ses-
sions . The present bill would permit
any parish with a population of more
than 350,000 to hold a referendum
on legalizing gambling if 10,000 of
its citizens petition for such .
New SUlO Catalogue
Coming Out Soon
The New York Show, Hanging out.
Once again the show room floor was
crowded, as the machines got even
more play than the golf course.
Second from top: Tony Yula of
Mondial checks out some of the play
in his booth. Bottom: Harold
Kaufman, up from the city, relaxes.
L.J. Suverein of Suzo Trading
Co ., Rotterdam , Netherlands, has
announced that applications for the
firm 's most recent catalogue have
so far exceeded expectations as to
exhaust supplies.
" Our new catalogue for 1977 will
be ready in about six weeks,
however," he said, " and we shall
send that immediately to all appli-
cants who ordered but did not
receive the earlier one .
"We have not forgotten those
people," he added . " As soon as the
new catalogue is ready, we will be
shipping them out. "