Play Meter

News briefs ... News briefs ... News briefs ... News briefs .
.......... A major U.S. deparment store chain, based in the Midwest, is
studying a move to embrace coin-op game rooms in its far-flung units,
Play Meter has learned.
If this move is finalized, it will mark a large
market opening for coin-ops. The department store firm plans to contact
operators for installation of games rather than owning the games outright,
a spokesman said . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.......... Despite the air traffic controllers strike of August, Exidy had
high hopes for its first-ever field service school in Canada, set for
Laniel Automatic/Montreal on August 26.
Terry Cunningham, Exidy's field
service manager, announced his "flight plan" through Exidy's schools, manuals
and Zero Downtime technical newsletter. Laniel's Jean Robillard said an
attendance of 50 to 75 operators from across Canada were expected for Exidy's
field service school at the distributorship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.......... Coin Machine Distributors feted its friends and customers on
August 30 to celebrate the opening of its new facility at 425 Fairview
Park Drive, Elmsford, New York. Phones are in: 914/737-5050 or 347-3777 ....... .
.......... C.A. Robinson & Co. distributorship has moved from its 2301 West
Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, address to its former warehouse facility (where
the firm's special showings have been held). New place: 2891 West Pico,
Los Angeles; new telephone: 213/735-3001. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.......... Peach State Distributing Co., Atlanta, extended hospitality on
August 23 to its 2040 Boulevard S.E. showroom. The event was held to mark
the acquisition of the company by John Head, Jim Libby, and Jack Head.
Prizes to the attendees were topped by a five-day, expense paid trip for two
to the Bahamas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.......... Bally Pinball Division staged a grand gathering for its 1981
domestic distributors meeting, September 10 through 12 at the opulent new
Hamilton Hotel in Ithaca, Illinois. All principals and sales/marketing
execs of the distributorships were invited to attend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. ......... Ruckus over arcades: Local officials at widely separated points
were taking their idle summer days to stir a witch hunt, the target being
coin-operated amusement game centers. Union City, New Jersey was debating
whether to allow a pinball arcade to be built where there has been a tavern in
the town, located opposite City Hall.
North Bergen, New Jersey, meanwhile,
was fighting a court ruling which had directed it to allow permits for a game
room with 160 pieces of equipment to be placed in a former automobile showroom.
And Los Angeles City Council had given tentative approval to an ordinance for
tighter control of game arcades which was linked to sex-oriented establishments
and dance halls. Not to be outdone, Florida localities joined in the coin-op
witch hunt. Coral Gables city commissioners voted 3-2 to ban video games from
local businesses, arguing that potential truancy and hangout problems would
arise around the games. Sweetwater, Florida also blamed coin-ops for juvenile
delinquency and banned pinball, pool tables, and video games from that sleepy
community. And the rush to judgement wasn't over. The need seemed clear:
coin machine operators should be on the offensive, stressing the positive
nature of amusement games and plugging a shiny image of their industry.
Instructive articles will be upcoming features in Play Meter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.......... Coin Acceptors, Inc. has announced the expansion of the company's
manufacturing facilities in High Ridge, Missouri; Mountain View Missouri; and
Quebradillas, Puerto Rico. At the same time, CoinCo terminated manufacturing
at what it terms its "antiquated" plant in St. Louis. Office headquarters
remain at 4946 Daggert, St. Louis. CoinCo also has expanded its modern
research and development facilities located at Clearwater, Florida .......... .
.......... Atari's Game Club, founded in October 1980, to keep Atari home video
players informed about the manufacturer's game products, has been extended
to include players of coin-op videos worldwide. Players will be able to obtain
membership applications through participating family amusement centers and
other Atari game locations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
PLAY METER, October 15, 1981
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