3
AOE '83
LARGEST YET
AMUSEMENT OPERATOR'S EXPO OPENED TO
RECORD BREAKING NUMBERS
.i\musement Operator's Expo boasted the largest attendance in its four-year
history. Over 6,000 arcade owners and operators from across the United
States and Canada crowded the O'Hare Expo Center in Chicago, March
25-27, 1983.
The Conference featured the largest exhibition ever of amusement
equipment, accessories and related products. Over 500 booths showcased
the latest in coin operated pinball and video games, monitors, jukeboxes,
coin counting equipment, arcade supplies, kiddie rides, technical products
and services.
•~we were very pleased with the turnout! Not only were the number of
exhibits up 40% over last year, but attendance in the hall was tremendous!
The excitement and enthusiasm on everyone's part made this year's show an
outstanding success!" commented Lisa Ryan, Senior Account Executive,
Exhibit Sales.
Attendees were also invited to choose from over 50 seminars and
workshops lead by industry experts who shared their views on arcade
design, cost analysis, computers, troubleshooting, negotiating commissions,
promotion and advertising, repairs, management, insurance and used
equipment financing .
The early bird general session, entitled "The Manufacturers Face the
Firing Line" held Thursday, March 24 at 6:00'p.m., was a highly successful
kick-off to the three-day event. As an open forum, leading manufacturers
and suppliers answered hard-hitting questions from AOE attendees. The
free-wheeling discussion focused on industry-wide issues and problems as
well as future trends.
Daryl Komar, Vice President of Conference Planning comments,
"Setting up our seminar program is a year-long project for us. We are
dedicated to producing a comprehensive and relevant selection of topics,
and the response this year, as always, indicates that the educational sessions
at AOE are very important to our attendees. We are pleased to provide this
service to them."
Amusement Operator's Expo '83 was sponsored by Play Meter
Magazine. Conference Management Corporation, a leader in the field of
trade show management, was responsible for managing the event.
KIDDIE RIDES USA
DEBUTS NEW RIDES
KIDDIE RIDES USA INTRODUCES NEW COIN-OP
KIDDIE RIDES
Kiddie Rides USA, Davenport, Iowa, one of the largest national distributors
of coin-op kiddie rides in the United States, recently introduced several new
rides at the Amusement Operators Exhibition in Chicago. "We're very
excited about our new motorcycle," explained Marketing Director, Melvin
LaForce. "Of all the different motorcycles we sell, our new Police Bike is
the most realistic." The ride is an actual European Police Motorcycle,
complete with windshield, headlights, and horn modified to be a coin-op
kiddie ride. "This ride is sure to conjure up the child's imagination more than
any other motorcycle on the market," states LaForce.
Also introduced was a new Patrol Boat that can be compared to a Coast
Guard or Harbor Patrol Boat. The ride has a spoked steering wheel and
modified smoke stack. The most impressive thing about this unit is its sound
effects. Once the coin is inserted, you'll hear the engine actually roar to life,
and it sounds just like a real Chug Boat. Two buttons beside the steering
wheel allow the child to speed up the engine or sound a very eerie fog horn.
Firebird is the name of the next new ride - an exciting addition to the
popular hydraulics becoming more visible around the country. The ride is
hydraulically lifted and has the option to rotate as well. It has all the pizzaz
of Kiddie Rides USA's popular hydraulic Galacticar and hydraulic
Helicopter, with flashing lights and space sound effects, but its shape is more
akin to a futuristic starship.
A more conventional ride, the Ra//ey Car, bears mentioning because of
its interesting dipping motion. It's a sleek-looking convertible with lots of
chrome plating and metallic fiberglass. Says LaForce, "This ride is
probably one of the most solidly-built of all our units. It is perfect for an
outdoor location and can stand up to harsh abuse and inclement weather."
If a circus is your theme, Kiddie Rides USA is now distributing a one-
seat mini Ferris Wheel. Perfect for the smaller kids, the Ferris Wheel has a
ring of flashing lights and plays calliope-type music. This is the type of ride
that will add "wholesomeness" to any location.
If small is what you are looking for in coin-op kiddie rides because your
location isn't all that roomy, you'll find Kiddie Rides USA's new mini-tot
rides the perfect solution. There's a Mini-Police Car, a Mini-Fire Engine
and a Mini-Bunny. These will be alluring to the 4-and-under crowd, and
priced very reasonably for the operator.
Other new rides are the Submarine, the Sky Rider, the Chopper, and
two new Lotus Race Cars.
For further information, call Kiddie Rides USA toll free at 800/553-8000
or write for their free CIRCUS OF FUN catalog at 604 Main Street,
Davenport, Iowa 52803.
COINCO
CONDUCTS SERVICE SEMINARS
COIN ACCEPTORS CONDUCTS SERVICE
SEMINARS FOR 578 WESTERN REGION CUSTOMERS
ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI - Coin Acceptors, Inc. recently held a series of
eight service seminars for its Western Regional customers.
All eight sessions were conducted by COINCO's National Service
Manager, Chuck Crockett, who focused on troubleshooting techniques and
in-depth analysis of old and new COINCO equipment. A total of 578
bottlers, operators and distributors from throughout the West, including
Seattle, Portland, Santa Clara, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Albuquerque,
Denver, and Salt Lake City attended the meetings.
Due to the success with which the program was received, COINCO
seminars will be made annual events. Plans call for similar sessions to be
held for each of its sales regions in the near future. Coin Acceptors, also
known by the trade name COIN CO, is the nation's leading producer of coin
handling equipment for the vending, bottling and amusement and game
industries. For further information contact Coin Acceptors, Inc. 4946
Daggett, St. Louis, MO 631 I 0.
Chuck Crockett, CO/NCO National Service Manager, conducting a
Service Seminar for COINCO customers.
Star*Tech Journal, Volume 5, Number 4, June 1983. Copyright 1983 by Star*Tech Journal, Inc. All rights reserved. Star*Tech Journal is published 12 times a year. Address
inquiries to: P.O. Box 1065, Merchantville, New Jersey 08109. Phone: 609/662-3432. All manuscripts become property of Star*Tech Journal. No part of this Journal may be
reproduced without permission. Contents of the articles herein are verified as much as possible. However, any reader using this information does soat his/her own risk. Star* Tech
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Advertising rates available upon request. Staff: Publisher/Editor: James Calore. Administrative Assistant: LT. DiRenzo. Art/Advertising Coordinator. Paul Ehlinger. Circulation
Promotion: Linda Geseking. Typesetting/Layout: Dale Meloni Graphics. Contributing Technical Writers: Todd Erickson, Don Becker, Mark "Bear" Attebery, Julius Robins Ill.