International Arcade Museum Library

***** DEVELOPMENT & TESTING SITE (development) *****

Atari Coin Connection

Issue: Vol 5 Num 07 - 1981 November - Page 2

PDF File Only

ATAR I coin-operated video
games can generate new profit
opportunities. Show attendees
w ill also be able to view and
play two of ATARl 's hottest
games-Centipede™ and the
anticipates an attendance of
sensational new Tempest™.
2,000 owners of supper clubs,
"We're looking forward to at-
taverns, package stores, cock-
tending this year's N LBA show: ·
tail lounges, hotels and restau-
said Frank Ballouz, Vice-Presi-
rants from throughout the
dent of Marketing, Coin-Op Divi-
United States.
sion. " It will give us the oppor-
The Marketing Services de-
partment at ATAR I has put to-
tunity to speak directly with
gether a unique promotion and
owners of establishments in this
resource packet designed espe- growing market and demon-
cially for the beverage market,
strate to them the tremendous
profit potential of ATARI games: ·
containing information on how
ATARI Attends N.L.B.A.
Convention and Trade Show
In addition to the 1981
A .M.O.A. and the $50,000.00
World Championships, ATARI
Marketing and Sales is prepar-
ing for another trade show di-
rectly following the Ch icago
events. The National Licensed
Beverage Association 's 32nd
Annual Convention and Trade
Show w ill be held November
8-11 at the MGM Grand Hotel,
Las Vegas, Nevada. The N LBA
OPERATOR
OF THE '80s
Jim Killgore
of Phoenix
Envision a mining town in the
Old West-dusty streets, wood-
en buildings, and miners return-
ing from a long, hard day of
picking and shovelling the ore.
There on the hillside is the sil-
ver mine providing the livelihood
of these isolated pioneers. Let's
take a look inside . . .
The entrance is panelled with
aluminum sheets supported by
tournament in Los Angeles.
rough wooden beams. The out-
There was plenty of action
door light diminishes as we
at the ATARI exhibit at AMOA
by ATAR I in recent games
The ATARI $50,000.00
and at the Championships. This walk through the rock-lined tun-
were also handed out . These World Championships took
was a big weekend for us and for nel deeper into the m ine. Up
ahead we see dim lights and
special data sheets were de-
place at the same time. A
the coin-op industry in general.
can hear excited voices. Our
signed to assist operators in
special press conference was
journey ends in a room full of
servicing these unique ATAR I
held on Friday during the tour-
people playing video games and
nament action . And from 9:00
cont rols.
pinball machines! The ceiling is
p.m. to 11 :00 p.m. a cocktail
Field Service had copies
painted black, and murals de-
available for sale of • 'The
party for all operators was
picting the early m ining days
Book", one of the industry's
held at the Expocenter. ATARI
cover the walls. Picks and sho-
most complete and authorita-
and Tournament Games, Inc.
vels lean up against one corner,
tive encyclopedias of video
co-hosted the party.
as though they were left behind
game techn ical information .
One of the contestants at the
by those miners of the Old
Championships was Matthew
A lso the C.A .T. Box, a unique
West. Welcome to Silver Mine
Laborteaux, the actor who plays
ATARI-designed Computer-
Family Amusement Center!
A ided-Testing instrument, was "Albert" on the" Little House on
shown along with various
the Prairie" television show.
The Silver Mine Family
THE
ATARI
ERA
competed
in
a
local
Matthew
equipment demonstrations.
Amusement Center, in Phoenix,
Arizona, has been in business
for approximately one year, and
more accustomed to competi-
tive situations and less inh ibited is owned and operated by Jim
in displaying their game-playing Killgore and Ed Bateman . Prior
to opening Silver Mine Jim
In America, leisure activity
expertise in public, they will be
the growing proportion of
spent two years in restaurant
has become a $160 billion a
women sports enthusiasts. Wo- more likely to play coin-operat-
management, where he learned
ed games.
year industry. The Department
men's participation in sports is
of Commerce calls sports "a
There are other obstacles to a great deal about communicat-
growing twice as fast as that of
ing with people. At the same
major and growing segment of
overcome in order to draw
men .
more female players to coin-op- time, he was involved w ith a
The increasing number of
the American economy." The
erated games. Atari is currently local hobby shop run by Ed
women actively participating in
$ 160 billion per year figure for
Bateman . Jim and Ed toyed
involved in a research study to
sports in school and as profes-
leisu re activity is 16% of the
w ith the idea of opening a fami-
evaluate female coin-operated
gross national product, and is
sionals will undoubtedly affect
game-playing behavior. Look for ly amusement center. After
triple what it was in 1965.
the proportion of women w ho
results of this study in futu re is- eight and a half months of re-
An important aspect of the
play coin-operated amusement
search into the coin-operated
sues of the Coin Connection.
increasing interest in sports is
games. As women become
games industry, they decided
that a family amusement center
could be successful. Jim and
Ed became partners, and Silver
Mine became a reality. They
---======:::::::--
~o~
cu rrently have one location and
plan to open two or three more
O ' ~ ~of October 1, 1~
by January, 1982.
Jim had one clear goal when
Player's Name
# of Points
Date and Time
Location
Game
opening Silver Mine. "I wanted
to build the best family amuse-
Lonnie
J.
Cancienne
9/5

9/7/81
Mr.
Ice
Cream
Parlor
Asteroids TM
ment center that people had
30,000,000
19 years
52 hrs., 1 min.
Westwego, LA
ever seen . Th is involved having
great decor and a comfortable
Missile
7/18-7/19/81
Bumpers, Inc.
George Pimms
51 ,952, 110
atmosphere. I want people to
Command™
28 hrs., 7 min.
Spokane, WA
say, 'You've got to see Silver
8/30/81
4 Quarters
Mine. It's a great place for
Battlezone TM
John Bismuti
4,111,000
4 hrs., 50 min.
Tumwater, WA
adults and kids, not just another
hole-in-the-wall.''' For this
Asteroids
8/21 /81
Jubilee Park
reason, Jim prefers calling his
269,230
Leo
Daniels
Deluxe TM
1 hr. 7 min.
Carolina Beach, NC
location a family amusement
center, rather than an arcade
8/10/81
Time Zone
Samir Mehta
Centipede TM
338,000
or game room. He aims to ap-
30 min .
Mountain View, CA
15 years
peal to all age groups and pro-
ATARI Weekend at AMOA continued
Did You Know?
~
.
~\
~1ARI
High
.i:.,c,p
s"
~
e,."

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