Outlaw Run charges into Silver Dollar City - Amusement Today

AIMS NEWS & NOTES — PAGE 25©TMVol. 17 • Issue 1APRIL 2013Outlaw Run charges into Silver Dollar CityRocky MountainConstruction Groupsupplies new coasterSTORY: Tim Baldwintbaldwin@amusementtoday.comNEWSPAPERPOSTMASTER: Dated material.PLEASE RUSH!Mailed Monday January 23, 2013PRSRT STDUS POSTAGEPAIDFT. WORTH TXPERMIT # 2069BRANSON, Mo. — Althoughthe setting of SilverDollar City may be the 1880s,it was March 15 of this yearthat featured the debut ofOutlaw Run, the park’s newestroller coaster. If the reactionsof early riders were anyindication, response to thenew attraction is overwhelminglyanimated and enthusiastic.At its media preview,some comments were heardamong theme park observersthat the industry is keepingits eyes on this new brand ofwooden coaster. They should.It’s that good.Solidifying their place incoaster design and erection,Rocky Mountain ConstructionGroup (RMC) delivers a homerun to the beloved Bransonthemer. Several aspects makethis ride unique, but its constructionis what makes it soinnovative. In recent years,Rocky Mountain has beenproviding Topper Track toparks who are finding maintenanceissues and rough woodencoaster rides. Outlaw Runis the very first wooden coasterto be built entirely withRMC’s Topper Track fromthe beginning. Its amazinglysmooth ride is expected to lastyears upon years. The traditionalwood bed (six layers) ofcoaster track is crowned withthe Topper Track steel rail thatnot only delivers a smootherride, but allows for dynamicmaneuvers.In addition to its constructioncharacteristics, OutlawRun is also ground breakingin what it does from the standpointof the rider. No otherwooden coaster has attemptedacrobatics such as what is seenin one of the most outrageouslythrilling layouts ever designed.Descriptions don’t dothem justice, particularly takenat speeds of up to 68 mph,but features include severaloverbanked turns — the mostdramatic at a virtually upsidedown 153-degrees, surprisingdirectional changes into theterrain’s valleys, a 90-degreeswoop turn through the lift,and a wild double barrel rollfinale. The tag line to OutlawRun is “The World’s MostDaring Wood Coaster.” It isno false claim.Silver Dollar City’s new OutlawRun thrills riders withthree upside down barralrolls (top) and this first drop(right) of 162 feet at 81degrees.AT/GARY SLADE;AERIAL SERVICES/CHOPPERCHARTER, BRANSON“It’s a blast!” shouts Directorof Public Relations LisaRau, following her first ride.“B-L-A-S-T! Blast! It is so fun.”Count her among the ride’snew legion of fans.Another one would bePete Herschend, co-owner andco-founder of Silver DollarCity and Herschend FamilyEntertainment. “We just camefrom a corporate meeting andwe decided we are going toSUBSCRIBE TOAMUSEMENT TODAY(817) 460-7220amusementtoday comkeep it,” jokes Herschend,who rode the first train outduring previews. “We’re notgoing to make it a temporaryinstallation. It’s with us forever,”he laughs. “I’m delightedwith the response I see frompeople who are not a part ofSilver Dollar City. They arereally enjoying it a lot.” Withdeep pride, Herschend adds,“It is a great piece of entertainment.”CONTINUING COVERAGE:SUPERSTORM SANDYSEE PAGES 28-29In a new expansion at thefar end of the park, OutlawRun explores the outskirts ofthe safe haven of Silver DollarCity. Untamed territory whereunlawful rogues may lurk setsthe stage for the thematic storylinefor Outlaw Run. As thepark’s guests enter the area,an authentic and refurbishedstagecoach draw people tothe Western Missouri Stage-4See OUTLAW RUN, page 4

2 AMUSEMENT TODAY April 2013NEWSTALKOPINIONS CARTOON LETTERS AT CONTACTSEDITORIAL: Gary Slade, gslade@amusementtoday.com CARTOON: Bubba FlintMore than records and thrillsDuring the first full operating weekendof Silver Dollar City’s new Outlaw Run, it wasclear that park General Manager BradThomas was a giddy as a youngster onChristmas morning.His park had just debuted their newrecord-setting $10 million wooden coasterSladejust a few days prior. The coaster, from RockyMountain, was all the buzz in the park by both guests andlong-time emplyees.But Brad was quick to point out what the Bransonthemer is really all about — its food.Just down the walkway from the new coaster fun, thepark debuted Crossroads Pizza. This 145-seat sit down restuarantfeatures hand-tossed (think of it as airtime for thedough!) oven fired pizza, calzones and other Italian-stylesandwiches.Not stopping there, a trip across the street is the newCokes and Floats stand where guests can mix and matchtheir favorites together to recreate that float enjoyed as achild.What may go unnoticed is that the Silver Dollar Cityteam did both of these new establishments in-house. Theattention to detail, as seen in hand crafted Coke barrels,and corrosponding theming is a perfect match for the park.Thomas was quick to point out that many SDC guests arerepeat visitors to the park, and some of those will never geton a single ride. They are at the park to simply to visit thepark, enjoy the wide variety of food and take in as manyshows as time allows.The Silver Dollar City recipie for success is not builtaround its rides, it’s built around the food, shows and itspeople. The paying guest is truly the one who benefitsalthough you can’t tell that to the employees.As one candymaker told this publisher, “I was ready fora break after the Christmas season. Then when thecalendar turned over to March, I was ready to come backto the park, because I know I have baking to do. Baking ismy love!”Ahh — the sweets...well that’s another story.—Gary SladeGary Slade is the founder and publisher of AmusementToday. His love for amusement parks began at age sixwhen he first visited Pontchartrain Beach AmusementPark and Six Flags Over Texas. His long newspaper careerhelped lead to the launch of AT in 1997.EDITORIAL: Andrew Mellor, amellor@amusementtoday.comTourism a key player in economic growthI attended an attractionsindustry conference in the U.K.recently at which the keynotespeaker was the head of tourismat the government’s Departmentof Culture and MediaStudies (DCMS).The lady in question discusseda number of key issuesMellorrelating to tourism in her presentationbut one clear message that came acrosswas that the tourism industry – which obviouslyincorporates all types of attractions, includingtheme parks, seaside piers et al – is key when itcomes to growth in the country’s economy.She stated that ‘from the government’s perspective,all departments realize how importanttourism is to the economy,’ providing examplessuch as the fact that it creates GBP90 billion ofdirect business per annum and is the third highestexport earner for the country. She also gaveexamples of various initiatives and funding thathave been put in place by the DCMS and otherparts of government to assist the tourism industryas a whole, adding that the tourism industrywas growing significantly compared to the restof the economy.The Olympic Legacy was also mentioned asa major part of the government’s tourism strategyas it seeks to build on the tremendous publicrelations opportunities that were generatedduring last year’s games. All in all, therefore, itlooks like tourism is at last being taken seriouslyby government and is being properly recognizedfor the important part it plays in the country’seconomy.Which is refreshing, to say the least. Hopefully,though, things can be taken further still andvarious issues which have been impacting on theindustry can also be dealt with to help operatorsand encourage more growth within the sector.VAT (Value Added Tax) on the admission priceto parks is currently at 20 percent, while in otherparts of Europe it is significantly lower, in someplaces just five percent, so a reduction herewould help enormously. Likewise, a fairer playingfield when it comes to public projects supportedby the Heritage Lottery Fund.I just hope all the positive ‘noises’ I heardwill actually bear fruit for everyone’s long termbenefit.Gary Slade, FounderPublisher and Editor-in-Chief(817) 460-7220gslade@amusementtoday.comStacey Childress / Childress MediaWeb & Graphic Designstacey@childress-media.comJohn Robinson / W.H.R. Inc.Daily E-mail Newsletterjohnwcrobinson@cinci.rr.comAMUSEMENT TODAY STAFFTim BaldwinEditorialtbaldwin@amusementtoday.comPam SherborneEditorialpsherborne@amusementtoday.comScott RutherfordEditorialsrutherford@amusementtoday.comJeffrey L. SeifertEditorial / Special Projectsjseifert@amusementtoday.comSammy PiccolaAccounting / Circulation(817) 460-7220spiccola@amusementtoday.comSue NicholsAdvertising(615) 662-0252snichols@amusementtoday.comBubba FlintCartoonistbflint@amusementtoday.comContributors: Kelly Bernish, Andrew Mellor, B. Derek Shaw, Richard Munch, Marlon Scott, Janice Witherow, WHR Inc.Deliveries2012 E. Randol Mill Rd., Suite 203Arlington, Texas 76011Member of:IAAPA, AIMS International, PAPA,NEAAPA, NJAA, OABA, WWA, TTIA,NAARSO and IISFSubscription rates are: 1 year (14 issues) $75 in the USA; $100 elsewhere; 2 years (28 issues) $140/$180;3 years (42 issues) $200/$250. Send check or money order (U.S. funds only, drawn on a U.S. bank) toAmusement Today, P.O. Box 5427, Arlington, Texas 76005-5427. Your cancelled check is your receipt.Please allow up to six weeks for your subscription request to be processed and the first issue mailed.Amusement Today is an independent newspaper, published monthly by Amusement Today Inc., P.O.Box 5427, Arlington, Texas 76005. Presort Standard Postage (Permit No. 2069) pre-paid at Fort Worth,Texas. The entire contents of this newspaper and its related websites are copyrighted and trademarkedby Amusement Today 2013, with all rights reserved.POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Amusement Today, P.O. Box 5427, Arlington, Texas76005-5427.

2MINUTEDRILLFor Paul Noland, takingthe reins in January aspresident and CEO ofIAAPA seemed natural.With vast experience asa respected theme parkconsultant, IAAPA BoardMember and former WaltDisney Parks and Resortsexecutive, Paul brings avaried background withproven results to theassociation. Known forhis keen business sense,analytical approach andpassion for the industry,Paul is looking forward totaking IAAPA and its memberson a “great ride” …working together … intothe future.TitlePresident and CEO.Number of years in the industry18.Best thing about the industryThe people that work in it.Favorite amusement rideIt’s hard to answer in my position and sincethere are so many great rides in the world, butif I have to pick just one, it is the Santa CruzBeach Boardwalk Giant Dipper since it was myfirst roller coaster.If I wasn’t working in the amusement industry,I would be …Somewhere else in the travel and hospitalityworld.Biggest challenge facing our industryPeople and families crunched for time.The thing I like most about amusement/waterpark season is …We bring families and friends together.To me, the most influential person in historyis …The world is too diverse to have a single mostinfluential person. For my money, though, it’shard to beat Abraham Lincoln.Paul Noland, IAAPARight now, the ring tone on my cell phone is …Very boring.The last book I read was …The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson.The food I crave most often is …Unfortunately, pizza.The concert I would really want front-rowseats to is …The Beatles reunion that never happened.Coolest celebrity chef …I think food should be the celebrity, but I willsay that we do have some real family favoritesfrom Ina Garten in my house.In 10 years, I hope to be …In the best shape of my life.COMPILED: Janice WitherowNewly appointed IAAPA CEO Paul Noland takes a minuteto enjoy an amusement park favorite for all ages, a game ofSkee-Ball. No word yet on how his game skills were!COURTESY IAAPANolandMy favorite sport to play is …Poker … just kidding, it’s tennis.My next vacation will be …Nice, I’m sure, but unknown at this point.People say I remind them of …Funny, I don’t get that a lot.If I could be part of any TV family it wouldbe …Modern Family—The Dumfries perhaps, agreat extended family that takes care of eachother.April 2013 AMUSEMENT TODAY 3THIS MONTH IN HISTORY•1893: An accident on theSwitchback Railway at BloomsburyPark, Raleigh, North Carolina,on April 4, resulted inmultiple injuries, when one carjumped the track, passing ontothe oncoming track, where acar from the other end had alreadystarted. Both cars, loadedwith school children from a localschool (St. Mary’s), met at thelowest point where the crash occurred.Eight children were hurt,although no deaths were attributedto the incident.Presented bywww.RollerCoasterMuseum.org•1904: A fire on the afternoon of April 11 at Bergen Beach AmusementPark, in Brooklyn, New York, almost wiped out the resort onJamaica Bay. The rising tide and two Brooklyn Rapid Transit trolleycars, which carried firefighters to the resort, would supply all thehelp necessary to extinguish the flames. The New York Times calledthe two trolley cars the real heroes, as it was impossible to get fireequipment to the park by any other means. The L.A. ThompsonScenic Railway was saved, but the park still suffered about $25,000in damages. Firemen said without water, their fight would be overbefore it even started.•1924: The newest wood coaster at Kennywood Park, West Mifflin,Pennsylvania, opened on Sunday, April 18. The Pippin, designedby John A. Miller, at a cost of $60,000, would follow Miller’s earlierJack Rabbit, opened in 1920. In a reversal of the accepted standard,the Pippin was built in a valley, with its first drop immediatelyout of the station into the gully. The final drop would also be thelargest, with the lift in the middle of the course. Today, the lowergully portion still remains, although after modifications in 1968, it isknown today as the highly enjoyable Thunderbolt.•1928: The final cash settlements from Westchester County, ona part of the land acquired for Playland, in Rye, New York was releasedin early April. Fred Ponty, who owned Paradise Park received$536,000 for the property, not including $137,000 for devicessuch as the Old Mill. Appraisal on the John Miller Blue Streakwas for $62,000 to Harry C. Baker of Port Chester, N.Y. In today’sdollars, the property alone sold for about $7 million.•1942: Owner Neville Bayley announced on April 26, that Connecticut’sfamous Roton Point Park, in South Norwalk, would notreopen in 1942. The park, on Long Island Sound, was comprised ofover 30-acres, which had been an excursion resort and amusementpark for New Yorkers and locals, for nearly three-quarters of a century.Neville, who had operated the park for 28 years, suggestedthat the war effort had hurt the park. The park was placed on themarket, and all amusements were removed that summer. Today, theroller coaster station is still used in the public park, a faint reminderof better times.•1963: Sky Hook opens at Six Flags Over Texas on April 20. The150-foot ride featured two enclosed baskets that hoisted riders intothe air where they could see the skylines of both Dallas and FortWorth. Manufactured by Von Roll of Switzerland, the ride was actuallya cargo crane modified to carry passengers. It formally operatedat the 1958 Brussels World’s Fair.—Compiled by Richard Munch, NRCMA and Jeffrey Seifert, ATFavorite dessertCoconut cake or key lime pie.When I say exercise, you say …Where are my running shoes?The best pizza I have ever eaten was at …A small Trattoria in Italy.Growing up, my nickname was …Well, my actual first name is Royce. With thatas a first name you don’t need a nickname.The newspaper I read every day is …The Wall Street Journal.All-time best comedianTough one, but I would likely go with BillCosby.The most useful invention in the last 10years has to be …The iPhone is the easy answer but I think, really,the cases protecting your iPhone whichkeep you from having to get a new one everythree months are probably the MOST useful!P.O. Box 5427Arlington, Texas 76005-5427(817) 460-7220Fax (817) 265-NEWS (6397)Get a free QR Code scanner for your phoneby visting www.mobiletag.com.TM5-time Award WinnerFind us on Facebookfacebook.com/amusementtodayFollow us on Twittertwitter.com/amusementtodaySubscribe to our YouTube channelyoutube.com/amusementtoday

4 AMUSEMENT TODAY April 2013OUTLAW RUNContinued from page 1coach Depot. While roamingthe queue, guests pass the officeof Depot Proprietor ClemBarker, whose wall of tickingclocks demonstrates his passionfor punctuality and thedetermination for keeping thestagecoaches on time. “Takethe time to notice the subtlethings,” says Rau. “I like thetheming. I like the whole wildadventure of the West. Americagoing out into the greatadventureland where wedidn’t really know where wewere headed. And that’s whathappens on this ride.” Rauadds, “That’s one of the coolestthings about Silver DollarCity — when we immerseourselves in the theming. Youdon’t want to miss anything.”When asked about thename, President and CEO ofHerschend Family EntertainmentJoel Mamby says, “Ourbig issue was whether to haveguns in the photos with all thegun issues out there. Originallyin our logo we had a gunin it, and we passed on that.And of course, we don’t wantto ‘promote’ outlaws as a positivething. We are dedicatinga lot of our work to the policeforce. The whole storyline isgetting away safely from theoutlaws.” In April an iconicmonument dedicated to lawenforcement will be installedadjacent to the ride during aGrand Opening Celebration.With the sound of thecrack of a whip and an audible“H’yah!!” riders are dispatchedfrom the depot andengage the lift for its 107-footclimb. But don’t let that heightbe deceiving, Like virtually allthe coasters at Silver DollarCity, the park’s hilly terrainalways offers greater potentialspeeds as first drops are typically— and dramatically —far larger than the lift heightitself. In this case, Outlaw Runhas a first plunge of 162 feet.Combine that with the factthat it is the steepest drop onany wooden coaster at 81 degrees,and the makings for arollicking adventure are underway.The wooded landscapethen permits the coasterto make startling dives andcurves darting into the valleysand through the trees. It ismarvelously orchestrated andredefines “out of control.” Forthe park to boast that there isno other wooden coaster likeit, that’s dead on.Mamby says, “That ridenever lets you go. It’s a fantasticride. More importantly forthe park, it makes [Silver DollarCity] a unique experiencewhether anyone is 2 to 92. Wehave a very complete parknow that will serve the needsof more and more customerseach year.”Brad Thomas, generalmanager of Silver Dollar City,adds, “Outlaw Run providesus with something we neededwhich was more thrills, moreexcitement, more fun, butkeeping it to where it is notso intense that mom doesn’tfeel safe and mom doesn’twant to ride it with her kids.You’ve got three significantcomponents — you’ve gotthe world’s steepest drop ona wooden coaster, we’ll takeyou upside down three times,and at 68 mph, it is the secondfastest wooden coaster on theplanet.”Fred Grubb of RockyTo nagavite the twists andturns of Outlaw Run, ridesupplier Rocky Mountaincreated their own style ofcoaster train, shown here.AT/GARY SLADERiders race past Outlaw Run’s first drop in a blur as the newcoaster tops out at 68 mph, making it the second fastestwoodie. AT/GARY SLADEMountain could bask in theopening day success of hislatest project, but should alsotake considerable pride in histrains. Debuting with OutlawRun, the “coaches” — as SilverDollar City terms them — areof innovative and researcheddesign. Grubb says “First of allwe had to design the trains tobe able to handle the amountof twists we put into the track.We put suspension systemson the train so the wheels arealways touching the track —there’s no bouncing back andforth.” Grubb adds that thisdesign of train will ride onany existing wooden coasterout there.Other companies involvedin Outlaw Run were CostasurInc. of Cincinnati that suppliedthe boosters, chain drive assemblyand transfer table; VelocityMagnetics, New Castle,Pa., supplied the braking system;and Consign, Hanover,Md., supplied the control system.In addition, Silver DollarCity installed the mechanicalcomponents.Both Grubb of RockyMountain and Thomas of SilverDollar City praised oneanother for the teamwork involvedin putting the projecttogether. “The overall experiencewas just great,” commentsThomas. “Our guysare accustomed to building intough terrain. There’s not a lotof soil to work with. You getpast a quarter inch, you hitsolid rock. Putting in all thosefooters was a real challenge.Our guys had to work shoulderto shoulder with RockyMountain. There were opportunitiesfor friction and therewas no friction. From the 108degree weather of the summerto the frigid temperatures ofthe winter, our guys got along.They were great and they createdthis amazing coaster thata lot of people are going tocome visit.”In this case, the good guysreally do win.FAST FACTSName/ParkOutlaw Run/Silver Dollar CityBranson, Mo.WhatWooden coaster utilizingTopper Track on a woodenstructure. Highlights arethe steepest drop on awooden coaster (81-degrees)and a 720-degreedouble barrel roll (world’sfirst)on a wooden coasterHeight/Length/Inversions107 feet/2,937 feet/3Opened/CostMarch, 15, 2013/$10 millionDrop/Maximum Speed/Airtime Moments162 feet at 81 degrees/68 mph/9 locations during rideRide Time/Capacity/Height Requirement1 minute, 27 seconds/800-850 riders an hour/48 inchesTrains2 trains, 24 passengers pertrain. Each train featuresU-bar lap restraint &individual fibergless seatsDesignAlan Schilke,Ride Centerline, LLCHyde Park, UtahSupplier of RecordFred Grubb,Rocky MountainConstruction Group,Hayden, UtahOther SuppliersCostasur Inc., Cincinnati,Ohio/ Velocity Magnetics,New Castle, Pa./ConsignLLC, Hanover, Md.

April 2013 AMUSEMENT TODAY 5ROCKYMOUNTAINSENIOR ADTO COME

6 AMUSEMENT TODAY April 2013

April 2013 AMUSEMENT TODAY 7INTERNATIONALPARKS ATTRACTIONS RESORTS SUPPLIERSAsian Attractions Expo moves to Beijing for 2014Industry to convene at the China National Convention Center June, 17-20, 2014BEIJING, China — TheInternational Association ofAmusement Parks and Attractions(IAAPA) announcedAsian Attractions Expo (AAE)2014 will take place at the ChinaNational Convention Center(CNCC) in Beijing 17-20June 2014. Since 1997, AsianAttractions Expo has been thepremier international tradeshow and conference for themultibillion-dollar leisure andattractions industry in Asia.“IAAPA is looking forwardto bringing Asian AttractionsExpo to China,”IAAPA Vice President, AsiaPacific Operations AndrewLee said. “The attractions industrywithin China is growingat a rapid pace with severalattractions recently completedand a number of other majoramusement parks in development,making its capital city,Beijing, a logical choice to hostAAE 2014.”“Beijing’s experienceas host to the 2008 OlympicGames, its area tourist attractions,and its history and diverseculture make it a perfectbackdrop for Asian AttractionsExpo, the attractions industry’sfastest growing tradeshow and conference in theregion,” said IAAPA Presidentand CEO Paul Noland.More than 5,000 attractionsindustry professionalsfrom more than 60 nationsare expected to participatein the event. The trade showfloor will showcase productsfrom more than 250 companiesfrom around the worldin more than 100 categories,including amusement andtheme park rides; architecturaland design services; andcoin-operated games, skillgames, and redemption prizes.Beijing is the second mostpopulated city in China, and itserves as the country’s political,educational, and culturalcenter, filled with historic sitesand government institutions.The city is home to TiananmenSquare, in DongchengDistrict, which is surroundedby such landmarks as theGreat Hall of the People, theMuseum of Chinese History,the Museum of the ChineseRevolution, the ChairmanMao Memorial Hall, and theMonument to the People’sMartyrs. While in Beijing,Asian Attractions Expo participantscan visit the BeijingZoo in Xicheng District, famousfor its traditional landscapingand giant pandas,see the Olympic Water Park,tour the Palace Museum alsoknown as the Forbidden City,enjoy the Beijing Aquarium,or experience the attractionsat Beijing Happy Valley, BeijingShijingshan AmusementPark, or World Park Beijing.Also, participants can walkthe The Great Wall of Chinalocated approximately, 90minutes from the capital city.Tivoli Copenhagen, Sentosa in co-operation agreementSTORY: Andrew Melloramellor@amusementtoday.comSentosa Development Corporation CEO Mike Barclay (left)and Tivoli A/S CEO Lars Liebst sign the co-operation agreement.COURTESY TIVOLICOPENHAGEN, Denmark— Tivoli Gardens Copenhagen,one of the world’soldest amusement parks, andSingapore’s premier SentosaIsland resort have entered intoa two year co-operation agreement.The agreement will enableTivoli and Sentosa toestablish closer co-operativeties through the exchange ofbest international tourismpractices, as well as gain insightsand inspiration fromeach other. The arrangementincludes developing feasiblecollaboration concepts withinthe tourism and amusementpark sectors, in addition to anemployee exchange programand other cultural and gastronomicinitiatives.The co-operative agreementprovides a platform forboth attractions to tap intoeach other’s experiences andstrengths. The first commonproject saw Tivoli contributeto Sentosa’s annual internationalSentosa Flowers festival,one of its award winning,signature events, which tookplace on Sentosa Island in February,on the occasion of theChinese Lunar New Year.Commenting on the arrangement,Tivoli A/S CEOLars Liebst said: “One of Tivoli’sprime objectives is to beamong Denmark’s best workplaces and with that in mind,we have established a strategicco-operation with Sentosa,one of the largest leisure andlifestyle operators in the tourismindustry. With a co-operativepartner of Sentosa’s calibre,Tivoli obtains a fantasticshowcase of our capabilities,and with the employee exchangeprogram, select Tivoliemployees get a unique opportunityto increase theirprofessional competences atthe highest level. It is essentialfor us to bring in inspirationfrom the outside but also toinspire others. The first stepwill be (was) Sentosa Flowersand other initiatives are in thepipeline.”For Sentosa DevelopmentCorporation, CEO MikeBarclay commented: “We arevery happy to collaboratewith one of the world’s oldestand most famous amusementparks. Through this collaboration,we aim to tap intothe strengths and advantagesof our respective leisure offeringsand gain from a constructiveemployee exchangeprogram. This partnership isin line with Sentosa’s growthstrategy to continuously setnew benchmarks and pursuebest-in-class service standardsfor the benefit and enjoymentof our guests.”

8 AMUSEMENT TODAY April 2013Gröna Lund set to debutEurope’s highest StarFlyerSTORY: Andrew Melloramellor@amusementtoday.comSTOCKHOLM, Sweden— As part of its 130th anniversarycelebrations, Gröna Lundamusement park in Stockholm,Sweden, is due to openits latest new ride on April 27in the shape of the Europe’shighest StarFlyer.To be named Eclipse,the new, 400 foot (122 meter)high addition is located at thepark’s waterfront, oppositethe Main Stage, and will providea breathtaking experienceas riders soar high aboveStockholm. The new attractionreplaces the Extreme ride.Representing an investmentof SEK 50 million (USD$7.9 million), Eclipse is thefirst StarFlyer in Sweden andis being promoted as a uniquefamily attraction, with a heightrequirement of just 47 inches.It features 12 swings with doubleseats hanging from 26 feetDP Leisureopens third U.K.360 Play FECLEICESTER, UnitedKingdom — With two successfulsites already in operation,DP Leisure (DPL), operatorof the 360 Play family entertainmentcenter brand, hasnow opened a third venue, inLeicester, U.K.The latest addition to thechain is located at the MeridianLeisure Park, just five minutesdrive from the M1 motorway.The site already features aVue cinema, Hollywood Bowl,David Lloyd Leisure centerand a variety of restaurantsand the 360 Play center bringsanother high quality leisurechoice to the mix.As with the existing sites,design and master planningof this latest project,which is housed within an18,000-square-foot building,was carried out by DPL’s sistercompany, DP Associates(DPA), who also project managedthe build, with constructioncommencing in August.The new venue offers 360Play’s well established mix of4See 360 PLAY, page 10(8 meter) long chains. Ridingat full speed, passengers willtravel at 43 mph (69 kph) asthey circle above the city.“Eclipse takes thrills tonew heights,” says the park’sride manager Peter Osbeck.“Standing an imposing 400 feettall, Eclipse has redefined ourskyline and will offer guestsa 360-degree, bird’s eye viewof the capital of Sweden. Noteveryone will dare to ride it,but those who do will admirea fantastic view across Stockholm,thanks to the waterfrontlocation. Luckily it has doubleseats, which means that you’renot alone up there.”Ride time on Eclipse willbe two minutes and the capacityper ride is 24 people.Capacity per hour is 600. Suppliedby Funtime of Austria,the attraction’s design is inspiredby architecture fromthe end of the 19th centuryand uses the Eiffel Tower asone of its sources of inspiration,with a color scheme ofwhite and gold. The theme ofthe attraction follows the Steampunkstyle – a mix of 19thcentury architecture and sciencefiction with inspirationfrom Jules Verne and H.G.Wells.Gröna Lund is the oldestamusement park in Swedenand is part of the Parks & ResortsScandinavia theme parkgroup, together with Kolmården,Vildmarkshotellet,Furuvik, Skara Sommarlandand Aquaria Vattenmuseum.Gröna Lund’s Eclipse Star-Flyer ride will be the firstin Sweden and the highestexample in Europe.COURTESY GRONA LUNDJora Vision to design new Russian parkSTORY: Andrew Melloramellor@amusementtoday.comRIJNSBURG, Netherlands— Dutch design and productioncompany Jora Vision hassigned a contract with the Russiancompany EntertainmentIndustry Ltd. to begin work onthe new Anapa Theme Parkproject.Located on the northerncoast of the Black Sea, AnapaTheme Park will be ‘the firstthemed theme park in Russia’according to Jora Vision, whowill be responsible for the developmentof the 10 hectareattraction’s master plan andtheming design utilizing ateam of 14 designers and developers.Anapa is principallyknown as a family holidaydestination, attracting hundredsof thousands of familiesannually, so is an ideal locationin which to create and developnew entertainment offerings.The design of the parkwill take into account the locallandscape and climate andwill be based on stories fromin and around the Black Sea.The area has a rich history ofJora Vision’s past projects have covered a wide range of venues and attractions, such asthe design and production of the theming for the Safari Ride at Kolmården Zoo in Sweden,shown here. COURTESY JORA VISIONcultures and civilizations andwill serve as inspiration forthe attraction.The park will feature awide range of rides and attractionssuitable for all ages,while also incorporating a varietyof F&B and merchandiseoutlets. Jora Vision CEO JanMaarten de Raad said: “Weare very proud to sign the contractwith the EntertainmentIndustry Ltd. and start workingtogether. We both haveone common goal - to create aunique theme park in Russia.We cannot wait”.Entertainment IndustryLtd. is equally pleased withthe co-operation between thetwo companies, CEO ValeriyZirinov commenting: “Theestablishment of such a parkhas both economical and strategicalvalue for our companyin particular and Anapa ingeneral, as it will attract evenmore guests to our sea coastcity. Our choice for a partnerin production of the park wasnot random. We took into accountJora Vision’s great experiencein theme design and thewell co-ordinated team.”

April 2013 AMUSEMENT TODAY 9Major new developments for PortAventura waterparkSTORY: Andrew Melloramellor@amusementtoday.comVILASECA, Spain —PortAventura in Spain willcomplete the renovation andextension of its Costa CaribeAquatic Park, the second parkwithin the resort, for the main2013 season.Following the recent additionof the hugely successfulSesamoAventura familyarea and the Shambhala rollercoaster, the highest in Europe,the investment will continuewith the much anticipatedCosta Caribe project whichwill see the park extended by14,000 square meters (150,694square feet), resulting in theAquatic Park covering a totalof 50,000 square meters(538,195 square feet). The budgetfor the new area is €10 million(U.S. $13.4 million) and itis scheduled to open in May.The project is part of the€75 million (U.S. $101 million)investment plan approved bythe resort’s owner, Investindustrial,in November lastyear with the goal of expandingand adapting the venueincreasingly to an internationalaudience. The waterpark,which originally opened in2002, is a key part of this strategy,something that is provedby the fact that foreign visitorsaccount for over 50 percent ofthe visitors to the water playground,most of these beingEnglish and Russian.Among the new attractionswill be the highest freeAbove, This artist’s impressionof how the new area inPort Aventura’s Costa Caribewaterpark will look.Below:The proven Sesame Streettheming will be brought intothe waterpark with the additionof a Sesame Streetthemed pirate ship foryounger guests.COURTESY PORTAVENTURAdrop waterslide in Europe,The Toboggan, a FreeFall suppliedby ProSlide, which willtop out at 31 meters (102 feet).With a 55 degree pitch and adrop speed of 6 meters (20feet) per second it will providea thrilling and fun experience.Alongside will be a Multibumpwaterslide, also fromProSlide, standing at almost20 meters (66 feet) high andtaking guests on a 100 meters(328 feet) journey.In another area of the parka six lane, ProSlide ProRacerwaterslide attraction will beadded, on which both childrenand adults will be ableto compete against each otherfor the fastest descent, whilethe success of PortAventura’sSesame Street themed areawill also be reflected in the introductioninto the waterparkof a Sesame Street themed pirateship in the children’s poolarea. Youngsters will be ableto wonder around the decksof the ship and slide down anyof the four slides into shallowsurrounding pool areas. Nextto the children’s pool will be aSplash Pad play area offeringa variety of interactive waterjets for young visitors to playin.Connected to the children’spool will be an adultTropical pool, placed at a differentlevel to the former tocreate a waterfall in the children’sarea. A waterfall willalso be a feature of the adultpool to enhance the Caribbeantheme of the whole park, whilewater beds and invigoratingwater effects will be incorporatedtoo. A new snack barwill be another new additionand with the exception of theattractions from ProSlide, allother new additions have beencreated by PortAventura’s DevelopmentDepartment.Huss introduces unique film-based family ride conceptBREMEN, Germany —German ride manufacturerHuss Park Attractions GmbHhas announced the developmentof a new ride concept(patent pending) that willprovide a unique experiencefor visitors to parks and otherattraction destinations.The Explorer makes use ofHuss’ many years of experiencein the design and manufactureof observation towers,combining this with an audiovisual system and sensory elementsthat together providean immersive experience in atotally enclosed environment.Utilizing a circular gondolasimilar to those used on thecompany’s Sky Tower rides,the Explorer will accommodateup to 70 guests, includingwheelchair users. The experiencebegins with a themedpre-show in the queuing areaas waiting guests watch thegondola descend dramaticallyinto the ‘earth’ and out of sightbeneath a closed iris. The sceneryand theming in the preshowsection will depend onthe subject chosen for the corecontent of the ride.Guests are seated in theenclosed cabin facing outwards,looking through the fullheight glass sides of the gondolathat allow for unrestrictedviews of the surroundingscreen. A seamless 360-degreemulti-projector film formatdelivers immersive, high definitioncontent which is uniqueto each installation.Once below the surface,guests can enjoy a wide rangeof environments, such as thosebeneath the sea, in space, inthe eye of a storm or some ofthe world’s most spectacularscenery. The content can alsobe created as CGI, live actionor a composition of both,the flexibility of the systembeing one of its key benefits.As a film based attraction,the experience can be almostanything an operator chooses,from a calm, scenic journeyto a white knuckle thrill ride,while refreshing the ride issimple and cost effective withonly the media needing to bereplaced.Huss has taken a num-Huss Park Attractions GmbH has announced the development of the Explorer, a new rideconcept that will will take guests into a variety of exciting environments viewed throughthe full height gondola windows and delivered via a seamless, 360-degree, multi-projectorfilm format, creating a totally immersive experience.COURTESY HUSSber of key considerations intoaccount in the design of theExplorer, as Mirko J. Schulze,CEO of Huss Park AttractionsGmbH, explains: “We are genuinelyexcited by the Explorerconcept and believe it ticks allthe right boxes for operators. Itis brand new, is based on ourproven observation tower technology,has a high capacity,offers a smooth guest flow forloading and unloading, is easyto maintain, can be enjoyedby all ages and is extremelyflexible as far as changing theexperience is concerned. Italso covers a relatively smallfootprint in combination withminor requirements on buildingconstruction; even theutilisation of existing buildingstructures is possible.

10 AMUSEMENT TODAY April 2013PLAY 360Continued from page 8creative play and amusementwhich has proved so successfulat the company’s othertwo sites, in Milton Keynesand Stevenage. Arranged overtwo floors, there are four mainzones inside and two outside,the indoor areas including the360 Street creative play zone,made up of individual playunits such as a fire station,supermarket, pizza parlour,car garage/body shop anddressing up shop.The central indoor featureis an active zone designed byDPA and supplied by the SoftBrick Co., which incorporatesa three story soft play structurewith a host of sliding,climbing, crawling and otheractivities and a skills area withmid-size dodgem cars from IEPark/Soli Bumper cars thatchildren can ride on their ownor with an adult. A sportszone with sports games and afeature carousel, also from IEPark, along with a party zoneaccommodating a dedicatedarea for up to four individualparties, are also on offer.The two outdoor zones,due for completion in time forDP Leisure has opened its third 360 Play family entertainmentcenter in the U.K. Located at the Meridian LeisurePark, the FEC offers an number of indoor and outdoor activitiesand attractions including mid-size dodgem cars from IEPark/Soli Bumper cars.COURTESY DP LEISUREthe spring/summer months,will include one designed forvery young guests with a sandplay activity area and outdoorseating, and a larger, Club 360area catering for the three to10-year-old age group, withwater boats, climbing attractions,water play and an eventsarea. A café serving a wideassortment of drinks, refreshmentsand freshly cooked foodchoices is also available, as areseating areas throughout thebuilding, while the center willalso offer ‘out of hours’ openingon specific nights for familieswith children with specialneeds.The new venue hasbrought an impressive numberof new jobs to the area too,with approximately 50 fulland part time positions beingcreated.Bumper Action Amusementsand Redemption Plus team up forindustry partnership in AustraliaMELBOURNE, Australia — Melbourne’s Bumper ActionAmusements recently announced that the company has partneredwith Redemption Plus of Lenexa, Kansas in the UnitedStates to exclusively supply redemption and incentive merchandiseto Family Entertainment Centers (FECs) and Children’sEntertainment Centers (CECs) across Australia.Bumper Action Amusements has operated in the sales,service and hire of classic amusements and collectibles formore than 40 years — offering the best new and vintagepinball machines, video arcade games, sports table games,Wurlitzer jukeboxes and neons for the home consumer, corporateand leisure location based markets. Recently, thecompany also inked a partnership deal with Castle Golf ofMesa, Arizona in the U.S. to design and build miniature golfcourses in large city markets Australia wide.Established in 1996, Redemption Plus is the leading providerof redemption and incentive toys, tools, and training.Offering a unique mix of staple, licensed and exclusive items,product range includes novelties, plush toys, sports and souvenirmemorabilia, party goods, homewares and electronics.A leading crane operator and counter merchandise manufacturerand supplier, the company currently serves the amusement,educational, fundraising and specialty retail markets.“As the exclusive representative of Redemption Plus inAustralia, this partnership will deliver our growing Australiancustomer base a more diversified offer of quality products ata lower price, ” said Robert Farrell, General Manager of BumperAction Amusements. “With direct shipment to their door,we can now deliver the kind of product variety and orderingconvenience with special attention to one-of-a-kind merchandisenot otherwise available in Australia,” Farrell added.

April 2013 AMUSEMENT TODAY 11PARKS & ATTRACTIONSRIDES ENTERTAINMENT REVENUE SUPPLIERSUniversal Studios announces Despicable Me attractionUNIVERSAL CITY,Calif. — Universal StudiosHollywood recentlyannounced the much-anticipatedarrival of DespicableMe Minion Mayhem, a 3-DUltra-HD movie motion-simulatoradventure. UniversalPictures and IlluminationEntertainment’s worldwideblockbuster Despicable Me willcome to life in Hollywood inan attraction modeled afterthe one in its sister park,Universal Orlando Resort –with the addition of a fewsurprises.“Based on the consumerfeedback at our sister park, weexpect the Despicable Me rideexperience to be a popular,family-friendly attraction forUniversal Studios Hollywood.The ride continues the storyline of the main charactersfrom the blockbuster filmthrough all-new 3-D Ultra-HDanimation, together with aninteractive ride vehicle system,”said Larry Kurzweil,president and chief operatingofficer, Universal StudiosHollywood. “In DespicableMe Minion Mayhem, ourguests will experience thehilarious and heartwarmingcharacters of the beloved filmin a whole new way.”The fully immersive experiencewill debut in 2014 withthe loveable cast of leadingcharacters that have capturedthe laughter of audiencesworldwide: super-villainGru, his adorable girls(Margo, Edith and Agnes) andthe unpredictably hilariousMinions.“The Despicable MeMinion Mayhem attraction atUSH will continue to pushthe creative envelope withits exceptional show content,sight gags, special effects and3-D digital animation. Theexterior treatment will featureeven more thematic andcolorful creative touches thatwill literally place park guestsinside Gru’s world,” saidMark Woodbury, president,Universal Creative.Guests will experiencewhimsically themed queues,preshow videos and comedicdialogue that set up the fundamentalplot: Gru schemesto create more mischievousMinions from human recruits.Guests will be transportedinto Gru’s house as theymeander through his livingroom and encounter visualelements as seen in the film— including the moon-shrinkingSR-6 shrink ray — whilethey zig zag through a zanyadventure featuring Gru’ssuper-villain laboratory. Theexciting journey continuesas they swerve, bounce andplunge to get through thefrantically humorous Miniontraining mission while donningspecially designed 3-DMinion goggles. Fun andfrolic continue in a post-showdance party where Minionwalkaround characters inviteguests to strut their stuff in animpromptu Minion-inspireddance party.Despicable Me MinionMayhem was produced in collaborationbetween UniversalCreative and IlluminationEntertainment, and wasrecently honored as BestAnimated Special Productionat the 2012 Annie Awards,which recognizes OutstandingAchievements in the field ofAnimation.Petition to save RyePlayland gains momentumRYE, N.Y. — A Change.org online petition has beencreated by those who wantPlayland Park in Rye, N.Y.to remain a true traditionalamusement park. The petitionis gaining momentum withseveral thousand individualsfrom around the world showingtheir support by signingand commenting.The petition asks that theWestchester County, N.Y. Executiveand Board of Legislatorsselect a future operator ofPlayland Park that will maintainPlayland as a traditionaland historic amusement parkwithout reducing the footprintof the amusement area. Signatoriesof this petition wantPlayland to be operated by anexperienced amusement parkoperator which will maintainand improve the existingamusement park including allhistoric buildings and structures,without shrinking thefootprint of the amusementarea or decreasing the numberof rides.The petition states: “Signatoriessupport plans of StandardAmusements and/orCentral Amusements International(CAI) as said proposalsstood as of Feb. 20, 2013. Bothcompanies would improve theamusement park and investin additional capital improvements,while respecting theproperty’s history and atmosphere.They believe that theseproposals offer the strongestchoices for the financial successof Playland.“Signatories are opposed4See PETITION, page 12The Change.org online petition created by those who want Playland Park in Rye, N.Y. toremain a true traditional amusement park is gaining momentum with numerous individualsfrom around the world showing their support by signing and commenting. The Fred ChurchdesignedDragon Coaster (pictured here) is just one of the many historical highlights of atrip to Playland.AT/SCOTT RUTHERFORDCreating Memories & Profitability• abc rides switzerland• Cogan Kiddie Rides• Moser Rides• Used Rides & Games• Wattman Trainswww.intermarkridegroup.comTEL 615.370.9625 FAX 615.370.8852Nashville Zoo TrainVoodoo Interactive Raft, abc rides Hoopla, Moser Rides Wattman Mini Express

12 AMUSEMENT TODAY April 2013AMUSEMENTMARKET PLACEChance Ridesoffering Hyper-Litesteel coasterPATTY BEAZLEY(615) 714-2617CINDEE HUDDY(615) 545-8109www.creativeoperationalconcepts.com• RIDE OPERATOR CERTIFICATION• MANUAL WRITING• SUPERVISOR & LEADERSHIP TRAINING PROGRAMS• OPERATIONAL SAFETY AUDITSKeep our amusement park industry strong!Buy products and services from these suppliers.WICHITA, Kan. —Chance Rides recently addeda new item to its arsenal ofsteel roller coasters. Sportingthe appropriate name ofHyper-Lite, this latest offeringaddresses those customerswho want a thrilling coaster ina slightly smaller package.Obviously influencedby the legacy of the largerMorgan Manufacturinghypercoasters, Chance’s newHyper-Lite tops out a 100 feetand features 2,500 feet of trackarranged in a compact layout.Despite its relatively smallerdimensions, the Hyper-Lite isno slouch in the thrills department.The new ride kicks offwith a steep 80-degree firstdrop followed by a rapid-firecollection of climbs, dropsand high-G spirals at speedsof 55 mph. The Hyper-Lite’srun home is punctuated witha series of airtime-inducingspeed bumps.The Hyper-Lite canaccommodate 800 guests perhour with two 20-passengertrains. Chance offers theHyper-Lite with custom tracklayout configurations.•www.chancerides.comPETITIONContinued from page 11to the proposal of SustainablePlayland Incorporated (SPI)as said proposal stood as ofFeb. 20, 2013. SPI plans to remove30 percent of the ridesand reduce the footprint sizeof amusement park by over 50percent. We believe that decreasingthe size of the amusementpark and removing rideswill drastically reduce thenumber of paying users ofPlayland.”The petition and signatoriescomments can be foundat: www.change.org/petitions/save-playland-amusement-park.Find us on Facebookfacebook.com/amusementtodayFollow us on Twittertwitter.com/amusementtodaySubscribe to our YouTube channelyoutube.com/amusementtodayChance Rides recently added the Hyper-Lite steel rollercoaster to its ride arsenal. Inspired by larger hypercoasters,the Hyper-Lite features a 100-foot, 80-degree first drop and2,500 feet of track. With custom configurations available,the Hyper-Lite’s 20-passenger trains can reach a top speedof 55 mph and offer many of the same thrills in slightlysmaller package.COURTESY CHANCE RIDESSix Flags Great America to runBatman The Ride backwardsGURNEE, Ill. — Go Big. Go Backward! For a limited timeonly, the world’s first suspended looping coaster, Batman TheRide at Six Flags Great America in Gurness, Ill., will be moreintense than ever when riders dare to take on an all new experience— going backward!As the roller coaster climbs the 10-story lift hill, riders willtake in the full scope of Batman The Ride’s track as they anticipatethe adventure that lies ahead. The train will reach speedsof 50 mph and travel through 2,700 feet of track, all while maneuveringhairpin turns, vertical loops, corkscrews and a zerogroll. The excitement is magnified since guests cannot see themaneuvers that await.“Batman The Ride will open for its [22nd] season thisspring, offering our guests an entirely different ride experienceby going backwards. No matter how many times you have beenon Batman The Ride, nothing compares to the thrill of racingdown 10 stories facing the other direction,” said Hank Salemi,Six Flags Great America park president. “You literally have noidea what is coming next. This is a tremendous new experiencefor our guests and one to take advantage of quickly since it willonly be available for a limited time.”Six Flags has given Amusement Today confirmation that all ofthe seats on both trains will face backward. No forward-facingseats will be available during this limited time period.Since opening in 1992, Batman The Ride has given morethan 28 million thrilling rides and reigns as one of the mostpopular roller coasters in the world. Batman The Ride backwardwill launch on Saturday, May 4 – the park’s opening weekend –and be available for a limited time this summer.

14 AMUSEMENT TODAY April 2013Sea World Orlando sets May 24 for Antarctica openingORLANDO, Fla. — SeaWorld Orlando’s CreativeDirector Brian Morrow hasrevealed that Friday, May 24,2013 will be the official openingdate for the park’s newestattraction, Antarctica: Empireof the Penguin.During a recent tour ofthe exteriors of the attractionunder construction, Morrowexplained that theming of theinterior sections are nearlycomplete. “That is a criticalpath for our project,” saidMorrow. “All that work insidehad to be done first — allowingvarious show, lighting,sound, architectural facilityand ride and animal teamsto all get in there and do thework they had to do to preparefor opening.”Work on the exterior rockand “ice” has starting in earnest.Artists have now completedthe largest section ofice located near the southernend of the compound. “It wasSeaWorld San Antonio introduces new adopted animal showSeaWorld Parks & Ent. launching new Madagascar showSeaWorld Parks &Entertainment will premiereMadagascar Live! Operation:Vacation, an original livemusical show featuring thecharacters from DreamWorksAnimation SKG, Inc.’sMadagascar franchise, atBusch Gardens Tampa (May18) and SeaWorld San Diego(June 15).COURTESY SEAWORLD PARKS& ENTERTAINMENTa treat to walk out here andsee it all finished and done. Iget excited about that!” addedMorrow.The simulated ice is ablend of acrylic and fiberglassmaterial. To Morrow, thiswas a critical element of the“Glacial Rift” lining the mainwalkway that connects the gift4See ANTARCTICA, page 15SAN ANTONIO, Texas— Pets Ahoy!, opening atSeaWorld San Antonio inJune 2013, is a new comicalshow featuring the talents ofa menagerie of dogs, cats,birds, rats, pot-belly pigs, andother animals performing aseries of amazing skits. Mostimpressive is the fact thatnearly all of these animals willbe rescued from animal shelters.“Not only is Pets Ahoy!a hilariously funny show, butit also talks seriously aboutthe importance of properlycaring for animals,” said ParkPresident Dan Decker. “Lastyear, SeaWorld’s Happy Tailsthanked more than 8,000 animallovers with free admissiontickets to SeaWorld foradopting a dog or cat fromBusch Gardens Tampa and SeaWorld San Diego to receive showsORLANDO, Fla. — SeaWorld Parks &Entertainment has announced it will premiereMadagascar Live! Operation: Vacation,an original live musical show featuring thecharacters from DreamWorks AnimationSKG, Inc.’s Madagascar franchise, at two ofthe company’s parks this summer.Celebrating the box office successof Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted,which has grossed more than $740 millionworldwide, Alex the Lion and friends willparty while on vacation with guests atBusch Gardens Tampa and SeaWorld SanDiego throughout 2013.The 20-minute musical show followsthe antics of Alex the Lion, Gloriathe Hippo, King Julien, Mort and thePenguins during a vacation adventure.The show will feature rock/pop musicperformed by a live band and includeboth classic and original songs. The charactersalso will conduct meet and greetswith park guests. Additionally, specialShown here during a recentmedia tour is the CreativeModel Room for SeaWorld’sAntarctica: Empire of thePengin opening on May 24.Park Creative Director BrianMorrow shows how themodel and images help keepthings orgainzed during theconstruction phase.AT/MARLON SCOTTeither Animal Care Services,Animal Defense League or theSan Antonio Humane Society.These shelters are doing phenomenalwork to save as manyanimals as they can, yet thisremains a significant issue forour community. By continuingthe Happy Tails program in2013, we’re supporting theseincredible organizations andsaying ‘thank you’ to peoplewho help save animals.”Nationally acclaimedSeaWorld animal trainer JoelSlaven has more than 30 yearsof animal training experience,with numerous televisionappearances and major filmcredits such as Ace Venture,Pet Detective and That DarnCat. For SeaWorld’s newestshow, he directs the trainingof more than 130 animals,co-branded merchandise exclusive to theparks, will be available.These two locations will be the onlytheme parks in the U.S. where fans cansee the characters of Madagascar live.The new show Madagascar Live! Operation:Vacation premieres at Busch GardensTampa on May 18 and SeaWorld SanDiego on June 15.The company also has the opportunityto expand the show to other parks inthe SeaWorld family in the future.“Audiences around the world haveembraced the characters of Madagascar,and SeaWorld and Busch Gardens parksare the ideal places for families to enjoythis immersive live entertainment experience,”said DreamWorks Animation’sHead of Worldwide Licensing &Consumer Products, Kerry Phelan. “Theentire creative team behind this uniquelyoriginal version of Madagascar Live! hasdone an impressive job of translatingfrom the initial selection tothe shaping of behaviors.“There is nothing more gratifyingthan adopting a shy,untrained cat or dog froma shelter,” said Slaven, “andseeing the animal transforminto an amazing, confidentand happy show animal. I’mlooking forward to buildingrelationships with all of theseanimals.”the beloved world from screen to stage,bringing it to life for young park guestsand family audiences alike.”“Our parks both entertain andinspire guests to care about animals,”said Scott Helmstedter, chief creative officerof SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment.“Likewise, the Madagascar movies alsoinspire animal lovers, but in a differentway with their inimitable charm andhumor. We welcome these characters toour family with open arms and lookforward to working with DreamWorksAnimation on this incredibly funny andengaging new show.”Madagascar is one of the most successfulCG animated movie franchisesof all time, grossing more than $1.8 billionat the worldwide box office. In 2012Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted,grossed over $740 million at the globalbox office, becoming the highest grossingfilm of the series.

This rockwork depicting a mother penguin and a (yet to completed)baby herald will be featured at the main entrance tothe ride. AT/MARLON SCOTTANTARCTICAContinued from page 14shop, restaurant, educationalfacility to the ride and livepenguin environment. “Wewanted the ice to have a properscale, we also wanted tonot paint the rockwork (just)blue, or white — most importantwas the integration of theice and how it ‘glows’ in theAntarctic sun,” said Morror.The materials used in therock and ice allow the sunto glisten realistically butwill also allow show lightingto pass through it at night.The robust lighting packagewill be integrated with thesoundtrack and various soundeffects to complete the immersiveenvironment.At the heart of Antarctica:Empire of the Penguin” is amotion-based simulator vehiclethat will utilize a tracklessnavagation system. The seeminglyfree-roaming vehicleswill whisk riders into the storyof a young penguin namedPuck, his family and theiradventures at the bottom ofthe world.AT will cover the openof Sea World Orlando newestattraction in a future issue.—Marlon ScottDOSWELL, Va. — Kings Dominion hasannounced a major expansion in its live showofferings for the 2013 season, highlightedby a high-energy BMX bike show and aBroadway-style musical revue. In all, theentertainment package will include sevennew live shows, 10 total, making it the largestentertainment line-up in years at KingsDominion.Headlining the 2013 live entertainmentpackage is the all new All Wheel Sports, aBMX-style show with bikers, skaters andgymnasts who were semi-finalists on Season7 of NBC’s "America’s Got Talent". Parkguests will watch in awe as the cast will flip,dive and perform stunts that defy gravity. AllWheel Sports will be performed in the PeanutsShowplace Theater in Planet Snoopy dailyfrom June 22 – August 18.Broadway is making its way to KingsDominion with the all new On Broadwaymusical revue at the Kings Dominion Theater.From the classics that started a sensation tothe biggest hits in New York , On Broadwaytakes over from June 15 – August 18.The additional live entertainment scheduleincludes:New – Charlie Brown’s All Star’s: Helpcheer on Charlie Brown, Lucy and Linus asthey gear up for the big baseball game in thisall-new family musical, running March 29 –October 27.New – Schroeder’s Sing-Along: WarmApril 2013 AMUSEMENT TODAY 15Kings Dominion announces largest entertainment line-up in yearsup your voice and join Schroeder and thePeanuts gang for singing and dancing fun,running March 29 – October 27.Got Country: Kick back and relax as countrymusic takes center stage as we celebratesome of today’s hottest hits, running March29 – September 2.New – Karaoke Superstars: Take to themicrophone with the biggest hits from the50s to today and be a star on stage, runningMarch 29 – September 2.New – Pop Fusion: Keep the party going asKings Dominion presents today’s most electrifyinghits, running April 27 – September 2.Peanuts Rockin’ Party: Join the Peanutsgang for a rockin’ party on InternationalStreet, photo opportunities, along with meetand greets following the show.New – Dominion at Dusk: The sky lightsup at night with Dominion at Dusk, featuringmore than one million LED lights in Snoopy’sStarlight Spectacular, a chance to join singersand dancers with a new live show, StreetBeats and time to blast off with our nightlyfireworks show. Dominion at Dusk will startat dusk on all 10:00 p.m. park closings, April27 through September 1.“This expansion of our live entertainment,along with our new Planet Snoopy atKings Dominion, emphasizes our commitmentto provide our guests with the best family-funin the region,” said Kings DominionEntertainment Manger Jason Holbrooks.

16 AMUSEMENT TODAY April 2013

April 2013 AMUSEMENT TODAY 17WATERPARKS & RESORTSINDOOR FACILITIES AQUATIC CENTERS RECREATION SUPPLIERSWhiteWater West, ProSlide biggest suppliersMuch anticipated Yas waterworld opened in JanuarySTORY: Jeffrey L. Seifertjseifert@amusementtoday.comABU DHABI — After afew days of sneak previews toFacebook friends, Yas Waterworldofficially opened to thepublic on January 22, 2013 —four days ahead of schedule.The 15-hectare (37-acre) waterparkwas built with an investmentof $245 million andhas been under developmentfor more than two years. Thewaterpark is part of a $36 billionYas Island developmentthat includes Ferrari World,Yas Marina, Yas Marina Circuitrace track, Yas Links golfcourse, Yas Gateway Park, YasArena, as well as restaurants,hotels, resorts, villas andshopping centers. The manmade island on the coast ofthe Persian Gulf was a dustywasteland that was separatedfrom the mainland by a seriesof canals and waterways, andtransformed into a lush recreationalarea over a period of 30months.The opening ceremonyinvolved hundreds of performers,fire-breathing dragons,high-thrill flowboardtricks, a tight rope walk overthe waterpark’s canals anddeath-defying sword fights.His Highness Sheikh Tahnoonbin Mohammed Al Nahyan,the Ruler’s Representative inthe Eastern Region, officiallyopened the waterpark, signinga classically-styled guestbookwith a flourish in keeping withYas Waterworld’s Emirati-inspiredsetting. The ceremonyconcluded with the tumblingroar of the waterpark’s centralwaterfall and a spectacularfountain show.“Yas Waterworld AbuDhabi came to life today —both symbolically and literally.It has been an incrediblejourney to this point and unbelievablysatisfying to watchthe people’s reaction to whathas been created. We are confidentthat people will haveseen nothing like it before andwe look forward to the wavesof visitors expected to arrivenow that the park is officiallyopen,” said Mike Oswald, YasWaterworld Abu Dhabi, generalmanager.Even before opening tothe public, the park was proclaimedthe winner of theWorld Waterpark Association’s(WWA), “Leading EdgeAward” in 2012.WhiteWater West suppliedand manufactured 12 ofthe 14 slide complexes includingthe world’s first Rattlerthat contains special effects,lasers, lights and sounds; andan AquaLoop with an Aqua-Drop capsule — the first loopingwaterslide in the MiddleEast.ProSlide provided the twolargest attractions at the park— the largest HydroMagneticMammoth in the Middle Eastand the world’s first Hydro-Magnetic Tornado. Both useProSlide’s 6-Man Clover-Wheel tubes.Vekoma supplied thepark’s Bandit Bomber rollercoaster. The 550-meter (1,800-foot) Vekoma Splash Partysuspended coaster winds overslides and attractions. The vehiclesare equipped with watertanks and riders can shootwater lasers at guests belowor drop a 20-liter (5.2-gallon)water “bomb.” Guests underthe coaster can fire back withwater cannons.A Wave Loch FlowBarrelTen Double is allegedly thelargest sheet wave surf ride inthe world, — awaiting confirmationfrom Guinness WorldRecords. The water temperaturein all of the attractions iscontrolled and varies with differentseasons to keep guestscomfortable.Other attractions includea wave pool, lazy river, shopsand boutiques, eight restaurants,and a unique pearl divingattraction that showcasestraditional Emirati pearl diving.The choreographed show,presented in both English andArabic, allows guests to interactwith the divers to selectthe oyster of their choice thenhave the pearl mounted in anecklace, bracelet or keychain.Cabanas throughout the parkare available for rent. Splash-Quest, a WhiteWater Westpartner, created PearlMastersan interactive game thatuses RFID technology to takeguests on a treasure huntaround the park.Upon entry to the parkevery guest is given an RFIDwristband that can be loadedwith money for the convenienceof not having to carrycash around and can be usedat any of the food outlets andshops located within the waterpark.The RFID wristbandscan also be used to accesslockers throughout the day, atan additional cost. The samewristband will be used to playPearlMasters if that option ispurchased. The park acceptsVisa, American Express, MasterCardand cash in Dirhamand U.S. Dollar currencies.Complimentary wireless Internetis provided throughoutthe park. In keeping withIslamic traditions, two prayerrooms are available in thepark.“Yas Waterworld AbuDhabi is a milestone in theleisure sector in the MiddleEast, and indeed in the world.Our 43 rides, slides and attractionsfeature five one-ofa-kindrides that have never4See WATERWORLD, page 18At the newly opened Yas Waterworld, six different White-Water slides (above) are intertwined in this area of the park,including a SuperBowl and the world’s first Rattler with lasers,lights and sounds. Below, WhiteWater supplied multiplewater play structures including an AquaPlay GiantRainFortress as well as the The FlowBarrel from Flow Rider,below. Ten Double is allegedly the largest sheet wave surfride in the world, — awaiting confirmation from GuinnessWorld Records. COURTESY WHITEWATER

MEDIA18 AMUSEMENT TODAY April 2013NEWSPAPEREMPLOYEE IN GOOD STANDINGBlue Mountain Ski Resort in Pa. wasCREDENTIALgiven approval, after VALIDfour years of waiting, tocreate a $20 million waterpark. The waterparkis the first step toward making the ski resort ayear-round operation with a hotel. Feasibilitystudies indicatedGARYthatSLADEa hotel would not bePUBLISHER, AMUSEMENT TODAYprofitable unless the resort could attract customersduring the summer months. AlthoughBlue Mountain does offer disc golf, mountainbiking and an adventure camp, these activitiesdo not draw enough visitors to keep thehotel occupied in the summer — but the additionof a waterpark will. The initial plan isto create a 20-acre family-friendly park witha wave pool, lazy river, children’s pool andmulti-slide structure. The resort intends togive the waterpark a natural look and utilizethe scenic vistas available atop the mountain.Boulders and rocks discovered during excavationwill be incorporated into the landscape.The waterpark will also allow the resortto keep more of its winter staff by creatingfull-time positions for some of the seasonaldepartments. Park President Barbara Greensfeels that full-time year-round employees willprovide better customer service. “We willtake departments we already have now andsay ‘OK, you are full-time people now and areeligible for benefits,’ ” said Green. Currentplans are to have the waterpark completedfor the 2016 season.•Sunway Lagoon in Malaysia is gettingready to open, Vuvuzela, the world’s largestwater ride. The MYR15 million (S4.8 million)slide is 11 stories tall and includes an elevatorto take guests to the top of the ride wherethey will board four- and six-person rafts.Once aboard the rafts will traverse a 152 meter(500-foot) course before dropping intothe world largest water funnel. The rafts areexpected to make at least four oscillationswithin the 22-meter (72-foot) diameter funnelbefore entering an enclosed flume andfinally ending in a splash pool. Vuvuzela wasdesigned and built by WhiteWater West ofCanada and was scheduled to open mid-March.•In the short span of just three weeks,more than 20,000 people in New Brighton,New Zealand, have signed a petition callingfor a waterpark to be built in their hometown. City councillors of this seaside suburbof Christchurch hope the waterpark will rescueNew Brighton from decline and help putit on the map. The Christchurch city councilhas about $30 million set aside for anaquatic center on the eastern side of the cityand another $37 million is in the city coffersfrom the Prime Minister’s Earthquake AppealTrust. Those monies along with moneysecured from private investors could makea waterpark in Brighton a reality. Preliminaryestimates showed that a waterpark could bebuilt for about $50 million. New Brighton andChrstchurch were both heavily damaged ina December 2011 earthquake. Much of therebuilding effort has been taking place in thecentral city area of Christchurch. “Here is anopportunity for an area that was very badlydamaged to get something really great,” saidNEWSSPLASHB. DEREK SHAWJEFFREY L. SEIFERTCOMPILED:EDITORIAL EDITORIALJeffrey L. Seifert, jseifert@amusementtoday.comMEDIA2010THROUGH 2012City Councillor Peter Beck.•Rapids Waterpark in West Palm Beach,Fla. opened its new Wave Loch FlowRider onMarch 9. Sold by Wave Loch’s North AmericanLicensee and Partner, Aquatic DevelopmentGroup (ADG) the FlowRider adds tothe growing legion of FlowRiders in Floridaand fits perfectly with Wave Loch’s strategyof growing the sport of flowboarding. Rapidswaterpark is scheduled to have a US FLOW(Flowboarding League of the World) Tour ProAm event June 8, 2013, to help promote thesport.•Raging Waves Waterpark in Illinois, isadding a new playful character this season —Lil’ Nicky — the crispy, crunchy, yummy onionmascot for Onion Crunch. Unlike the typicaltheme park character, Lil’ Nicky is not themepark mascot, but a new character that will appearto promote a new item on the condimentshelf. Onion Crunch is a brand new condimentthat is the only kosher pareve, vegan,crispy, crunchy onion topping that delivers adelicious roasted onion flavor to enhance anyamusement park meal whether it’s a hotdog,hamburger, pizza or salad.•Hilton Milwaukee City Center Hotelclosed its indoor waterpark in March in favorof something more “upscale and contemporary.”The indoor waterpark, which opened inNovember 2000, was the first urban indoorwaterpark in the country. It helped draw anumber of weekend leisure travelers untilthe novelty wore off. Now, families who wantto do a hotel waterpark vacation will typicallydrive to the Wisconsin Dells area, wherethere a number of large indoor waterpark hotels.Although the hotel announced no plansfor the space, this downtown Hilton doesnot have a spa and salon or a lap pool with alounge area.•Wisconsin Resorts Consulting wants tobuild a new $85 million indoor/outdoor waterpark,retail, restaurant and hotel resortin the Caban Marketplace development inBel Aire, just outside of the capital city ofWichita, Kansas. The project depends on theapproval of sales tax revenue (STAR) bondsfrom the State of Kansas but the developeris confident the approval will go through.Craig Wilkinson, principal owner of WisconsinResort Consulting was formerly an assistantgeneral manager at Great Wolf LodgeWisconsin Dells. He claims to have hotel-developmentpartners ready to help finance theproject once the bonding is approved. Withoutthe STAR bond financing Wilkinson saidsomething smaller might be possible. The BelAire project would be less than three hoursaway from Schliterbahn Kansas City whichhas had a similar waterpark, retail, restaurantresort under construction for several years.So far, only the waterpark portion of Schlitterbahnhas opened.•Have waterpark, resort or other aquaticfacility, news of interest for NewsSplash?Email it direct to Jeffrey Seifert at: jseifert@amusementtoday.com.ProSlide supplied this HydroMagnetic Mammoth (above)and the world’s first Hydromagnetic Tornado, below. Bothattractions use high-capacity, six-person rafts to provide athrilling, uniqe thrill ride for its guests.COURTESY PROSLIDEWATERWORLDContinued from page 19been seen in any other waterparkin the world,” said MikeOswald. “We have a collectionof attractions that have neverbeen seen before in the region.Our unique combination ofrides, innovative themes andlocation on Yas Island, whichis already one of the globalhotspots for leisure and entertainment,is an unparalleleddraw for visitors.”The park is built around acentral theme — the “Legendof the Lost Pearl,” based on alegend that represents localEmirati culture and heritage.Visitors will be able to enjoyattractions that follow the adventuresof the waterpark’smain character Dana — ayoung Emirati girl in searchof a legendary pearl thatbrought prosperity to her village.Other characters includeDana’s parents and brother aswell as playful animals suchas a camel, falcon and dolphinalong with two greedy banditsand a snake that serve as protagonists.“WhiteWater collaboratedclosely with Yas Waterworldto develop and customtheme unique and innovativesignature attractions”, saidGeoff Chutter, WhiteWater’sCEO. “We are thrilled withthe results and are extremelyproud to showcase our attractionsat this groundbreakingwaterpark, including severalworld’s firsts: the Family Rattlerwaterslide, the largestFlowBarrel Ten Double, andSplashQuest, an interactivevideo game adventure”.WhiteWater attractionsfeatured include an Aqua-Loop AquaPlay AP300, Aqua-Play Giant RainFortress,AquaTune, Extreme River,Family Waves, FlowBarrelTen Double, FlowRider Double,Freefall Slide, Inner-TubeSlides, Kids’ Slides, Rattler,SplashQuest, Speed Slide, SuperBowland Whizzard.“We turned to ProSlidefor our two most spectacularwater rides because we wantto deliver out-of-this-worldexperiences that create lastingmemories for our guests”,says Mike Oswald, generalmanager, Yas Waterworld.“We’re counting on these custom,one-of-a-kind rides tohelp us attract close to 700,000guests a year and be profitable4See WATERWORLD, page 18

WATERWORLDContinued from page 18in our first year”.“What we care about mostis helping our customers differentiatethemselves in themarket which is why we’reso proud to have providedYas Waterworld with the twomost iconic water rides intheir park”, says Rick Hunter,ProSlide president & CEO.The project was developedby Aldar Properties PJSC, constructedby Al Jaber L. E. G. T.Engineering and ContractingLLC, and will be managed byFarah Leisure Park ManagementLLC, a wholly ownedsubsidiary of Aldar Properties.Yas Waterworld is scheduledto operate year-round.The park opens at 10 a.m. andcloses at 6, 7, or 8 p.m. dependingon the season. Tickets costAED 225 (U.S. $61) for adultsand AED 185 (U.S. $50) forchildren. The park is 10 minutesfrom Abu Dhabi InternationalAirport, 30 minutesfrom the city of Abu Dhabiand 50 minutes from Dubai.April 2013 AMUSEMENT TODAY 19Lake Compounce introduces patio in Crocodile CoveBRISTOL/SOUTHINGTON, Conn. — Lake Compounce’sCrocodile Cove waterpark is not only featuringa new wave pool called Bayou Bay this season, but nowhas announced the addition of a Lakeside Party Patio,where groups of up to 15 people can gather for a celebrationof any kind.The Lakeside Party Patio may be reserved onlinein advance, for a two hour period, between noon and7:00 p.m., from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The priceincludes admission to Lake Compounce and CrocodileCove for up to 15 people, as well as food and bottledbeverages.“This is an excellent option for birthday parties, officegatherings, family reunions and even club events,where our catered pavilion area may be too large for just15 guests,” says Jerry Brick, general manager. “We knowthat it can be difficult to find outdoor gathering placesin the summer, and this affords groups the chance to beoutside instead of hosting an event at an indoor venue.”Reservations for the Lakeside Party Patios must bemade in advance, and can be done by visiting the park’swebsite.•lakecompounce.com

20 AMUSEMENT TODAY April 2013

April 2013 AMUSEMENT TODAY 21

22 AMUSEMENT TODAY April 2013Ingenuity from R&R Creative Amusement DesignsAqua Talkers poised to add ‘cool’ to waterparks, spraygroundsSTORY: Dean LamannaSpecial to Amusement TodayANAHEIM, Calif. — Ifwaterparks, theme parks andother fun spots attract somecolorful patrons looking forfun, they may find their matchin some animated charactersthat are seeking a berth in theworld of amusement.Called Aqua Talkers andsprung from the ever-playful,multi-award-winning mindsof Southern Californians RickBastrup and Richard Ferrinof R&R Creative AmusementDesigns, these friendly andhighly vocal interactive fountainsare aimed at keepingpark guests engaged longer inan age of decreased attentionspans.“We’ve incorporatedmore than 30 years of experiencedoing dark rides andanimated characters into thissystem,” said Rick Bastrup,speaking with AT at his company’sresidential office notfar from Disneyland — wherehe and Ferrin, as park employees,struck up a friendship andthen formed their company in1981. “Kids just love it, and italways attracts a crowd.”Working with the HawaiianFalls waterpark chain inDallas-Fort Worth, for whichit has been doing overall parkdesign, R&R Creative beganconceptualizing Aqua Talkersabout seven years ago.The patent-pending animatronicsystem, which incorporateselectronics and up toseven spray features withina customizable character thatcomes with dozens of preprogrammedvoice scripts,music selections and soundeffects, was first tested at HawaiianFalls’ Roanoke, Texas,location before being fully introducedat its Mansfield parklast spring.That character, the TikithemedMaui Max, was sosuccessful that a Fort Worthbasedcompany, Aqua Talkers,LLC (www.aquatalkers.com), was organized to manufacturethe system and marketit industry-wide. It is beingpitched not only as an innovativewaterpark peripheral, butas a cooling diversion and/or promotional tool for themeparks, FECs, zoos and shoppingmalls.Bastrup pointed out AquaTalkers’ versatility. “You canoverride the automatic programmingand operate itmanually from a nearby locationfor maximum interactivitywith guests,” he said, addingthat his company suppliesscripts and voice recordingsfor the characters in additionto coordinating their assembly.“It has a built-in microphonethat allows the operatorto hear what guests are sayingand address them ‘in character,’as if there’s someone actuallyinside of it.”Considering the cost of attractionsthese days, Bastrupfeels that the current $35,0004See AQUA TALKERS, page 23Maui Max, the first fullythemed operational AquaTalkers character designedby R&R Creative AmusementDesigns, is a provencrowd-pleaser at HawaiianFalls Waterpark inMansfield, Texas.COURTESY R&R CREATIVEAMUSEMENT DESIGNS

April 2013 AMUSEMENT TODAY 23AQUA TALKERSContinued from page 22to $45,000 price tag for a single,standard Aqua Talkerscharacter package is “a reasonablyeconomical way todo something unique.” Parkowners must provide somebasic infrastructure in theform of water and conduitrun to the installation location,plus a nearby concealed placein which an operator can usethe option of working the controlsmanually,Bastrup noted that MauiMax is already extending hiscelebrity status at HawaiianFalls. “Along with this character,we’re doing merchandising— like mugs and T-shirts.There’s a lot of opportunity forfurther branding with AquaTalkers: their promotional andstorytelling potential is unlimited.And it can all be appliedand customized to the existingmascot of a park or other entity.”For R&R Creative, whosehighly personalized servicehas led to its close relationshipswith Santa Cruz BeachBoardwalk and Palace Entertainmentas well as to numerousprojects nationally andaround the world, the AquaTalkers concept is anotherextension of its wholesomebrand of family entertainment.The company’s gabbybrainchild also supports theone key thing the team haslearned in its decades of industrywork: the importanceof creating a memorable connectionbetween person andplace.“Tastes change and technologychanges, but fundamentallyand universally,people like to be entertained,”Bastrup said. “What we’ve alwaysworked hard at doing —whether it’s something with asimple theme, like a miniaturegolf course, or an elaboratedark ride — is take people intoa different environment thatallows them to have fun andlaugh. Details matter, as doemotions and reactions. Andin this business, you don’tneed vast amounts of moneyto deliver that.“There are now a couplegenerations of parkgoers whoare enjoying some our designs.And for us, that feels great.”Aqua Talkers concept drawings by R&R Creative Amusement Designs illustrate the versatilityof the animatronic characters’ theming and placement.COURTESY R&R CREATIVE AMUSMENT DESIGNSR&R CreativeAmusement DesignsfoundersRichard Ferrin andRick Bastrup showoff their animatronicmotormouth /fountain, Maui Max,at Hawaiian FallsWaterpark inMansfield, Texas.COURTESYR&R CREATIVEAMUSEMENTDESIGNS

24 AMUSEMENT TODAY April 2013

April 2013 AMUSEMENT TODAY 25BUSINESSREVENUE PEOPLE SAFETY SUPPLIERSPAPA Spring Meeting well attendedNJAA’s Kim Samarelligives New Jersey parkre-opening updateSTORY: B. Derek Shawbdshaw@amusementtoday.comUniversal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort is scheduled toopen in 2014 at Universal Orlando Resort.COURTESY UNIVERSAL ORLANDO RESORTUniversal’s Cabana Bay BeachResort accepting reservationsORLANDO, Fla. — Guests can now book reservationsfor Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort, the new, 1,800-room hotel at Universal Orlando Resort that will featurevalue-priced guest rooms and moderately priced familysuites. The hotel is scheduled to open in early 2014, withreservations now being accepted for stays beginning onMarch 31, 2014.The new hotel is the fourth hotel within UniversalOrlando Resort and will evoke the classic, retro-feel of iconicbeach resorts from the 1950s and 60s. An area locatedaround the North Courtyard will open first, followed later in2014 by an area located around the South Courtyard. Eacharea will have a unique look and feel.Families will have two options for experiencing thehotel, a value-priced standard guest room or a moderatelypriced, 430-square-foot family suite that sleeps six. Fromthe moment they arrive, they will be surrounded by thehotel’s bold design, period colors, neon and retro feel.When complete, there will be two pool complexes withsand beach and interactive features, a themed lazy riverexperience and 10-lane bowling alley.“We believe Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort willoffer an experience unlike any other in Central Florida,”said Alice Norsworthy, executive vice president of marketingand sales at Universal Orlando Resort. “And atthe same time, it will create an entirely new, value-drivenoption for families that want to stay within the UniversalOrlando Resort.”Each of Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort’s courtyardswill have a unique design and atmosphere. They willshare a highly themed, two-story arrival building that willalso be home to a food court serving traditional Americanclassics along with an ever-changing selection of internationalcuisine, a bowling alley, a game room and a fitnesscenter.HERSHEY, Pa. — Onehundred eleven members ofthe Pennsylvania AmusementParks Association (PAPA)met March 4 and 5 for theirannual spring Meeting at HersheyLodge. The event was attendedby representatives ofover 20 manufacturers and 10of the 17 member Pennsylvaniaparks and attractions.The first day consistedof a board of directors meetingfollowed by a receptionand banquet that evening thatwas run by Carl Crider, generalmanager of DelGrosso’sAmusement Park in Tipton,Pa. He is the current presidentof PAPA, finishing his secondyear of a two year term. Speakersincluded Kimberle RolleSamarelli, executive directorof the New Jersey AmusementAssociation (NJAA). Shespoke about the recent devastationfrom Superstorm Sandyand the seaside park ownersresolve to move past this setback,adopting the mantra,“Rebuild, Restore, Reopen”.The second day was reservedfor the MembershipMeeting held over breakfast.Association business includedreports in various aspectsof the industry: legislative,Amusement Ride Safety AdvisoryBoard, Ride SafetySeminar, scholarships, waterparkand human resourceissues. When asked to give afinancial report, Secretary/Treasurer Dick Knoebel ledthe group (with many respondingin unison), “We aresolvent!”Outgoing PAPA President Carl crider, Jr. DelGrosso’s (left)handed the reins off to to incoming President Brian Bossuyt,CamelBeach Waterpark during the association’s 78 annualSpring Meeting in Hershey, Pa. AT/GARY SLADENew Jersey Amusement Association Executive Director KimRolle Samarelli gave the PAPA attendees an update on therebuilding underway by many of the damaged amusementfacilities and piers, following the path of destruction by SuperstormSandy. Also on hand was NJAA President John J.Maurer. AT/GARY SLADEThe new slate of officerswas presented by Ron “Buddy”Knoebel, voted on andapproved. The 2013 – 2014team moves Crider to pastpresident and chairman. BrianBossuyt with CamelbackMountain Waterpark is thenew president; Jeff Davis fromSesame Place is first vice presidentand Dick Knoebel continuesas secretary/treasurer.The second vice president positionis vacant at the moment.In his welcome in the 2013PAPA directory, Crider hadthis to say about Dick Knoebel:He “is an amazing wealthof knowledge for our associationas well as our industry.”The biggest issues facingPAPA member parks continuesto be legislation pertain-4See PAPA, page 30EUROPEAN SPARE AND REPLACEMENT PARTS IMPORTERSINCE 1982NORTH AMERICAN PARTS INC.61C AERO DRIVE,BUFFALO, NEW YORKUSA 14225PHONE: (716) 839-4791FAX: (716) 839-4506EMAIL: parts@nap-inc.comwww.nap-inc.comSERVING THE AMUSEMENT INDUSTRY WE’VE KEPT YOUR RIDES IN MOTION SINCE 1982

26 AMUSEMENT TODAY April 2013New CEO is committed to family fun, founder’s legacyBeyond chocolate, Hershey’s William Simpson is raising the barSTORY: Dean LamannaSpecial to Amusement TodayHERSHEY, Pa. — Thewell-traveled president andnewly appointed CEO of HersheyEntertainment & ResortsCompany (HE&R), WilliamF. Simpson, Jr., cheerfully admitsto skipping a trip on Hersheypark’srecently installedSkyrush roller coaster.“I’m in my late 50s, somy body doesn’t hold up thatway,” he says with a laugh.“I’ve turned that over to theyounger generation.”Besides, Simpson, whosucceeded retiring CEO TedKleisner on January 1, is fullyimmersed in everything elsethat makes Hershey a destinationfor families and conventioneers.In addition toHersheypark, his purview includesHersheypark Arena &Stadium, ZooAmerica NorthAmerican Wildlife Park, TheHotel Hershey Hotel, HersheyLodge and the newly rebrandedHersheypark CampingResort.All of this supports themost important legacy ofcompany founder Milton S.Hershey: the Milton HersheySchool (www.mhskids.org),which has provided opportunitiesfor children in needsince 1909.Simpson began his successfulcareer at HE&R in 1996as general manager of HersheyLodge. In 2002, he became vicepresident of the company’s entertainmentgroup, overseeingthe Hersheypark EntertainmentComplex and leading itto new performance and guestsatisfaction benchmarks.In April 2010, Simpsonwas promoted to HE&R’s chiefoperating officer and soon aftergiven the role of president.He was appointed to the company’sboard of directors thenext year.Previously, Simpson, a nativeof Reidsville, N.C., wasgeneral manager of the SheratonGrand Hotel in Houston.He also held key leadershippositions with the WilliamsburgInn, The Opryland Hoteland Hyatt Hotels Corporationin Phoenix.Now residing in Hersheywith his wife and their twochildren, Simpson took a fewmoments to chat with AT andoffer his take on hospitalityWilliam F. Simpson, Jr., is thenew CEO of Hershey Entertainment& Resorts Company.His job includes keepingHersheypark’s approximately2.5 million seasonal guestshappy. COURTESY HERSHEYENTERTAINMENT & RESORTSand the business of fun donethe HE&R way.What’s your take on theindustry’s current health?Back in October, we presentedour strategic directionfor the next three years to ourboard, and of course, part ofthat is a lot of environmentalscanning to see what we couldlearn about where our [hospitalityand amusement] industriesare going. We’ve determinedthat the growth rateis probably around two anda half percent — and whilethat’s not the number we’dlove to see, it’s still a numbermoving in the right direction.We’ve continued to investin our properties even throughtough economic times. Othercompanies may not have beenin the same position to do that,but it’s exciting to see thatthey’re now making capitalimprovements and adding attractions.That’s a great boostfor the industry.How well has HE&R,and specifically Hersheypark,weathered the recession?Very well. Part of our advantageis very loyal guestswho come back time aftertime. We put in a $27 millionroller coaster, Skyrush, lastyear, and that did well for us— boosting our attendanceabout five percent, based onour guest research. Our locationalso works to our advantage,given the demographicsof the population around us.You oversee a much morediversified company than thetypical industry executive.How do you make all theparts work together?We take a three-prongedstrategic approach. Our coreassets that have been hereawhile — the Hotel Hershey,built in the early 1930s, andHersheypark, now 106 yearsold — require a lot of maintenancecapital. We’ve also gotto identify capital to grow thebusiness and keep it fresh andattractive.The third area we in whichwe invest is our employees byproviding opportunity for professionalgrowth and development.It’s up to them, after all,to make sure we create lastingmemories for our guests andmake them want to come back.How are you positioningHersheypark for overallstrength and growth?We are a destination forfamilies, so everything we dogoes into that thought process;we don’t do the biggest, tallest,fastest. We offer things everymember of the family canparticipate in, ride or enjoy.Being associated withiconic brands people havegrown up with — whether it’sa Hershey bar or the Reese’sPeanut Butter Cup — sets usapart from other parks. Thosebrands have great strength,and we model the experientialpart of them into our thinkingin terms of how we developand operate the park.What changes in andaround the park will we seethis season and beyond?We hear from our guestsall the time: “More coasters!”and “More water!” Havingjust added Skyrush, this yearwe’re making an additionalinvestment in The Boardwalk.We’ve taken out the RollerSoaker coaster and repurposedthat area as a sprayground,with 12 new play structures,16 dancing fountains, andmore shade and seats in about7,000 square feet of interactiveplay. We’re also adding twomore slides to the complex,doubling our throughput.Outside of the park, we’rere-branding the HersheyHighmeadow Campgroundas the official HersheyparkCamping Resort. And on thehospitality side, we’re renovatingand relaunching TheHotel Hershey’s signature restaurant,the Circular DiningRoom, as The Circular. We’llbe offering menu selectionsand practices that fit the currentneeds of diners, who havea little less time these days.Have you been trying tokeep ticket and season passpricing relatively flat?We’ve been very conservativein raising prices; we’revery sensitive to that. Thegreat news for us is that ourseason pass sales are as strongthis year as they were lastyear, when there was excitementover Skyrush. It’s veryencouraging that people arewilling to make that investment.We’re also paying attentionto appropriate discountingand coupon programs toreach a broader market.How are new technologyand social media starting tofigure into park operations?We’ve learned throughour research that the smartphoneapp for your park isvery important. People wantto pull that technology out oftheir pocket and know wherethey and the attractions are, sowe’re continuing to look at developingthat technology. Andwe pay very close attention tosocial media. Not only does ithave a lot to say about who’scoming to visit your park, ithelps us learn in real-timeabout what their experience ofit is — what they like and whatthey want to see us change.What do you admire mostabout HE&R’s culture andyour work with Ted Kleisner?We’re unique in that thatthe legacy of Milton Hershey,and the Milton HersheySchool, is at the core of everythingwe do. Knowing thatthey’re working to enrich thelives of almost 1,900 kids whoare in some way disadvantagedadds to our employees’sense of pride. We do everythingwe can to advance MiltonHershey’s story and hisschool’s goals, and to makesure that our guests understandwhat a great philanthropisthe was.As a company, we experiencevery low turnover ratesfor the hospitality and entertainmentindustries — 13 percentof our full-time staff hasbeen here 25 years or longer.Having stayed here myselfalmost 17 years is a testamentto the culture and how muchI enjoy the company’s legacy,and working for six of thoseyears with someone as experiencedas Ted Kleisner, whohad come out of The GreenbrierResort (in White SulphurSprings, West Virginia) with agreat hospitality background,was a great learning opportunityfor me.You’ve got a great brandwith a long history of customerloyalty. How do youmaintain it?It’s a huge responsibility.We want to deliver on thepromise of our service andbrand every day, and thattakes tremendous focus anddedication on everyone’s part.We hire 6,000 seasonal employeesevery summer whowork throughout the destination;their training, developmentand onboarding is vitallyimportant to our successbecause they’re the frontlinefolks interacting with ourguests.What satisfies you themost in being a part of thisindustry?It’s great to go to work everyday knowing that your jobis to make other people happy.When you walk through thepark and see families spendingtime together, and you seethe smiles on their faces andfeel the energy — it’s awesometo be part of that.

Visitors to the Magic Kingdom at WaltDisney World will notice that Disney has doneaway with turnstiles completely at the park’sentrance. Instead, visitors are greeted by CastMembers holding iPod touches in their whiteglovedhands. The change is part of a largerinitiative by Disney known as “MyMagic+,”which has the ultimate goal of making thecompany’s theme parks even more convenientand inviting for those who attend.•Fun Spot Attractions, working with theCity of Orlando to change the name of onesmall access road off International Drive, sawthe fruits of its labors on March 6, 2013 when“Touchstone Road” was changed to “Fun SpotWay”. This road that connects InternationalDrive (at Festival Bay) and Grand NationalDrive will become the main entrance for theexpanded Fun Spot America that opens onJune 1.•Playland-Not-At-The-Beach in El Cerrito,California has two Laughing Sals — a traditionallooking one that was originally at anamusement park in Ohio and another that wasspecially created by sculptor Chuck Jarman ofBump-in-The-Night-Productions. The latter isknown as Sinister Sal. During the Halloweenseason they bring out a third Sal known as PsychoSal.•Discount Plush has launched a new, online“Pick Your Plush” feature that allows theircustomers to build custom small or jumbomixes of generic and/or licensed plush. Thenew feature allows Discount Plush customersto choose specific quantities of different varietiesof plush, making it simple for customers tomeet their price points while catering to theirpreferences and the needs of their locations.This service is provided at no extra cost and allcustom orders qualify for Discount Plush’s freefreight program. More details can be found at:www.discountplush.com/pick-your-plush.•After 38 years in its original site at TooleyStreet, the infamous London Dungeon hasnow re-opened in a brand new site in CountyHall on the Southbank. The brand new Dungeonexperience offers new shows, updatedrides and a host of new characters and stories.•The Hawaii Community DevelopmentAuthority recently gave the green light to adeveloper’s plan to turn a vacant lot along AlaMoana Boulevard in Honolulu’s Kakaako neighborhoodinto a $10 million amusement park.Developer Billy Balding’s plan was approvedby the HCDA’s board of directors but stillneeds to obtain a special management areapermit. It would put go-cart racing, a skatepark, miniature golf course and other activitieson the three-acre site.•One of the largest exhibits in the AkronZoo’s 60-year history is clawing closer to its debut.Akron Zoo officials have announced thatthe Mike & Mary Stark Grizzly Ridge exhibitwill open to the public on July 20, 2013. GrizzlyRidge, which has been under construction formonths, will include more than six different animalspecies, highlighted by grizzly bears.COMPILED: Scott Rutherford,srutherford@amusementtoday.com•The Great Lakes Aquarium will be gettinga makeover, thanks to financial supportfrom the Minnesota Power Foundation. Theaquarium announced that details of their ExploratoriumProject will involve transformingunused space into three new classroomswith a teacher resource center. The aquariumserves about 10,000 students a year and thisnew space will give them double the currentamount of room.•Fairy Tale Treasures, one of the enchantinglocations at Fantasy Faire in Disneylandpark, opened its doors March 12. Guests willfind this quaint little store filled with costumes,accessories and endless storytelling, themedto the beloved Disney Princesses. This location,with its royal Old-World European charmand medieval ambiance can be found nestledbetween the Royal Theatre and the Royal Hall.•Kennywood Park officials have confirmedthat the park has finalized the land purchaseof the large valley behind the Jack Rabbit andRacer wooden roller coasters from the UnionRailroad. Immediate use for the property is torestore a large building and use it as a storagefacility for props and equipment from theFright Night and Holiday Lights displays.•DreamWorks Animation has tappedRovio Entertainment, the creators of AngryBirds, to produce a mobile game for itsnew animated film “The Croods.” The gamelaunched globally for iOS and Android deviceson March 14.•The City of Squamish in British Columbiahas approved a $25 million gondola to carryvisitors 2,700 feet above Howe Sound. Thecity council approved plans to build the Sea toSky Gondola between Shannon Falls and theStewamus Chief, a popular hiking destination.The ride will last about seven minutes and endat a ridge on Mount Habrich, where developersare building a terminal with dining, interactiveexhibits, a suspension bridge and hikingtrails.•Jack Rouse Associates (JRA) has won TheCade Museum for Creativity + Invention’s exhibitdesign competition, competing against26 other design firms from the United Statesand Canada. Together with GWWO Architectsfrom Baltimore, Jack Rouse Associateswill build a world-class museum in downtownGainesville, Fla. named after Dr. James RobertCade. Dr Cade was a University of Florida physicianwho led the team that invented Gatoradein 1965 and the museum will focus on inspiringcreative thinking, future inventors, andearly entrepreneurs.•Radio Disney recently announced theRadio Disney Music Awards will be held onApril 27 in Los Angeles. The show will featurelive performances from some of Radio Disney’sbiggest stars including Selena Gomez, BridgitMendler, Cody Simpson, Austin Mahone,Cher Lloyd and Coco Jones. There will also beawards as voted on by the fans plus other surprises.April 2013 AMUSEMENT TODAY 27Cedar Point preserves twoiconic rides with donationsDisaster Transport andthe Wildcat are newestadditions to the growingNRCMA collectionSANDUSKY, OHIO —Cedar Point is one of America’soldest amusement parksand it knows the importanceof preserving history. Whenthe park’s Anton SchwarzkopfWildcat Coaster was removedin 2011 and then theinstallation of the park’s 16throller coaster, Gate Keeper,displaced the park’s DisasterTransport (formerly AvalancheRun) attraction nearthe front gate Cedar Pointknew the history of thoseiconic attractions should bepreserved so they called theNational Roller Coaster Museum(NRCMA) to help.“Both the Wildcat and DisasterTransport/AvalancheRun thrilled millions of CedarPoint guests in their history.We are very happy that theNational Roller Coaster Museumwill be able to preservetheir memories,” H. John Hildebrandt,Cedar Point vicepresidentand general managersaid.In late 2012, ride vehiclesfrom both attractions wereshipped to the NRCMA’s archivefacility in Plainview,Texas for processing and storage.Each ride shows a snapshotof time and technology inthe history of the fun.“These are great examplesof well-loved family attractions,”Gary Slade, chairmanof the NRCMA said. “We areexcited to build on this relationshipwith John and theCedar Fair Corporation withtheir history in the timelineof family fun in the UnitedStates.“The NCRMA shows ourcommitment as an industry topreserving and honoring thewonderful machines that sohelp to define who we are,”Hildebrandt said.The organization’s firsttravelling exhibit showcasingthe history of the roller coasterand a sampling of the hundredsof thousands of artifactsin the NRCMA collection ison display at Dollywood thissummer beginning in May.•rollercoastermuseum.orgVehicles and track from both the Intamin Disaster Transport(above) and the Schwarzkopf Wildcat were recently donatedto the NRCMA by Cedar Point. COURTESY NRCMA

28 AMUSEMENT TODAY April 2013CONTINUING COVERAGE | SUPERSTORM SANDYPopular arcade reopens, repairs continue apaceLong Beach Island eager for revival of Fantasy Island fun parkSTORY: Dean LamannaSpecial to Amusement TodayBEACH HAVEN, N.J. —Fantasy Island AmusementPark faced nightmarish realitylast October when SuperstormSandy steamrolled over thistown and the adjoining stringof tight-knit communities thatcomprise slender Long BeachIsland, turning streets into ragingrivers, destroying homesand dislocating residents.Spanning three blocksbetween the beach and thebay, the Victorian-flavoredfun spot — with 19 rides anda cavernous year-round arcadesurrounded by ornatebrick walkways, old-fashionedlampposts and cozy oakbenches — somehow managedto endure a tidal surgepossibly exceeding sevenfeet deep. The park remainedmostly intact even while sufferingthe type of costly damagecaused by water.“Our arcade was floodedand we lost all of the carpeting,and a number of the machineswere affected,” said DianeFrey, Fantasy Island’s marketingdirector. “But there waslot of devastation throughoutLong Beach Island, so we arebeyond grateful that it wasn’tworse at our location.”Frey noted that Sandydefeated most of the familyownedoperation’s pre-stormefforts to elevate its normallevel of winterization. “Wedidn’t anticipate that it wouldbe as bad as it was,” she said.“We raised things up higherthan usual, but you whenthe water comes up to sevenor eight feet, it doesn’t makemuch of a difference.”Due to mold concerns,most of the 28-year-old park’sbuildings had to be gutted,and the general cleanup — dependenton the availability ofalready-overworked contractors— took several months.Yet Fantasy Island’s rides willreopen as normal the weekendof May 18.Frey pointed out that itwas critical to Long Beach Island’srecovery that contractorsfocused on repairing andrebuilding the resort’s manydamaged and lost homes. “Ifthere’s no one on the island,there’s no need to have businesseshere,” she said. “It’simportant to us that the islandcomes back in its entirety.”Meanwhile, an all-out effortwas made to clean up,repair and re-carpet FantasyIsland’s arcade, which benefitedfrom being built aboutnine feet above ground level.The park reopened the fullyenclosed and heated space forregular winter weekend operationon February 16.“Customers have beenchecking in with us constantlythrough our Facebook page— sending letters and prayersand well-wishes,” Frey said.“The most beautiful reactionhas been from children, whichhas just melted our hearts.Growing up and going to theSuperstorm Sandy damagedbuildings and equipmentthroughout Fantasy IslandAmusement Park. After thestorm, an unknown local residenterected a hopeful handmadesign at the base of theFerris wheel. And followingmore than three months ofintensive cleanup and repair,the property’s newlyre-carpeted coin-op arcadereopened February 16.COURTESY FANTASY ISLANDAMUSEMENT PARKshore is a lot more than justan arcade machine or a ride;it’s all the memories that thesekids have.”Fantasy Island’s proprietorsand staff will always rememberthe recovery effortsof the first responders, variouscommunity members and theNew Jersey Amusement Association.“We are very fortunateto have such a strong associationto work with,” Frey said.“It’s hard to put intowords how close everybodybecame after this devastation,”she acknowledged.“People just want to returnto enjoying the beauty of theisland. And we want to helpboost the community’s moraleby continuing to providehappy moments for families.”Shore-ing up the Garden StateNEW JERSEY SHORE — Just how important is it to get the New Jerseycoastline back into shape for the summer 2013 season?According to a study conducted last year for the New Jersey AmusementAssociation (NJAA), tourism along the Jersey shore — with its mix ofamusement piers, boardwalks restaurants, lodgings and casino resorts — isthe foundation of the state’s $38 billion leisure and hospitality industry.NJAA’s study found that 312,000 people, accounting for $9.6 billion inwages, are employed by Jersey shore tourism. The number rises to 486,000,or nearly 10 percent of the state’s total employment, when jobs indirectlyrelated to tourist spending are counted.The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics found that leisure and hospitality isthe third-largest employment source statewide after trade, transportationand utilities; and professional/business services.SF Great Adventure fetes storm reliefJACKSON, N.J. — Six Flags Great Adventure (SFGA) kicked off its 2013season March 23 with a Superstorm Sandy benefit concert. Grammy AwardwinningMotown Records artist Ne-Yo and MTV stars Vinny Gaudagnino fromJersey Shore and Andrew Jenks were among the celebrities who appearedonstage.The event was both the culmination and a celebration of a spring breaktimedstorm relief initiative called Spring Fix, sponsored by MTV, mtvU.comand United Way to help rebuild impacted communities along the coast. Fiftycollege students from around the country who successfully applied to participatein the volunteer effort earlier this year were transported to the New York/ New Jersey area by MTV, which recorded their activities.The concert was free with SFGA admission. A portion of the park’s openingday ticket sales directly benefited United Way.

April 2013 AMUSEMENT TODAY 29STORY: Kimberle SamarelliNJAA executive director(732) 904-0580 • Njaa40plus@aol.comATLANTIC CITY, N.J.— In February, the New JerseyAmusement Association(NJAA) celebrated its 18thannual East Coast Expo at theGolden Nugget Hotel andCasino in Atlantic City, N.J.The show sold out quicklyand turned out to be a betterone in record books. Theattendees were upbeat andfull of positive energy. Seriousbuyers from all over thenortheast filled the room buyingfor the upcoming summerseason. It was evident thatmoving ahead is the momentumfrom this point forward.The trade show is anotherway of rebuilding theindustry, and the powerfulemotions expressed by theattendees, is a sure sign thatit is rebuilding and reopening.The annual scholarshipcocktail party was also wellattended. The N.J. Pier Pressuregroup (shown here) presentedthe association witha $7,150.00 check for theNJAA 1st Responders ReliefFund. The proceeds wereraised during a Decemberbenefit concert hosted bythe N.J. Pier Pressure group.Look for Pier Pressure 2 fundraiserconcert coming soon.These girls are unstoppable!Upcoming NJAA events:Please join us on May13, 2013 for the 54th AnnualNJAA Dinner Dance. ThisNEW JERSEY AMUSEMENT ASSOCIATIONSUPERSTORM SANDYRestore, Rebuild and ReopenNJAA East Coast Expo sells out, money raisedyear we will be honoring NewJersey Governor Chris Christie(we are just awaiting finalconfirmation).For all details and up-todateinformation, please visitLeft to right: NJAAPresident JohnMaurer, NJAAExecutive DirectorKim Samarelliaccept a checkfor $7,150.00from AmandaKacperowski andSara Brilliant for theNJAA Volunteer1st RespondersFund. The moneywas raised througha benefit concertorgainzed by N.J.Pier Pressue. A secondfundraiser bythe group is in theplanning stages.COURTESY NJAAour website: www.Nj amusements.comReady for summer season after emergency dutyMorey Resorts opened doors to Superstorm Sandy homelessSTORY: Dean LamannaSpecial to Amusement TodayWILDWOOD, N.J. —Popular lodging for vacationingfamilies drawn tothe Wildwoods and the synonymous-with-funMorey’sbrand, the Blue Palms Resortand StarLux Hotel— two ofthe five local nostalgicallyretro, meticulously maintainedproperties ownedand operated by Morey Resorts— served as temporaryemergency shelter for NewJersey residents left homelessby Superstorm Sandy.Working with the FederalEmergency ManagementAgency (FEMA), thetwo motels housed displacedresidents of Seaside Heights,Lavallette and parts of theWildwoods. The Blue Palmshad 50 rooms occupied by125 storm survivors and theStarLux had 15 rooms occupiedby 45 at the height ofthe effort.“We soberly recognizethat Sandy could easily havehit us,” said Gordon Clark,general manager of MoreyResorts, noting that thestorm spared Wildwood,North Wildwood and WildwoodCrest a direct punch.“When we found out thatthere were hundreds of personsin a rescue shelter outsideof Seaside Heights, withno place to go, we quicklymade our properties available.We didn’t think twice.”Clark added that MoreyResorts and Morey’s Pierswere “so impressed” withthe commitment and serviceof the Cape Atlantic RedCross and another organization,the Lunch with LynchFoundation, that the sistercompanies donated a totalof $15,000 to the charities inThe Blue Palms Resort and StarLux Hotel in Wildwood, both properties of Morey Resorts,served as emergency housing for New Jersey families displaced by Superstorm Sandy. Atleast 170 were sheltered at the height of the effort. COURTESY MOREY RESORTSJanuary. The last sheltered beach chair and boogiefamily was able to check outof the StarLux on February21.Both properties now areready for the season. TheBlue Palms, which underwenta $1.2 million renovation lastyear, is offering complimentaryboard usage. The Blue Palmsand StarLux also are participatingin Morey’s Pier’s 2013Generation to Generationvacation package, which offersup to 60 percent savingson pier and waterpark admission.(See www.moreyspiers.continental breakfast com for more.)and complimentary bicycle, “We’re not really surewhat this summer seasonwill be like,” acknowledgedClark. “On one hand, wemight be busier because ofthe reduced number of rentalunits in other beach towns,but on the other, it might bea little slower because manypeople think all of the Jerseyshore was damaged. At thispoint, we are optimistic.”Space for this NJAA Superstorm Sandy page is provided courtesy of Amusement Today as a corporate partner with the NJAA. Please direct comments to: njaa40plus@aol.com

30 AMUSEMENT TODAY April 2013PAPAContinued from page 25ing to post Labor Day schoolstart along with the interpretationof the new AffordableHealth Care Act and how itimpacts their staffing.The Association alsoawarded four, one thousanddollar scholarships this year todeserving students throughoutthe Commonwealth.The morning session alsofeatured a talk on EmergencyPreparedness by Rocco DiPietrowith Cocciardi & Associatesof Mechanicsburg andScranton, Pa.Reflecting on his twoyears of leadership, out-goingPresident Crider was askedabout what he accomplished.“I chose to center my focusaround our mission statementand based upon its premiseof: promoting the industry bygathering and disseminatinginformation among members,upholding a good public image,and actively participatingin legislative issues whichpromotes the best interestof our industry, I believe Ihelped to advance those corevalues of our organization.”He continued, “I thank thePAPA Board of Directors andall the members for their supportover the past two years.It is an exceptional group ofindividuals in an exceptionalindustry.”When asked about the directionthe PAPA is heading,Crider replied, “The organizationhas been strong for 78years and I do not forsee anydeviation in its core mission.As long as there are parks andattractions in the state, therewill always be the need for agroup to gather and promotethe industry.”This was the 78th SpringMeeting of the PennsylvaniaAmusement Parks Association.It was formed in 1935with R.L. Plarr from DorneyPark serving as the first president.In 1946, roller coasterdesigner Herbert P. Schmeckfrom Philadelphia Tobogganwas president. The 2013 SummerMeeting will be held atIdlewild and SoakZone, Ligonier,Pa. on July 15 and 16.OBITUARIESFormer N.J. Steel Pier owner George Hamid dies at 94George HamidSOMERS POINT, N.J. —George A. Hamid Jr., a formerowner of the Steel Pier inAtlantic City, died of pulmonaryfailure Feb. 23, at ShoreMemorial Hospital in SomersPoint, N.J. He was 94.Born in Jersey City,Hamid attended the Kew-Forest School in Forest Hills,N.Y., and earned a bachelor’sdegree in economicsat Princeton University.He studied at the WhartonSchool of the University ofPennsylvania but droppedout to enlist in the Navy.He served as a lieutenantcommander in the SouthPacific. When the war ended,he returned to New Jersey,married Patricia ReillyMonahan, and joined thefamily business.Hamid’s father, GeorgeSr., was a former circusperformer who bought theSteel Pier in 1945. The familyoperated the Steel Pierfor 30 years, building a family-entertainmentvenue thatblended circus acts, amusement-parkrides, and concerts.The younger Hamidmade his mark by bookingacts that appealed to youngergenerations.Hamid booked numerousvocalists including DianaRoss, and unusual acts like thehigh-diving horse that helpedtransform the Steel Pier thepier into a main attractionfor Atlantic City vacationers.He booked Ricky Nelson inthe late 1950s, bringing in athen-record crowd of morethan 44,000 in one day. Hewent on to book other teensensations such Bobby Rydelland Frankie Avalon. In 1964,Hamid brought the Beatles towhat is now Boardwalk Hall.Hamid’s father died in1971, and the family sold theSteel Pier to a group of businessmen,but Hamid continuedmanaging the venueuntil 1975.Anthony Catanoso, presidentof Steel Pier Associates,recalls Hamid with fondness:“George Hamid, Jr. andhis father, George Sr., hada profound impact on makingAtlantic City what it ultimatelybecame: ‘America’sFavorite Playground.’ Thevision and showmanshipdemonstrated by the Hamidsare unparalleled still tothis day. I met George Jr.on several occasions and herecalled some incredible storiesof the ‘old’ Steel Pier. Hewas delighted that its currentowners – my family, theCatanosos – were keepingit an amusement venue andthat we were the torchbearersof a such a great Americanicon. George Jr. was with usin 1998 to celebrate the centennialof the pier. He sharedseveral photographs of hisdays at Steel Pier that illustratedwhat a truly amazingtime it was in the city, as wellas the country. The spirit ofthe Hamids lives on -- and wewill always have cherishedmemories, thanks to them.”Hamid is survived bysons, James, George andTimothy and by a daughter,Elizabeth as well as sevengrandchildren and nine greatgrandchildren.Memorial donationsmay be made to the ShrinersHospitals for Children (www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org or to the John Davis, IIIMemorial Scholarship Fundin care of Jeffries & KeatesFuneral Home, Tilton Roadand Infield Ave, Northfield,N.J. 08225. To share memoryof Hamid, visit www.lifecelebration.com.Bill Dawson, longtime industry veteran, dies at 74LONG BEACH, Calif.— Bill Dawson, who waspicked from a nationwidepool of candidates in the1970’s to manage Long Beach,California’s gleaming newConvention Center and associatedattractions, includingthe Queen Mary, died March2, 2013 at his Long Beachhome. The cause of death waspancreatic cancer. He was 74.Born Sept. 7, 1938, inKansas City, Kan., WilliamFlemming Dawson graduatedfrom the Universityof Kansas with a degree injournalism. While at college,Dawson postponed graduationto work for the internationalPeople-to-PeopleProgram started by PresidentDwight D. Eisenhower. Helater worked for Six FlagsEntertainment Corp. inAtlanta. After his time headingthe Promotion andServices Corp., Dawsonbought Resort ParksInternational, a campgroundnetwork, where he was presidentand chief executive officeruntil several years ago.Bob Minick of MinickAssociates recalls his initialBill Dawsonencounter with Dawson: “Ifirst met Dawson soon afterCharlie T. Thompson (thefirst VP/GM at Six FlagsOver Texas and then Georgia)hired him to be the Directorof Marketing for Six FlagsOver Georgia while the parkwas under construction,”said Minick. “At that time Iwas designing and buildingPirates World in Florida andI asked Charlie T. for someideas to help me with marketingand he told me he hadhired Bill Dawson, who wasa red hot young marketingguy that had worked withBobby Kennedy’s “People toPeople” program. Bill and Iwere first introduced over thephone by Errol McKoy andbecame fast friends. He notonly set up the Six Flags OverGeorgia marketing program,including some of Six Flagsfirst 2-4-1 promotions, butalso sold most of their sponsorshipdeals with nationaladvertisers. Bill providedme marketing and sales programsfor Pirates World,which really helped its firstyear.”Before being drawn toLong Beach, Dawson hadtaken a failing Jackson, N.J.,amusement park, GreatAdventure, and turned it intoone of the most popular in thecountry, with 2.7million visitorsannually. The hope wasthat Dawson’s theme parkacumen could bring pizzazzto Long Beach’s new downtownentertainment and conventionspace, built near thesite of the razed, 1930s-eraMunicipal Auditorium.He was described by familyand friends as gregarious,ever-smiling and willing tohelp others.“Bill was very close tomany amusement parkpeople including MelindaAshcraft, Mike Bandera,Gary Benson, Eddie Carrol,John (Buster) Cherry, LewisChessler, Vic Donovan, LarsIverson, Errol McKoy, LottieMinick, Jim Palmer, TomParrish, Dennis Speigel, EdStone, Bill Sullivan, SpurgeRichardson, and Ira West -to name only a few,” addedMinick. “He was also acreative genius and couldalways devise a unique programto reach out and attractthe audience targeted for theproject. Whether it was a traditionalamusement park, atheme park, a Neal Simontribute, or a million dollarmotor coach resort, Dawsoncould make them all work.He will be missed as a greatfriend.”Along with his wife,Vickie, Dawson is survivedby two daughters, Jill Dawsonand Claire Dawson; sistersDee Dee Higley and CindyCrow; and as well as niecesand nephews. As of presstime, services were pending.

WHO and WHYREAMUSEMENT?Are your workloads continuing to increaseand staffing at a minimum?REAMUSEMENT is the quality choice for you. We will beyour partner in completing maintenance “rehabs,”renovations, or new construction.Our goal is to provide quality maintenance of your trains, ride units, andstructures to minimize the turnaround time to ensure your guests have themaximum entertainment experience.1310 West Fourth StreetMansfield, OH 44906Office: (567) 247-8204Fax: (419) 529-4288Contact:Jack Falfas | (419) 202-7876Gary Gast | (567) 247-8204Randy Payne | (567) 247-8204www.reamusement.comApril 2013 AMUSEMENT TODAY 31ASTM F24 Spring Conference attracts more than to 200 attendeesCONSHOHOCKEN,Pa. — ASTM F24 held itssemi-annual meeting Feb.14-16 at the Hyatt FrenchQuarter in New Orleans, La.Approximately 50 separatemeetings were held, each onefocusing on a specific safetyelement of the amusementindustry. Attendance wasvery strong with more than200 safety experts from 10different countries participating.Jim Seay, chairman ofASTM F24 Committee andpresident of Premier Rides,commented, “With the mostscheduled meetings we haveever had for an F24 meeting,I was grateful for high levelof interest and attendance.To see so many people travelon a voluntary basis from allcorners of the globe in thename of safety is quite humblingand really shows a highlevel of passion.”Much of the attentionwas focused on F24’snewest global safety standard,ASTM F2959, Practicefor Requirements forAerial Adventure Courses.Stakeholders including operators,manufacturers, regulators,and consumers heldopen discussions to reviewthe new standard in detail,which will now allow uniformityfor installations andoperations of the industry’sfastest growing segment.Len Morrissey, director/TCODivision of ASTMInternational, stated, “Theapproval of F24’s newestglobal safety standardhighlights the effectivenessof the open ASTM processthat brings together the bestexperts, with diverse interestsin an industry, to collaborateon a wide range ofissues and develop effectivesolutions through the developmentof global standards.”Some of the most attendedmeetings focused on trampolineparks, another rapidlygrowing segment andapproval of a new standard isvery close. Extensive discussionsalso addressed the topicof supervising companionsas it relates to different categoriesof rides. Additionally,the committee approved itsfirst safety standard for parasailing,another new area offocus; a standard focused onauditing was also approved.The InternationalAssociation of AmusementParks & Attractions (IAAPA),including the IAAPA SafetyCommittee, collated multiplemeetings at the samelocation. The CaliforniaAttractions & ParksAssociation (CAPA) alsoheld a meeting. Additionally,the following organizationswere represented atthe ASTM F24 Spring 2013Meeting: Consumer ProductSafety Commission (CPSC),Association for ChallengeCourse Technology (ACCT),AIMS International, NationalAssociation of AmusementRide Safety Officials(NAARSO), OutdoorAmusement BusinessAssociation (OABA), andthe World WaterparkAssociation (WWA).The ASTM F24 meetingswere sponsored by HewittWolensky LLP, IALDA,Premier Rides, ProSlideTechnology Inc., RockwellAutomation, Seipp, Flick &Hosley LLP, Tapeswitch,Uremet Corp., Van StoneConveyor Inc., and VekomaRides.The next ASTMCommittee F24 Fall Meetingwill be held October 24-26,2013 at the Valley Ho inScottsdale, Ariz.Our ServicesRebuild ride units per manufacturer’s specifications • Rebuild ride units to meet all codes andcertifications • Fiberglass repairs • Carpentry repairs • Repainting • Inside storage • Welding ifdiscovered after NDT testing • Refurbish flat ride components and ride units • NDT inspectionsfor the ride units per the manufacturer’s specifications • Assist with on-site set up ifmaintenance staff needs assistance • General contractor and/or assist with constructionprojects • Ride erection needsreamusement@gmail.comsales@reamusement.com

32 AMUSEMENT TODAY April 2013MARKETWATCHRIDING THEMARKETPrices Prices 52 WeeksCompany One Month Ago 03/18/13 High LowCedar Fair L.P. $38.00 $37.40 $39.55 $25.00MGM Mirage $13.29 $13.03 $14.80 $8.83Six Flags Ent. Corp. $65.00 $69.00 $70.39 $43.13CBS Corp. $42.94 $46.54 $47.42 $29.81Walt Disney Co. $54.88 $56.83 $57.82 $40.87Apollo Global Mgt. LLC $22.27 $23.03 $24.87 $10.42Blackstone Group $18.58 $20.39 $21.09 $11.12Village Roadshow $4.54 $4.94 $5.14 $2.85NBC Universal $23.41 $23.25 $23.09 $18.02DIESEL PRICESCURRENCYTOP 7 MOST TRADEDCURRENCIESRegion As of Change from(U.S.) 03/18/13 year agoEast Coast $4.082 -$0.102Midwest $4.015 -$0.025Gulf Coast $3.989 -$0.064Mountain $3.971 -$0.148West Coast $4.105 -$0.267California $4.212 -$0.269On 03/18/13 $1 USD =0.7646 EURO0.6614 GBP (British Pound)95.26 JPY (Japanese Yen)0.9382 CHF (Swiss Franc)0.9604 AUD (Australian Dollar)1.0191 CAD (Canadian Dollar)Six Flags Atlantaproperties president retiresMelinda Ashcraft stepsdown after 45-years;Dale Kaetzel promotedAUSTELL,Ga. — SixFlags OverGeorgia announcedon March 4,2013, the retirementof Ashcraftits park president,Melinda Ashcraft, cappingan incredible 45-yearcareer with Six Flags. Ashcrafthas enjoyed a remarkablejourney with Six Flagsthat began at Six Flags OverGeorgia, where she workedas a ride operator the yearthe park opened. She continuedto rise through the ranks,holding a number of managerialpositions at parks in St.Louis, Mo.; Ft. Lauderdale,Fl.; Valencia, Calif.; Louisville,Ky.; and San Antonio, Texas.Melinda has served as parkpresident at Six Flags OverGeorgia and Six Flags WhiteWater since January 2004.In January of this year,Ashcraft became the fifth recipientof the prestigious SixFlags Angus G. Wynne lifetimeachievement award inhonor of her numerous organizationaland communityachievements.“When I began my journeyat Six Flags Over GeorgiaI never thought I wouldbe where I am today; it hasbeen a wonderful privilege,”said Melinda Ashcraft. “Thereare exciting plans on the horizonfor the Six Flags Atlantaproperties. I look forward tocheering Dale on as he leadsour team to even greaterheights.”Industry veteran DaleKaetzel, who most recentlyserved as park president atSix Flags Discovery Kingdomin Vallejo, California has beennamed to succeed Ashcraft.Prior to joining Six FlagsDiscovery Kingdom, Kaetzelserved for eight years as asenior executive at four ParamountParks, including Canada’sWonderland in Torontowhere he served as seniorvice president and generalmanager. Kaetzel also spent13 years in executive rolesfor Centre Management/MCICenter in Washington, D.C.and was the former marketingdirector of the San FranciscoGiants.SLAContinued from page 412013 ROTC event a hit with attendeesThe 2013 ROTC training school, held Feb. 5-7 at the CircusCircus Casino/Hotel and Adventuredome was a big hitwith 42 attendees (seen here inside the Adventuredome)from as far away as Hersheypark gaining valuable operationsand safety knowledge. The program is hosted eachyear by Creative Operations Concepts and When Pigs Fly.At right, event host, Cindee Huddy, works a piece of Catequipment as part of their 2013 “Building MonumentalTraining” theme. COURTESY ROTCBerkshire Bank joinsFirestone Financial’sbank groupNEWTON, Mass. —Firestone Financial Corp. aleading provider of equipmentfinancing, announcedthe addition of BerkshireBank to its bank group andthe signing of $150 Million,multi-year revolving creditfacility. Provided through abank group led by CitizensBank, the facility is anincrease of $25 Million to theline secured in May of 2011.David Cohen, presidentand CEO of FirestoneFinancial, said “We are growingand have partnered withbanks that understand ourgrowth strategy and supportour initiatives. The additionof Berkshire Bank will providethe additional capitalwe need to increase our presencein our existing marketsand to explore new ones. ”Patrick Sullivan, executivevice president of commercialbanking and wealthmanagement at BerkshireBank, commended theCompany. “FirestoneFinancial has built its businessbased upon long standingcustomer relationshipsand industry expertise, aphilosophy that is shared byBerkshire Bank. They servetheir customers well and welook forward to continuingto partner with them as theygrow even further.”In addition to BerkshireBank and Citizens Bank,other banks that participatein the financing are WellsFargo Capital Finance, LLC,Bank of America, N.A., TDBank, N.A., and BrooklineBank.

April 2013 AMUSEMENT TODAY 33MIDWAYCARNIVALS STATE FAIRS REVENUE SUPPLIERSRevenues show increase even with a slight attendance dip at 2013 Florida State FairTransition going well for Rhode Island Novelty after acquiring NANCOBob NowakSTORY: Pam Sherbornepsherborne@amusementtoday.comTAMPA, Fla. — Celebratingthe 500th anniversary ofthe arrival of Juan Ponce DeLeón in Florida, this year’s109th Annual Florida StateFair theme of “Discover theFun,” brought out over 440,000fairgoers to do just that.The fair ran Feb. 7-18.Charles Pesano, executive director,Florida State Fair Authority,said mid-March thatpreliminary unaudited attendancefor 2013 was 443,000,compared to 2012’s total of457,000.Even though total attendancedid show a slight drop,revenues increased. Cumulativegate revenue and midwayrevenue for this yearwas $7,221,000, compared to$7,007,000 in 2012.There were 112 rides onthe independent midway thisyear, representing 14 owners/operators. The top two ridesthis year were the Sky Glider,owned and built by SkyFair Inc., and the Giant Slide,owned by the Florida StateFair and built by Dave BarhamFALL RIVER, Mass. — Bob Nowak, Rhode Island Novelty,Fall River, Mass., feels the transitions made after acquiring NancySales Company (NANCO) at the end of January as been asseamless as was possible.“We have moved everything over in our building and wehave been up and running,” Nowak said last month.The acquisition of Nancy Sales by Rhode Island Noveltywas official Jan. 28, 2013, but Nowak said negotiations for thecompany began last fall after Nancy Sales choose the courseof action to sell. Nancy Sales, which was started in 1937, waslocated in Chelsea, Mass. That was only 60 miles from RhodeIsland Novelty.In early February at the International Independent Showmen’sAssociation Trade Show & Extravaganza, Nowak saidthey were in the process of transferring the Nancy Sales productfrom the Chelsea location to a 200,000 sq.-ft building RhodeIsland already owned in Cumberland, R.I.Rhode Island Novelty works from a 500,000 sq.-ft. building2013 Florida State FairTop 10 rides1) Sky Glider, Sky Fair, Inc., built by Sky Fair Inc.2) Giant Slide, Florida State Fair, built by Dave Barham3) Hit in 2000 Himalaya, Wade Shows, Mack4) Giant Gondola Wheel, Wade Shows, Chance5) Super Himalaya, Reithoffer Shows, Bertazzon6) Stinger (Loop Fighter), Reithoffer Shows, Technical Park7) RC48 Coaster, Wade Shows, Pinfari8) Magnum, Michael Woods (Wood Ent.), Mondial9) Vertical Swing, Reithoffer Shows, Zamperla10) Himalaya, Dreamland Amusements, WisdomTop 5 foods1) Fried Lobster, Cuzin Tim’s Seafood/Tim Stewart2) Redneck Burger, Carousel Foods/Dennis Reas3) Red Velvet Funnel Cakes, Kevin McGrath4) Sirloin Tips, Joe Colglazier5) Amish Donuts, Nate Peachycoming in second.Wade Shows had the thirdtop ride this year with its Hitin 2000 Himalaya, manufacturedby Mack.There were three newrides this year. Tom andJeanne McDonagh, Sky Attractions,brought in two ofthem: Big Bamboo, a superfun house manufactured byOwens Trailers, and KMG’sFun Factory. The McDonagh’stook delivery of their new BigBamboo at the State Fair ofTexas last September. The attractionmoves on three trailers,one 48-foot and two 28-foot pup trailers. It featureswater fountains and a detailedfaçade.The third new ride at thisyear’s Florida State Fair wasFlorida State Fair traditionally offers an array of fair food,which, as seen here, is popular to fairgoers. Top foods thisyear were Fried Lobster, Cuzin Tim’s Seafood/Tim Stewart;Redneck Burger, Carousel Foods/Dennis Reas; and Red VelvetFunnel Cakes, Kevin McGrathCOURTESY FLORIDA STATE FAIR 4See FLORIDA, page 34in Fall River. The two buildings are about 35 miles apart.Nancy Sales Co. was a leading supplier of licensed plushproducts to the amusement industry. Customers includedamusement parks, carnival and fair game operators, family entertainmentcenters (FECs) and arcades.Rhode Island Novelty, founded in 1986, is a leading importerand wholesale distributor of novelty toys, and a number ofother products.“I have known them (Nancy Sales) for years and have alwaysadmire their line of products,” Nowak said. “Now, we canoffer their plush line and our other products. Their productscompliments ours.”He also said Rhode Island hired Nancy Sales key sales people.And, the company is working hard to make this transitionas easy as possible for Nancy Sales Co. customers.Now, Rhode Island’s focus is “to support the indoor andoutdoor industries by supplying high-quality generic and licensedplush, novelties and prices.”Factory wholesale pricing! • Over 100 designs available! • Made in the USAToll Free: (800) 395-9980 • email: lisa@sippersbydesign.com • www.sippersbydesign.com

34 AMUSEMENT TODAY April 2013Zaitshik looks forward toan exciting 2013 for Wade ShowsThere were 112 rides on the 2013 Florida State Fair independent midway, representing 14owners/operators. Blue skies over the fair brought fairgoers out. Top rides this year includedthe Sky Fair’s Sky Glider; Florida State Fair’s Giant Slide; and Wade Shows’ Hit in 2000.COURTESY FLORIDA STATE FAIRFLORIDAContinued from page 33the Air Raid, manufacturedby Zamperla and brought inby Kyle Brady, PlayworldAmusements. It also debutedat the 2012 State Fair of texas.The 2013 Florida State Fairshowcased new and uniqueagricultural and cultural exhibitsto go with the anniversarycelebration. There wasthe new “Discovery Center,” aTampa Bay History Center curatedexhibit, and a travelingexhibit celebrating “FloridaAgriculture: 500 Years in theMaking” hosted by the FloridaDepartment of Agricultureand Consumer Services.Also new was the “ConquistaTOUR,”a self-guidedadventure through the StateFair including the new FloridaCattlemen’s Ranching Museum,Florida’s Learning Gardenand Cow Hunter’s Campin Cracker Country. Fairgoerscould get a map at the fair’sentrance and take the “ConquistaTOUR.”In addition, fairgoers weretreated with Discover Florida, aBroadway-style musical per-formance. There was a newCattlemen’s Exhibit celebratingFive Centuries of Traditionand a new Florida’s LearningGarden.Also new this year wasthe “Zoom N” high-energymusical concert series withStarship, Mickey Thomas, BellamyBrothers, Country GoldThrough the smiles, the seasons & the miles –Financing everything for the outdoor amusement industry since 2000.Prairie FinancialPaul Mullerpaul@prairiefinancialinc.comWade Mullerwade@prairiefinancialinc.comTour, Less than Jake, LeannRimes.Fairgoers also were offeredtraditional attractionssuch as shopping in ExpoHall, arts and crafts, a giantsand sculpture, tropical fish,the “Mooternity Ward,” horseshows, lots of animals and livegrounds entertainment.The Florida State Fair, held Feb. 7-18, 2013, celebrated the500th anniversary of the arrival of Ponce De Leon in Floridaas well as the 109th anniversary of the fair. The fair experienceda slight dip in attendance from the 2012 event, withan attendance of 443,000 this year compared to 457,000 in2012. But, revenues increased for the fair and its vendors.COURTESY FLORIDA STATE FAIRMark Walkermark@prairiefinancialinc.comLUTZ, Fla. — Frank Zaitshik, Wade Shows, is looking forwardto the 2013 season. He has three new dates and plans tobring back his Huss Rainbow out of its three-year hiatus.The first of his three new dates is also a new event. Calledthe Funshine Music Festival, Zaitshik will have between 30-35 rides on the Florida State Fairgrounds May 3,4, and 5. Theevent is being presented through a partnership with the fairand Live Nation.“I was very flattered that they talked to me about doingthis,” Zaitshik said.“And, it just so happened that I had one unit that, with alittle tweaking to that unit, available for that event.”Zaitshik, who lives in Lutz, Fla., about 15 miles north ofTampa, said there had been some talk about the new event, butit wasn’t until the 2013 Florida State Fair, which ran Feb. 7-18,that it was finalized.He said his plans to have some of his bigger, more spectacularrides such as his Pinfari RC-48, a seven truck and trailerride; Reverchon flume ride, a five-trailer ride; and Mack Himalayaride, a four-trailer ride. This latter ride is his Hit in 2000,which consistently lands in the Florida State Fair’s top ride list.“I also plan to bring in some of the bigger rides from FiestaSan Antonio (Texas), which I know isn’t really economical butI think they will fit well at this event,” Zaitshik said.Fiesta San Antonio runs April 18-28.Zaitshik also will provide the games and bring in somefood for the event. And, he said, he plans to bring in some kiddierides as well.“This is unchartered waters for us so we want to make surewe have a well-rounded midway,” he said.But, doing special events on the Florida State Fairgroundsis not totally new. The Miles of Smiles special event he, in partnershipwith fair, did for disadvantaged children Dec. 14-16,2012, was very successful. Zaitshik said they were able to offerbetween 5,000-6,000 children free rides, free food and freegames.“This was something I really felt strongly about; to be ableto offer these children something like this during the holidays,”he said. “We hope to have this become an annual eventand to grow it.”The Florida State Fair will also book in food, and there willbe a craft and vendor area, and a petting zoo at the FunshineMusic Festival.The other two new dates for Wade Shows this year is theNebraska State Fair, Grand Island, Aug. 23-Sept. 2, and in conjunctionwith Murphy Brothers Exposition, the Tulsa (Okla.)State Fair, Sept. 26-Oct. 6.Zaitshik is excited about the new dates and he is lookingforward to bringing out his Huss Rainbow, which has been offthe road for the last three years. He said it is now in refurbishment,which includes adding a LED lighting package. Hehopes to have it ready for the Tulsa (Okla.) State Fair.“You know, we have looked around at new pieces ofequipment, but have found not only is the price tag very large,but also in an effort to try to reduce the number of trucks, theyhave reduced the number of seats on the rides,” he said.In addition to all of this, Zaitshik said he has his cashlesssystem up and running now.—Pam Sherborne816-554-3863 prairiefinancialinc.comA division of

April 2013 AMUSEMENT TODAY 35

36 AMUSEMENT TODAY April 2013midwaylightsCOMPILED: Pam Sherborne, psherborne@amusementtoday.comThe Sheridan (Wyo.) County Fair Associationboard announced last month the appointment ofJames “Jamie” Ringley to the position of SheridanCounty Fairgrounds director.Ringley, who took over just a few days after theannouncement, fills the position left vacant whenMelissa Albrecht resigned earlier this year. No reasonwas given for her resignation.“Mr. Ringley brings an extensive list of credentialsto support the needs of the fairgrounds facility,staff and the many users of the venue,” Fair BoardChairman Steve Eliason said in a press release.The board reviewed 28 applications for the positionand six were interviewed.•The Bedford County Fair, Shelbyville, Tenn.,has a new date, and a new carnival and plans for abigger year in 2013.The 16th annual fair will be held from July 29 toAug. 3, instead of the third week of July it has beenrunning. According to Judy Gambill, fair president,the date changed to accommodate Carnival TymeAmusements, Eaton, Ind., a new carnival that justsigned up.The old carnival was Geren Rides, Valdosta, Ga.Gambill said she did not want to say why thecarnivals were changed, other than to say that CarnivalTyme is better established and will offer morerides.Bedford County’s 2012 fair won three awardsfrom the Tennessee Association of Fairs, said fairdirector Jerri Lynn Smith. The first honor, the MeritAward, is given to agricultural fairs that show improvementsfrom the previous year, and $1,000 isgiven for future improvements.The fair also won a second place award for itsprogram book and a third place award for the PickTennessee agriculture display.•Board members for the Umatilla County Fair,Hermiston, Ore., are considering a new smokingrestriction policy that would be phased in over twoyears.The East Oregonian report said the board is respondingto a request from members of a 4-H club.The youngsters said they have experienced cigarettesmoke drifting into camping areas and animalbarns during fair week in the summer.Board members looked at a first draft of a policylast month. They hoped to be able to vote on afinal draft soon.Fair and fairgrounds Manager Peggy Andersonsays board members learned that a handful of otherOregon county fairs already ban smoking, while severalothers have designated smoking areas.Anderson says that in 2014, the Umatilla fairlikely will be smoke-free.More than 80,000 people visit the summer fairin northeast Oregon.•The Freeborn County Fair Board, Albert Lee,Minn., last week added an additional smoke-freeday to the annual festival dubbed “Six GreatestDays of Summer.”Freeborn County Partners in Prevention requestedthe fair board make Senior Day a smokefreeday, and the board approved. Kids Day lastyear was smoke-free. Smokers could smoke only indesignated smoking areas.Kids Day is the Saturday of fair week, while SeniorDay is Wednesday.That leaves Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sundayas days people can smoke in any outdoor areasof the Freeborn County Fair.•People heading to the 2013 N.C. State Fair,Oct. 7-27, Raleigh, may need another dollar to getin.The N.C. Board of Agriculture voted 7-0 toapprove a $1 increase in admission prices. The increaseis subject to final approval by the board laterthis year.Under the proposal, adult admission would increaseto $7 for advance sales and $9 at the gate.Children ages six through 12 would cost $4 at thegate, with a $1 discount for advance purchases.Children under six and adults 65 and over still wouldget in free.State Fair Manager Wesley Wyatt said the increasewould allow the fair to keep up with risingoperating expenses and still make improvements tothe fairgrounds. The State Fair does not receive taxdollars.•If a sit-down meal with a happy-hour beverageis more appealing than a fried Twinkie on a stick, thePima County Fairgrounds will be more appealingthis year.The fairgrounds will open a new restaurant thisspring, The Sunset Cantina Bar and Grill, just in timefor the Pima County Fair.The restaurant will stay open year-round duringweekends and other special events, too, hoping todraw business from the residents of southeast Tucsonand the communities of Vail, Rita Ranch, Coronade Tucson and Sahuarita.The American-cuisine menu will include chickenand bacon quesadillas, pulled pork sliders, burgers,salads and fries. The signature dish will be chicken,bacon and cheese sandwiches served on ciabattabread with garlic fries. Sunset Cantina said it has asecret and surprise signature dessert in the worksas well.The grill is tentatively scheduled to open onApril 4 at 4 p.m.During the fair, April 18-28, Sunset Cantina willoffer daily specials and $2 drink specials during a 4to 6 p.m. happy hour, as well as faster menu optionsand takeout.Indoor and outdoor settings will be available,along with five large-screen televisions, live music,karaoke, dance lessons and entertainment.The restaurant will be available for rental forweddings and private events, said Launa Rabago,Pima County Fair entertainment and marketingmanager. The restaurant can accommodate groupsof up to 200 people indoors, or 500 when outdoorseating in an open courtyard is added. A full-servicecatering department also will be available.•While the weather forecast is calling for morewinter, that hasn’t stopped a group of local enthusiastsfrom making plans for one of the area’s longestrunning traditions. Plans are currently underway forthe 2013 Scotland County Fair, Memphis, Mo.The fair board recently announced the 2013 fairdates, July 8-13.This year’s fair will feature a rodeo, a tractorpull, the country music showdown and the demolitionderby. Additional grandstand shows will featurea hypnotist as well as a contemporary Christian musicconcert and a super farmer contest.With the number of kids enrolled in 4-H nearing100, combined with the number of FFA studentsthat swell those ranks, the traditional livestockshows will continue to be a huge draw for the event.A contract is already in place to bring a carnivalto the fairgrounds throughout the week-long festivities.The advertising for the 2013 event is undergoinga change. The fair book will transition to a smaller,more portable format that will feature full-color,glossy pages that are sure to make it a keepsake.•The 2013 Boulder County Fair will return to a10-day schedule and will once again include a rodeo.This year’s fair will run from Aug. 2 to 11, revertingto a longer run after scaling back to five days in2010.Fair coordinator Laura Boldt said the decisionwas made after last year’s exhibitors expressed concernsthat the five-day schedule was too short andevents were crammed together.Among the other new attractions this year is abeer festival, farm-to-table dinners and a BMX bicycleand skateboard competition.“We’re hoping that we’re appealing to a broaderrange of the county,” Boldt said.Even with fewer days, about 91,000 people attendedlast year’s fair, a 21 percent increase fromthe 80,000 who showed up for the 2011 event.Boldt anticipates about 120,000 attendees thisyear.The rodeo is also back by popular demand. TheColorado Pro Rodeo Association will present nineevents.The Colorado Senior Pro Charity Rodeo Association,formerly called the Longmont Old Timers’Rodeo Association, hasn’t been part of the BoulderCounty Fair since 2010. The rodeo has since relocatedto Estes Park’s Fairgrounds at Stanley Park.•The excitement for the Sherburne CountyFair’s 125th anniversary celebration is building asplans are underway for the July 18-21, 2013 run.In addition to a button contest involving youthof Sherburne County and a search for the residentswho have lived in the county the longest, there’snow a history book about the fair on sale.The history of the Sherburne County Fair, ElkRiver, Minn., is now chronicled in a new book. It issimply titled Sherburne County Fair History: 1889-2013. It was authored by Marion Salzmann, who’sbeen involved in 4-H and/or the Sherburne CountyFair since 1951.•In Dallas, State Fair of Texas officials announcedlast month that the public has pitched in$45,000 to help the Big Tex return to Big Tex Circleon the fairgrounds.Last October, an electrical fire left the 52-footiconic statue as only a burned, skeletal frame. TheState Fair has a design in mind for the new icon, saidSue Gooding, a spokeswoman for the state fair.The entire project is estimated to cost $500,000.The fair had a $160,000 insurance policy with a$5,000 deductible. Some sponsors have also expressedinterest in helping the fair pay for the statue’sremaining $300,000, Gooding said.The icon is expected to stand around 55 feetand will continue to wear Dickey’s clothes, Goodingsaid.The statue will be unveiled Sept. 27, 2013, theopening day of the State Fair of Texas.

April 2013 AMUSEMENT TODAY 37

38 AMUSEMENT TODAY April 2013Wallis elected president of Showman’s Guild of Great BritainLONDON, England —The Showmen’s Guild ofGreat Britain – the nationalU.K. trade association for thefun fair or carnival industry –recently elected David Wallisas its new president, who willserve in the role until 2016.“It’s an honor to representmy industry at the highest leveland I am very grateful forthe support of my family andshowman colleagues along theway,” says Wallis. “I hope thatas well as catering to the needsof the Guild’s 4,000 membersI can also increase the profileof this safe, affordable form offamily entertainment.”David Wallis is shown with Wallis represents the fifthhis Frederiksen president’s 1/7x3 chain b/w of 3/14/02 of-of seven 11:22 AM generations Page 1 of thefice. He will serve as presidentof the Showmen’s Guildof Great Britain until 2016.COURTESY THE GUILD“The #1 Leading Slide Manufacturer in America”“World’s Largest 5 Lane, One Trailer Slide - 108 Ft.”• Financing and Leasing Available• Trades Considered• Order Slide Bags or “New Rain” Bags• 6 New Slides In Stock• Have 20 Used Rides• 90 Ft. Fiberglass Slide• 65 Ft. Fiberglass SlideWallis family that have madetheir living in the fairgroundbusiness. Spending the earlierpart of his life touring aroundthe North West of England, inmore recent years his touringitinerary has extended acrossthe country and overseas. Inhis 50-year career as a rideoperator (or riding master),David has owned a successionof attractions from fairgroundfavorites like the Waltzer andHelter Skelter to newer noveltyrides including the Tagadaand Sea Storm (Happy Sailor).He currently travels the U.K.’sonly ice-themed Mirror Maze.Since making the shorthop to the Isle of Man for thefamous TT Races in the early1990s, he has taken his attractionsabroad on frequent occasionsand was once recognisedas “The World’s Most TravelledShowman” in the GoldenPony Awards from Italianpublisher Facto Edizioni.“Once we’d done it forFREDERIKSENINDUSTRIES, INC.5212 St. Paul St.Tampa, Florida 33619(813) 628-4545FAX (813) 621-3679www.funslide.comthe first time, I realized it wasno more difficult to put yourrides on a boat to Africa thanto the Isle of Man. I’ve beenfortunate enough to operateamusements in such variedplaces as Ireland, Iceland,Norway, South Africa, HongKong and New Zealand. Someof these ventures have provedmore successful than others,but I’ve loved every minute ofit.”Current concerns withinthe British fairground industryinclude the cost of diesel(for both transport and generators),the provision of educationfor fairground childrenand the availability of sites forfairs and for showmen to liveand store their equipment inthe winter.Formed in Salford nearManchester in 1889, TheShowmen’s Guild of GreatBritain boasts 10 regional officesaround the country, includingheadquarters nearLondon. Its members includefairground organizers (or lessees),ride owners, stall holders,caterers and other associatedbusinesses in the tourismand hospitality sector. As wellas implementing rules governingfair play among members,the Guild also liaises closelywith the (U.K.) Health & SafetyExecutive, local authorities,education departments andexternal event organisers.David Wallis is a memberof the Lancashire, Cheshire& North Wales Section of theGuild and has served on multipleregional and nationalcommittees over the years. Amember of the Greater ManchesterChamber of Commerce,he also represents theShowmen’s Guild in the EuropeanShowmen’s Union(ESU).•www.showmensguild.co.ukUse Rides Europe foundedNew Electric Rim-Drive with morelights, more flashSignature Series Light Package –LED Lights availableEasier size for set-up andtear-downMore Built-in Safety FeaturesEasy to train and operate –Simple joystick controlAnother “family ride”also available...Big Eli Construction Zone1-800-274-0211 fax 217-479-0103info@elibridge.com elibridge.comLen Soled, Rides-4U, and Peter Theunisz, KMG, haveformed a new partnership to offer used rides in Europeanmarket. The formation of the new company, calledUsed Rides Europe, was officially formed two weeks beforethe International Independent Showmen’s Associationannual Trade Show and Extravaganza, which washeld Feb. 5-9, Gibsonton, Fla. The two announced thenew partnership during the show. Soled is a used ridebroker in the U.S. and sells new rides for several companiesincluding KMG. That relationship is not altered inany way. Based on the interest they were getting, Soledand Theunisz feel Used Rides Europe will be a success.Their website is: www.usedrideseurope.com.AT/PAM SHERBORNE

Loop coasters were found atfairgrounds in early 1900sWhen most people thinkof roller coasters, they picturethem in amusement parks,however, documentation ofpermanent roller coasters atfairs and exhibitions goes allthe way back to at least October,1904 with photographicevidence of a standardPrescott “Loop the Loop” atthe York Fair in York, Pennsylvania.Roller Coasterswere far more popular thanimagined at the turn of thelast century.This real photo post cardshows two similar views. Thecard was sent to a young ladyon Staten Island postmarkedMarch 9, 1905 — six monthsafter the 1904 edition of theYork Fair had concluded.Why the card was held for solong is a mystery.Prior to this discovery,Flip Flaps and Loop Coastershad only been built aspermanent attractions atConey Island, Atlantic City,Olentangy Park, Columbus,Ohio and a few other places.Amusement Park historianMike Chew also sharednews of an installation outhis direction. A small fair inVallejo, California (acrossfrom Marine World) apparentlyhad a side-friction fairgrounds“woodie” prior to1910.This post card providesphotographic evidence, confirmingthat roller coasterswere far more popular thanever imagined at the turnof the last century. Peoplewere not content to travelto their nearest amusementpark (perhaps there wasn’tone where they lived). So, theexciting new invention, theroller coaster, came to them!Today a few examples offairground coasters still exist.The most popular onesare the wooden coasters thatoperate at the Western WashingtonFair in Puyallup andPlayland Park in Vancouverthat doubles as the midwayfor the Pacific National Exhibitioneach late summer.Their ride package alongwith their 1958 woodencoaster provides the thrillsfor fairgoers.— B. Derek ShawThis photo postcard was dated 1904, but not postmarkeduntil 1905. It was not uncommon for “loop the loop”coasters to be built at the turn of the last century, howeverthey were usually permanent installations. This is a portableone traveling from fair to fair.COURTESY B. DEREK SHAW COLLECTIONApril 2013 AMUSEMENT TODAY 39

40 AMUSEMENT TODAY April 2013Western Montana Fair names North Star as carnival providerMIDWAYMARKET PLACEGull Wing IndustriesWorking with the CarnivalIndustry since 1989Contact us at:www.gull-wing.comGFlex 400 AmpNorth American RepresentativeTexas Office:405 Dodson Lake Dr.Arlington, TX 76012-3442Keep our carnival and fair industry strong!Buy products and services from these suppliers.MISSOULA, Mont. —Western Montana Fair andRodeo, Missoula, will have anew carnival at the fair thissummer for the first time inmore than half a century.According to a reportin the Ravalli (Mt) Republic,county commissioners signeda three-year contract for theAug. 6-11 fair with North StarAmusements of Cody, Wyo.,the longtime provider of carnivalsand games at the RavalliCounty Fair in Hamilton.Bret McKenney is theprincipal owner of North StarAmusements.“The trucks still say Wyoming,but I live in Billings andhave my whole life,” McKenneywas quoted as saying inthe news report.Cody was where McKennystarted the company.According to the news report,the change came after amultiyear contract with RoyalWest Amusements and InlandEmpire Shows expired lastyear amid a morass of problems.The carnival was late toarrive on the first day of thefair due to an ownership conflictand several rides eithernever showed up or weren’toperated.There was, said fairgroundsdirector Steve Earle,“a big gap in the middle of thecarnival where there shouldhave been rides.”Earle said he negotiated asettlement with Royal West/Inland Empire to cover someof the fair’s losses. Even beforethat, though, he and thePack-Man 175 kw or 250 kwQuiet Power–Tractor orTrailer Mounted309 N.E. 1st Street P.O. Box 128 Alta, IA 51002Toll Free: 800-838-1482 Fax: 712-200-1936Amusement Sales, Inc.JRide SalesJReplacement PartsJServiceTelephone: (817) 275-9393 • Fax: (817) 860-7373www.fabbrigroup.com • fabbrirides@sbcglobal.netcounty had put out a requestfor proposals for the next contractor.Five legitimate offerscame in last fall, from companiesas far away as Californiaand Texas.“They were all relativelythe same in terms of monetaryvalue, but (McKenney’s) operationswe’re a little more familiarwith,” Earle said. “He’sgot a good track record as faras equipment safety goes, andhe does the Hamilton fair, sowe got good references fromthere and others.”The biggest deciding factorsin McKenney’s favor were“probably his references andhis operational ability – theshape of his rides and the wayhis help works and things likethat.”The new carnival will provideat least five spectacularrides, 14 major adult rides,11 kiddie rides and between20 and 40 games. North Starwill also be required to put upa $50,000 performance bond,and Earle said there are clausesin the contract that claimdamages back to the fair if, forinstance, rides don’t start intime. Previous contracts hadno such stipulations.McKenney said he’ll likelyhave a work force of around100 people, including 15 to 20local hires “if I can get them.”“We’ve got a big selectionof rides. We promised to bring30 minimum rides to the fairin Missoula there, so there’llbe a big carnival spread, probablythe best the town hasever seen, I would imagine,”he said.North Star Amusements islooking at a 25-week schedulethat includes 13 fairs. McKenneysaid he’d also be goingto Bozeman, Helena and, thisyear, the Northwest MontanaFair in Kalispell the week afterMissoula.The three-year contractthrough 2015 includes optionalrenewal periods the followingtwo years.It ends a string of 53straight years that the companythat started out as InlandEmpire Shows came tothe Missoula fair. Its longtimeowner, Reed Williams,moved to the Missoula area 10years ago. He sold Royal WestAmusements to Todd andBecky Keenan in 2008, and theKeenans purchase Inland EmpireShows the following year.—Pam Sherborne

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42 AMUSEMENT TODAY April 2013Western Fairs Association meeting honors 35 fairsSeen at Gibtown...RENO, Nev. — The WesternFairs Association AchievementAwards were rewardedto membership fairs duringthe 2013 WFA Conventionheld Jan. 20-23, Reno, Nev.The 331 award-winningentries from 35 fairs were ondisplay in the Award Center.The awards program wassponsored by Ray CammackShows. The Awards Centerwas sponsored by the AntelopeValley Fair.Garnering the mostawards this year was theMarin Co. Fair, San Rafael,Calif. a Class Medium fair. Itwas honored with 33 differentdivision awards.There were several fairshonored with 26 differentawards. They were the SanDiego, Del Mar, County Fair,Class Mega; the SonomaCounty Fair, Santa Rosa, Calif.,Class Large; and the AlamedaCounty Fair, Pleasanton,Calif., Class Mega, which washonored with 25 first, secondor third awards, and one honorablemention.The San Mateo (Calif.)County Fair, Class Medium,was rewarded 24 awards.The following is a list ofthe other fairs honored duringthe 2013 convention:•The OC County Fair,Costa Mesa, Calif., Div. Mega,with 14 awards;•Puyallup (Wash.) Fair,Div. Mega, with 12 awards;•Fresno (Calif.) Fair, Div.Mega, 11 awards;•Nevada Co. Fair, GrassValley, Calif., Div. Medium,11 awards;•Stanislaus County Fair,Div. Large, 11 awards;•California Mid-StateFair, Paso Robles, Calif., Div.Large, 10 awards;•Santa Clara County Fair,San Jose, Calif., Div. Small, 10awards;•Antelope Valley Fair,Lancaster, Calif., Div. Large,10 awards;•Calgary (Alta.) Stampede,Div. Mega, nine awards;•California State Fair,Sacramento, Div. Mega, nineawards;•Napa County Fair, Calistogo,Calif., Div. Small, nineawards;•Santa Barbara CountyFair, Santa Maria, Calif., Div.Large, nine awards;•Santa Barbara Fair (Calif.)& Expo, Div. Small, eightawards;•Santa Cruz County Fair,Watsonville, Calif., Div. Medium,eight awards;•Ventura (Calif.) CountyFair, Div. Large, eight awards;•Del Norte County Fair,Crescent City, Calif., Div.Small, seven awards;•El Dorado County Fair,Placerville, Calif., Div. Medium,six awards;•Redwood Empire Fair,Ukiah, Calif., Div. Small, sixawards;•Salina Valley Fair, KingCity, Calif., Div. Small, sixawards;•Amador County Fair,Plymouth, Calif., Div. Small,four awards;•Chowchilla (Calif.)Madera County Fair, Div.Small, four awards;•Arizona State Fair, Phoenix,Div. Mega, four awards;•School’s Agriculture andNutrition, Walnut, Calif., Div.Small, three awards;•Arizona National LivestockShow, Phoenix, Div.Small, two awards;•Solano County Fair,Vallejo, Calif., Div. Small, teoawards;•Sonoma-Marin Fair,Petuluma, Calif., Div. Medium,two awards;•Douglas County Fair,Roseburg, Ore., Div. Medium,one award;•Tulelake-Butte ValleyFair, Tulelake, Calif., Div. Medium,one award.—Pam SherborneThe hard working ladies from Amusements of Americawere on hand during Gibtown, checking out the show floor.Shown here, l to r, are: Jane Baxter Vivona, Helena Vivonaand Lourdes Vivona. AT/GARY SLADETwo New Jersey park operatorsstopped by the ATbooth to talk about the Sandyrelief efforts. Shown hereare Angelo P. Cappetta (CarouselFamily EntertainmentCenter) and Tricia Thomas(Fantasy Island AmusementPark. AT/GARY SLADEWayne McCary and his wife, Annette McCary, center, had agreat time during the Gibtown show visiting friends such asBea Negus, right, North American Midway Entertainment.McCary retired as president and CEO of The Big E, Springfield,Mass., last year. He is also a former OABA chair andhe received the Hall of Fame award from OABA during thatorganization’s annual meeting Feb. 8, Tampa.AT/PAM SHERBORNEWalking the floor and visitingwith customers fromSkyFair were Donald DiGirolamo,left, and companyowner Jerry Pendleton.AT/GARY SLADETaking in all the sights duringGibtown from Palace Playland,l to r, are: Joel Golder,CEO and Paul Golder, vicepresident of operations.AT/GARY SLADECatching up on industrynews were David Conedera,president of the TampaShowman’s Association (left)and Charles J. Edens, independentcarnival ride operator.AT/GARY SLADEAll smiles at the Rides 4U booth over their purchase of a newDance Party 360 ride from SBF Visa Group are l to r: LenSoled, Rides 4U; Michele Frison, SBF Visa Group; Jeff Savelesky,Sliverwood project manager; Denny Higdon, Silverwooddirector of maintenance and Mark Blumbagen, Rides4U. AT/GARY SLADE

April 2013 AMUSEMENT TODAY 43MARKETPLACEAmusementToday.comAUCTIONS EQUIPMENT OPPORTUNITIES SERVICESAUCTIONFOR SALEFOR SALE1997 Chance Yo-Yo trailer mounted.........$200,000ARM Full Tilt- flying Dutchman themed trailermounted ...........................................................$379,0002000 Zamperla Rocking Tug trailer mounted............................................................................................$99,000SBF/Visa Super Truck trailer mounted........$39,000Wisdom Sizzler trailer mounted..................$149,000Chance Sea Dragon trailer mounted ......$149,000Check out the latest premium new and used rides at:facebook.com/internationalridesmanagementor call (609) 425-1220 to receive a current list.Tivoli ReMix 2 trailer mounted ....................$425,000FOR SALE2008 CAPCO CENTER TRAILERLike-new condition, 18’x8’, removablehitch, all hydraulic, goes to ground level,extra awning lights.$40,300 - Call EJ Dean (978) 375-2542FOR SALE“60 Horse Chance Grand Carousel-Outside row of Bradley & Kaye horses.2 loads (4 pup trailers) $425,0002008 Tivoli Remix II, T/M. ExcellentCondition $490,000Call EJ Dean 978-375-2542”SERVICESWHITEWATER 10 YEAR INSPECTIONS3rd party insurance and safety inspections.California QSI inspections. FormerDisney Safety Manager. Amusement andwaterparks.www.safetycertify.com(916) 772-2698Find us on Facebookfacebook.com/amusementtodayZamperla Fiesta Express Coaster trailer mounted ...................................................................................$79,000Highlite 70ft Wheel trailer mounted..........$259,000Sky Trail/Ropes course park model..............$39,000Zamperla Swing 20 park model..................$14,900Zamperla mini jet 10 sweep park model...$19,000S & S Frog Hopper park model...................$34,000KMG Fire Ball trailer mounted ....................$799,000Wisdom Starship 2000 trailer mounted...$225,000Wisdom Gee Whiz trailer mounted..........$124,000Call Len or John(908) 526-8009FAX: (908) 526-4535OPPORTUNITYNEED RIDE HELP IN ALL AREASSupervisor to lead crew of five. Moveand maintain Chance/Wisdom rides; 1)Century Wheel/Pharaoh’s Fury, Zipper,Merry Go Round 2) Super Sizzler• Basic hydraulic/electrician knowledge• CDL Class A license helpful• Drug test mandatory• Seasonal position for approximately •9 months, could develop into annualemployment• Competitive salary and benefitspackageEmail resume or work experience tocarnivalowner@gmail.comOPPORTUNITYSMOKEY MOUNTAIN AMUSEMENTSINC. Needs Ride Help In AllDepartments:Works in Bahamas until March 1 - musthave passportRide Superintendent - For Green Unit.Electrician - For Green Unit.Contact:Brian (Beaver) Bitner(919) 272-5627Billy Clark(863) 738-1689Industry news delivereddirect to your desk!Subscribe today to receive 14 issuesof Amusement Today per year!Easy{amusementtoday}It’scomor call at:(817) 460-7220

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