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AAMA American Amusement Machine Association Thousands Attend Record-Setting International Bowl Expo

The AAMA pavilion also kept buyers on their feet

Marking its tenth year as the Bowling Industry's Premiere Annual Event, International Bowl Expo 2006 (IBE 2006) surpassed the previous record year attendance of 2000 by approximately 5% and received extremely high marks from bowling industry leaders, suppliers, manufacturers and attendees as more than 5,200 gathered in Las Vegas, Nevada June 25 - June 29 at the Las Vegas Hilton and Las Vegas Convention Center. While final figures are still being audited, IBE 2006 organizers feel confident about the record-setting status.

International Bowl Expo was born out of what was previously known as BPAA's Annual Convention, and then in 1995 BPAA's Bowl Expo was the first time the "Bowl Expo" logo was introduced. In 1996, the event shifted away from being known as "BPAA's Convention" to "International Bowl Expo", a bowling industry gathering that continues to grow into the 21st century.

Contingencies from Canada, the European Bowling Proprietors' Association, the Japanese Bowling Proprietors Association, as well as numerous industry colleagues from China, Australia, South America, Mexico, Russia, India and Southeast Asia among many other countries were also in attendance.

The 2006 Expo presented attendees with a lively exhibit floor comprised of more than 800 one hundred-square foot booths showcasing over 250 exhibiting companies representing a range of new and standard products and services available to the bowling industry. Thousands of bowling center, military, pro shop and other bowling-related operators spread throughout the Las Vegas Convention Center exhibit floor, which was sponsored by Pepsi-Cola, the official soft drink of bowling, on Wednesday and Thursday in search of the industry's most current and innovative products and services.

Overall reports from IBE Exhibitors indicated an upward trend in trade show floor sales. Many Pro Bowlers appeared all over the show floor signing autographs while an increase in trade show activities including The Bowling Foundation's Mystery Squares fund-raiser that brought in $20,000 for youth programs, the first-ever BPAA-USBC Bowling Challenge, won by BPAA 177-171, pie-eating contests along with other cash prize giveaways, such as QubicaAMF's 'Bowling for Bucks', helped keep buyers on the trade floor throughout both exhibit days.

The AAMA pavilion also kept buyers on their feet as they walked through a string of booths filled with eye catching coin-operated amusement products. The pavilion was made up of 1200 square feet of booth space and accommodated 12 AAMA member companies. Year-after-year the pavilion continues to grow. It is by far one of the most popular shows on the AAMA location trade show calendar. Member companies included AMOA, American Changer, Andamiro, Bay-Tek Games, Benchmark Games, Embed Integration, Face Place, Merit Entertainment, Namco America, OK Manufacturing and Stern Pinball. “It was nice to meet several of the proprietors and managers from Bowling Centers around the country. I was pleased to hear that many of them are thinking of operating their amusement operations and considering our line of changers. They were especially interested in our AC6007 which accepts credit cards and cash to dispense tokens, which we also manufacture, since acquiring Hoffman Mint,” deemed Wayne Snihur of American Changer.

Several members took advantage of AAMA’s newest member benefit; the advertising program. Together with International Bowling Industry Magazine, members of the AAMA were able to promote their company and products by placing ads at a dramatically reduced rate within the show edition.

With more than 30 different educational seminars and workshops offered, education was the main focus on Monday afternoon and all day Tuesday as leaders and speakers from within and outside the bowling industry spoke to the thousands gathered to gain fresh knowledge and ideas on how to better run their businesses. International Bowl Expo attendees also packed the Las Vegas Hilton's Conrad Room on Wednesday morning to hear Political Leader and Humanitarian Icon Rudy Giuliani speak.

Both the AAMA and its members have been quite pleased with the success of the International Bowl Expo and what it brings to the coin-op industry. The association alone wrangled up over 60 leads from location owners interested in either starting up or expanding their game rooms. The pavilion will absolutely return in 2007. IBE continues to grow in popularity as the event heads back to the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Resort and Convention Center, Wednesday June 27th thru Thursday, June 28th.

The 2007-2008 AAMA Location Trade Show registration form was mailed out to the membership in early July. AAMA members can exhibit within various location based trade shows such as Bowl Expo, IAAPA and Nightclub & Bar (to name a few), while saving $500.00 off the cost of their booth! Undoubtedly one of AAMA’s best member programs, booths within the AAMA pavilion sell out fast. Should you be interested in exhibiting at the 2007 Bowl Expo or any other trade show included in the program, contact Vanessa Cabrera in the AAMA office toll-free at 866.372.5190 or via e-mail at vcabrera@coin-op.org for further details.